Umm an-Nar Culture
| Umm al-Nar | |
|---|---|
 Umm al-Nar
|
|
| Coordinates: 24°26′18″N 54°30′52″E / 24.43833°N 54.51444°E | |
| Country |
 UAE
|
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) |
Umm al-Nar (Arabic for "Mother of fire") is the name given to a bronze age culture that existed from 2600-2000 BC in modern-day United Arab Emirates and Northern Oman. The etymology derives from the island of the same name which lies adjacent to Abu Dhabi.
The key site is well protected, but its location between a refinery and a sensitive military area means public access is currently restricted. The UAE authorities are working to improve public access to the site, and plan to make this an Abu Dhabi cultural location.
One element of the Umm al-Nar culture is circular tombs typically characterized by well fitted stones in the outer wall and multiple human remains within.
The Umm an-Nar culture covers no more than seven centuries (2700-2000 BC). The name is derived from Umm al Nar, a small island located on the southeast of the much larger island Abu Dhabi. It is one of 200 islands that dominate the coast of Abu Dhabi.
The first archaeological excavations in Abu Dhabi began at Umm al-Nar in 1959, twelve years before the foundation of the United Arab Emirates. Seven tombs from a total of fifty and three areas at the ruins of the ancient settlement were examined by the Danish Archaeological Expedition. During their first visit they identified a few exposed shaped stones fitted together at some of the stone mounds. The following year (February 1959) the first excavations started at one of the mounds on the plateau, now called Tomb I. Two more seasons (1960 and 1961) involved digging more tombs, while the last three seasons (1962/1963, 1964 and 1965) were allocated to examining the settlement.
The Danish excavations on Umm al-Nar halted in 1965 but were resumed in 1975 by an archaeological team from Iraq. During the Iraqi excavations which lasted one season, five tombs were excavated and a small section of the village was examined. Between 1970 and 1972 an Iraqi restoration team headed by Shah Al Siwani, former member of the Antiquities Director in Baghdad, restored and/or reconstructed the Danish excavated tombs.
At Al Sufouh Archaeological Site in Dubai, archaeological excavation between 1994 and 1995 revealed an Umm Al-Nar type circular tomb dating between 2500 and 2000 B.C.
Dilmun Burial Mounds in Bahrain also feature Umm al-Nar Culture remains.
At Tell Abraq, UAE, settlements associated with the start of the Umm al-Nar Culture began c. 2500 BC.
...
Wikipedia