RAS AL KHAIMAH // Schoolchildren were introduced to the importance of archaeology and the country’s heritage by going on a dig at the abandoned pearling village of Jazirat Al Hamra.
Forty-seven children from RAK Academy spent a morning this week at the unique site that dates from the 17th century, and also had a chance to build a wall using traditional building materials such as coral.
“The tour was great,” said Shama Al Sharhani, 8. “This is the first time I’ve visited this place and the first time I got to dig for old things. It was like digging for treasure. They gave us a souvenir [a piece of pottery] to remember the place and the visit and, when they asked us about who wants to be an archaeologist, we all raised our hands.”
Alya Al Zaabi also enjoyed the tour and learnt a lot about her heritage and culture.
“I helped in creating a wall using material that they used in the past and it was so fun,” said Alya.
“I also dug in the ground and found old coins, bracelets, shells and pieces of pottery.”
The programme was launched this month by the Department of Antiquities and Museums in RAK and RAK Academy, after nearly a year of preparation.
“It’s important that children learn to understand the significance of their heritage and culture while taking part and working alongside the archaeologists,” said Kate Ayres, director of the National Museum of RAK.
“The plan is that each year a different school year from RAK Academy will visit and the pupils will learn something new, eventually building up a full picture of the site and the various archaeological techniques used.
“Perhaps in the future, one of these pupils will be heading the Department of Antiquities and Museums inspired by their session at the village.”
Ahmad Hilal, director of archaeology at the department, said that involving the public was a good way to preserve sites.
“It’s very difficult these days to protect archaeological sites and cultural heritage,” he said. “The best way is to involve the community and educate the new generations by bringing awareness and teaching them the importance of archaeology and history.”
The old coastal village of Jazirat Al Hamra, which means Red Island, is about 18 kilometres south-west of RAK city and has more than 400 structures, including about 150 traditional buildings, many of them slowly crumbling after it was abandoned in 1968. It used to be an island before areas were filled in and it is widely believed to be haunted.
“We started protecting the site in 2002 and the restoration started in January 2015,” said Mr Hilal.
“It will take many years to restore the village because it’s a continuous process. We are running 10 major excavations now and we have done about 60,000 recordings along with conservation and restoration work, tested a lot of samples and created material that will be used in the restoration process.”
A plan to build a heritage village at Jazirat Al Hamra is under way and it will include arts and crafts centres, galleries, museums, restaurants and shops.
“The souq should be ready in two years, along with two access points, parking lots and an open space for celebrations, while the rest will come later,” Mr Hilal said.
This year an archaeological dig at the village revealed a site where several mosques had been built over the years. There were seven layers of structures, five of which could be identified as mosques.
Mr Hilal said some of the mosques had deteriorated because of geographic and environmental conditions, while others were demolished to build bigger mosques for the growing population of the village.
Archaeologists first began work in Ras Al Khaimah, which has 7,000 years of human history, in 1968 and now plan to revitalise other archaeological sites.
“We are working on different sites in a five to 10-year plan that is set to finish by 2020. At the Dhayah site we are working on creating an archaeological park for visitors and heritage tourism; in Wadi Al Qur, which is in the south of Ras Al Khaimah, there is amazing archaeology that goes back to 3,000AD,” Mr Hilal said.
“Jazirat Al Hamra dates to the early 17th century – 4,000 to 5,000 people were living here before they moved to Abu Dhabi in the 1960s.”
Children will be attending sessions at Jazirat Al Hamra every day until May 9.
rhaza@thenational.ae
RESULTS
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The biog
Favourite film: The Notebook
Favourite book: What I know for sure by Oprah Winfrey
Favourite quote: “Social equality is the only basis of human happiness” Nelson Madela. Hometown: Emmen, The Netherlands
Favourite activities: Walking on the beach, eating at restaurants and spending time with friends
Job: Founder and Managing Director of Mawaheb from Beautiful Peopl
Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
if you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning.
The trains
Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.
The hotels
Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Company%20profile
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UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
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
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Getting%20there%20and%20where%20to%20stay
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Australia men's Test cricket fixtures 2021/22
One-off Test v Afghanistan:
Nov 27-Dec 1: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
The Ashes v England:
Dec 8-12: 1st Test, Gabba, Brisbane
Dec 16-20: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (day/night)
Dec 26-30: 3rd Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Jan 5-9, 2022: 4th Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Jan 14-18: 5th Test, Optus Stadium, Perth