ENHG Al Ain Trip to Ras al Khaimah

ENHG Al Ain Trip to Ras al Khaimah

On the weekend of February 26 - 28, 2003, more than 30 members of the Al Ain chapter of the Emirates Natural History Group traveled to Ras al Khaimah to see a number of historical and archaeological sites.

The Group was fortunate to have the cooperation and support of Christian Velde, resident archaeologist of the Ras al Khaimah Museum and Phil Iddison, coordinator of the Al Ain chapter's cultural heritage Special Interest Group. Christian gave an outstanding presentation at the Falayah archaeological site on the outskirts of Ras al Khaimah.

The sites visited included

• the Ras al Khaimah Museum with its outstanding collection of galleries
• the dhow yards where the keel of a large dhow had already been laid
• the tombs, settlement sites and watchtowers at Shimal, some dating back more than 4000 years
• Falayah, where the Sheikhs of the peninsula met with the British in 1820, following the British bombardment of Ras al Khaimah in 1819, to sign a treaty that led to the creation of what became known as the Trucial States
• Jazirat al Hamrah, an abandoned community west of Ras al Khaimah where "modern" houses were built with some of the nation's first oil revenues. The houses include many constructed of coral.
• Wadi Sha'am, with its collection of fodder and grain storage buildings (yanz) and, on the opposite side of the wadi, beneath the towering peaks of the Hajar Mountains, an abandoned community of more than 100 houses, mosques, terraced fields, pottery kilns

A sample of photographs taken during the trip appears in the galleries noted below. Eventually, a more extensive gallery will be established featuring the photos of Phil Iddison taken during a reconnaisance trip in December 2002.

• The Ras al Khaimah Museum
• The Dhow Yards
• Falayah
• Jazirat al Hamra
• Shimal
• Wadi Sili settlement
• Yanz of Wadi Sha'am

ENHG members at the RAK Museum Photo by Jerry Buzzell

One of the cannons inside the Museum in Ras al Khaimah Photo by Jerry Buzzell

Cannons that once defended Ras al Khaimah now rest quietly outside the city's Museum Photo by Jerry Buzzell

The windtower restored in the Ras al Khaimah Museum Photo by Jerry Buzzell

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The Dhow Yards

Anchor on the beach at the dhow yards Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Dhow builders tools Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Keel laid for new dhow in Ras al Khaimah yards Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Workmen sawing on the keel of a new dhow Photo by Jerry Buzzell
One of two windlass in the dhow yards at RAK Photo by Jerry Buzzell

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Falayah

Archaeologist Christian Welde and his team recently uncovered these farm houses near the official residence at Falayah Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Watchtower and mosque at Falayah Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Archaeologists used traditional mud bricks to restore some of the buildings in Falayah Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The ruling family's residence at Falayah Photo by Jerry Buzzell
The well at the Falayah archaeological site Photo by Jerry Buzzell

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Jazirat al Hamra

Brain coral in wall construction at Jazirat al Hamra Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The entrance to one of the abandoned homes at Jazirat al Hamra Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Fan coral is one of the varieties of coral used in the construction of buildings at what is now Jazirat al Hamera Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The unique shaped minaret and adjoining mosque on the beach at Jazirat al Hamra Photo by Jerry Buzzell
Shells amid the gravel on the beach Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The design in most of the buildings at Jazirat al Hamra appears to be the contractor's emblem Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Windows in abandoned homes in Jazirat al Hamra Photo by Jerry Buzzell

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Shimal

Group at one of the Shimal gravesites Photo by Jerry Buzzell	ENHG members examining one of the Shimal tombs Photo by Jerry Buzzell	One of the Shimal tombs Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Leaning capstones of one of the Shimal tombs Photo by Jerry Buzzell
The face of an old man appears in this rock outcrop at Shimal Photo by Jerry Buzzell	One of the circular 3rd millenium tombs at Shimal Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Incredible forces pitched layers of rock into vertical positions at Shimal; the rock provided building material for settlements and tombs Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The watchtower at Shimal was once much closer to the Gulf shoreline Photo by Jerry Buzzell

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Sili

Brien with a cannonball found in one home Photo by Laurence Garey	Brien and Josette checking out "treasures as chinking" Photo by Laurence Garey	Brien examining items in storage box Photo by Laurence Garey	Brien with jug found in home Photo by Laurence Garey
A few of the storage pots found in one house in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Laurence Garey

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The Yanz of Wadi Sha'am

Agriculture terraces in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Farming was carried out on terraces in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The rooflines of yanz in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Some of the yanz -- storage buildings -- in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Jerry Buzzell
Stone walls define the terraces for farming in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Jerry Buzzell	The terraces in Wadi Sha'am appear like steps up the slope of the Hajar Mountains Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Some of the storage buildings (yanz) are still sealed Photo by Jerry Buzzell	Yanz, tree and distance mountain face in Wadi Sha'am Photo by Jerry Buzzell

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