• Umm an-Nar tomb from the Bronze Age at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, Sharjah. All photos by Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Umm an-Nar tomb from the Bronze Age at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, Sharjah. All photos by Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The entrance to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah
    The entrance to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah
  • Follow the signs to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah
    Follow the signs to the Mleiha Archaeological Centre in Sharjah
  • A showcase of the baliya practice, in which people buried the dead along with a camel or a horse or both (mostly the animals they owned) in a senate grave
    A showcase of the baliya practice, in which people buried the dead along with a camel or a horse or both (mostly the animals they owned) in a senate grave
  • The in-house cafe at Sharjah's Mleiha Archaeological Centre
    The in-house cafe at Sharjah's Mleiha Archaeological Centre
  • A tombstone featuring bi-lingual funerary inscription in Aramaic and ancient South Arabian script
    A tombstone featuring bi-lingual funerary inscription in Aramaic and ancient South Arabian script
  • The palace site
    The palace site
  • A fossil ammonite, 66 million years old
    A fossil ammonite, 66 million years old
  • The Faya cave site
    The Faya cave site
  • The Faya cave site at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre
    The Faya cave site at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre
  • Learn more about the Faya cave site at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre
    Learn more about the Faya cave site at the Mleiha Archaeological Centre
  • Spot Arabian sand gazelle as you take a tour of the Mleiha Archaeological Centre site
    Spot Arabian sand gazelle as you take a tour of the Mleiha Archaeological Centre site
  • An active archaeological dig site
    An active archaeological dig site
  • A utahraptor claw, 70 million years old
    A utahraptor claw, 70 million years old
  • A tyrannosaurus tooth, 68 million years old
    A tyrannosaurus tooth, 68 million years old
  • A fossilised bird, 44 million years old
    A fossilised bird, 44 million years old
  • A velociraptor skeleton, 90 million years old
    A velociraptor skeleton, 90 million years old
  • A close-up of the Umm an-Nar tomb
    A close-up of the Umm an-Nar tomb
  • Children can try making their own fossils with these moulds
    Children can try making their own fossils with these moulds
  • A gastropod found in UAE seas
    A gastropod found in UAE seas
  • A fossil gastropod from Mleiha, 68 million years old
    A fossil gastropod from Mleiha, 68 million years old
  • A scenography of the Iron Age rock shelter grave BHS-30 at Jebal al-Buhais
    A scenography of the Iron Age rock shelter grave BHS-30 at Jebal al-Buhais
  • Stone tools, 10,000 years old on display
    Stone tools, 10,000 years old on display
  • The Mleiha Archaeological Centre is just another reason to visit Sharjah
    The Mleiha Archaeological Centre is just another reason to visit Sharjah
  • A Neolithic burial
    A Neolithic burial
  • An amphora jar
    An amphora jar

Why you need to visit Sharjah's Mleiha Archaeological Centre this weekend – in pictures


Katy Gillett
  • English
  • Arabic

As the weather begins cool, now is the time to visit Sharjah Mleiha Archaeological Centre, particularly as next week its summer promotions come to an end.

The visitor attraction and cluster of important historical sites, such as the Umm an-Nar tomb, gives guests a taste of Emirati tradition and heritage, offering fascinating details about what life was like for settlers here during the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze, Iron, pre-Islamic, Islamic and modern ages.

Through an excellently curated indoor exhibition, discover more about the social orders and rituals of the time, as well as about people's diet, pathologies, hardships, trade and craftsmanship.

Look through the photo gallery above to see more of this Sharjah centre.

Until Monday, September 30, the centre is offering a range of special deals. For instance, book two tickets for any of the adventure packages and get one for free. This includes safaris, rides in dune buggies, trekking and desert cycling. With the "escape packages", such as overnight camping and stargazing, buy three tickets and get one for free. Meanwhile, families can pay Dh125 for entry for two adults and two children, and the little ones will get the chance to create their own fossils and make tools like a Stone Age caveman, all within air-conditioned comfort.

The centre is also home to a top-notch cafe, which overlooks the archeological sites beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows and serves up small bites and a range of hot and cold beverages.