Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, visited Jebel Hafeet Tombs in Al Ain City, a historical area dating back to the Bronze Age.
During the tour, he was briefed by Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi, on the ongoing plans and initiatives to preserve the national heritage of the region, including this significant tourist landmark.
"Preserving the historical and archaeological nature of Al Ain is a holistic vision that was initiated by late Sheikh Zayed who fully discerned the civilisational significance of the area thanks to its rich, multifaceted archaeological treasures and landmarks that provide a true image of the realities of life in this part of the country to the entire world," Sheikh Mohamed said.
"Al Ain is noted for its rich natural history that has been going down in the annals of history across ages, a fact that makes it incumbent on us to preserve its rich humanitarian legacy, and unveil to the entire world how our ancestors lived and survived the challenges of life during that era," he added.
Situated at the foot of the imposing Jebel Hafeet mountain, the 5,000-year-old tombs mark the beginning of the Bronze Age in the UAE.
Excavations found evidence for ceramic vessels and copper artefacts in these tombs. These artefacts indicate the importance of maritime trade across the Arabian Gulf. The tombs consist of a single-chamber and are made of local unworked or roughly cut stones.
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Sheikh Mohamed was also briefed on the latest updates of Mezyad Desert Park, now under construction in Al Ain, where geophysical surveys and field walks were carried out in the area around the Mezyad Fort.
The ceramic finds confirm a date for the related settlement of Mezyad that goes back up to 7,000 years.
Accompanying Sheikh Mohamed on the tour were Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed; and Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoun, Executive Director of the Martyrs' Families' Affairs Office of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court.
