Recent work by the Tourism and Archaeology Department of Umm Al Quwain has brought to light an ancient pearling town and Christian monastery on Sinniyah Island. The archaeologists working on the project – of whom I am one – believe that these remains can be identified with the “lost city” of Tu’am.
But what, exactly, does this claim entail and why is it significant to the history of the Emirates?
Tu’am is described by Arabic geographical and historical sources written in the Golden Age of Islam. However, these sources were in turn based on earlier material, including poetry and tribal traditions, that reached back to the pre-Islamic period.
Accordingly, the 11th-century Spanish geographer Al Bakri made the following entry on Tu’am:
“It is a place in Bahrain and it is pearl fishery. Tu’am is a local capital in Oman. It neighbours Oman at the sea named Tu’am and it neighbours the land known as Sohar. In Tu’am there is a pearl fishery and to Tu’am is attributed the Tu’amian Pearl.”
In this period “Bahrain” was used to refer to north-east Arabia and “Oman” was used to refer to south-east Arabia.
Additional information was collected by the 13th-century Syrian geographer Yaqut Al Hamawi, who wrote:
“Tu’am is the name of a local capital of Oman comprising that which neighbours the coast and Sohar is its [ie Oman’s] local capital comprising that which neighbours the mountains. Pearls are associated with it and there are many villages in it.”
The geographers understood the Omani Peninsula divided the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, with Tu’am and Sohar as the main towns of the respective shores.
Tu’am is described as a qasabah – “local capital” – a word some readers may be familiar with from the famous casbahs of Morocco. Yet it possessed “many villages” and must therefore also have been a region. As such, it may be regarded as a proto-emirate: a local capital surrounded by a hinterland territory of the same name.
While the Arabic geographies are clear about the where and what of Tu’am – it was the leading pearling town of the Gulf coast of the Emirates with a hinterland territory containing many villages – they are quite hazy about the when. The Islamic historical tradition fortunately provides the answer.
The 18th-century Omani historian Al Izkawi, drawing on much older sources, describes the role of Tu’am in pre-Islamic Arab migration:
“The tribe of the Azd ceased not to migrate to Oman, until at last they became numerous therein, and their power and fame increased. At length, they overran the country and extended as far as Bahrain … Then came to Oman Sama bin Lu’ayy bin Ghalib [of Quraysh] who settled at Tu’am in the vicinity of the Azd. Sama married his daughter to Azd bin Imran bin Amr.”
Nothing else comparable has ever been found despite 70 years of archaeological prospection
This marriage cemented a powerful tribal confederation and constitutes a key episode in the Arabisation of the region. According to the ninth-century Iraqi polymath Al Asma'i, “the progeny of Imran bin Amr bin Amir seized Oman from its people”. Tu’am was therefore the launchpad for the final chapter in the legendary Arab conquest of south-east Arabia.
When the Arabisation of the Emirates occurred remains a matter of scholarly debate. Arguably, it may be placed in the aftermath of the collapse of the indigenous Mleiha civilisation in the third and fourth centuries of the Common Era.
Tu’am was last mentioned, albeit obliquely, in connection with the Umayyad invasion in the early eighth century. The 19th-century Omani historian Salil ibn Raziq, again drawing on earlier source material, reports that “a man of people of Tu’am” brought news of the impending invasion fleet, which fits with a coastal location described by the earlier Arabic geographers.
Thereafter, Julfar in neighbouring Ras Al Khaimah became the principal coastal settlement of the Emirates, and remained so for the Islamic Middle Ages. The shift from Tu’am to Julfar probably occurred between the seventh and eighth centuries when the region was brought into the administrative structure of the caliphate.
A thousand years later, Omani historians in the 18th and 19th centuries encountered Tu’am in the earlier sources they were using. The problem, however, was that Tu’am had long since passed from memory and its location was no longer known. They vaguely knew it to be somewhere to the north and identified it with Buraimi and Al Ain.
This is not perhaps entirely inaccurate. Since Tu’am was both town and territory, it may have reached as far inland as the oases of Al Ain and Buraimi. Nevertheless, the 10th-century Palestinian geographer Al Muqaddasi instead refers to Hafit, “abounding in palms”, a name more closely associated with Al Ain that survives to this day.
The identification of Tu’am with Al Ain and Buraimi was reproduced uncritically by British colonialists and Arab nationalists in the 1960s and '70s, which coincided with the creation of the United Arab Emirates. The result was a roundabout and hospital in Al Ain named after Tu’am, an attempt to give deep roots to the new nation.
Tu’am means “twins” in Arabic. This curious name hides a deeper significance. Arabic Tu’am is equivalent to Syriac T’ome, rendered into Greek and ultimately English as Thomas. And who was this Thomas? None other than St Thomas the Apostle, of whom the fourth-century church historian Eusebius wrote:
“When the Holy Apostles and disciples of our Saviour were scattered over all the world, Thomas, so the tradition has it, obtained as his portion the Parthian Empire.”
Tu’am seems, therefore, to have been named in honour of St Thomas the Apostle of the East.
This leads us back to Sinniyah Island and its Christian monastery. The History of St Jonah, a Syriac hagiography composed sometime between the sixth and eighth centuries, describes the journey of a miracle-working saint. He stayed at the Monastery of St Thomas, located on an island off the Gulf coast of the Emirates.
Given the meaning of the place name Tu’am, we cannot help but wonder if the Monastery of St Thomas described in this text is the same as the Sinniyah Monastery.
The historical sources briefly outlined above, therefore, describe a Christianised pearling town on the Gulf coast of the Emirates that thrived in the centuries before the rise of Islam. That very closely fits the pearling town and Christian monastery found on Sinniyah Island.
Although we cannot be sure that the archaeological remains on Sinniyah Island represent the Tu’am of the historical sources, nothing else comparable has ever been found despite 70 years of archaeological prospection. Sinniyah thus constitutes the best-known candidate for Tu’am.
The identification of Tu’am with Sinniyah is of major importance for the UAE, given the historic role of Tu’am in the Arabisation and Islamisation of this Muslim Arab nation. These far-reaching events can now be placed in and around Sinniyah Island in the lagoon of Umm Al Quwain.
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Mobile phone packages comparison
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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South Korea
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The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Company%20profile
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UAE FIXTURES
October 18 – 7.30pm, UAE v Oman, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 19 – 7.30pm, UAE v Ireland, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 21 – 2.10pm, UAE v Hong Kong, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 22 – 2.10pm, UAE v Jersey, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 24 – 10am, UAE v Nigeria, Abu Dhabi Cricket Oval 1
October 27 – 7.30pm, UAE v Canada, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
October 29 – 2.10pm, Playoff 1 – A2 v B3; 7.30pm, Playoff 2 – A3 v B2, at Dubai International Stadium.
October 30 – 2.10pm, Playoff 3 – A4 v Loser of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Playoff 4 – B4 v Loser of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 1 – 2.10pm, Semifinal 1 – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Semifinal 2 – A1 v Winner of Play-off 2 at Dubai International Stadium
November 2 – 2.10pm, Third place Playoff – B1 v Winner of Play-off 1; 7.30pm, Final, at Dubai International Stadium
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
MATCH INFO
Rajasthan Royals 158-8 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 143/7 (20 ovs)
Rajasthan Royals won by 15 runs
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.