Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism has announced the discovery of an Iron Age necropolis dating to the first millennium BC at the Al-Ain site, near the Qattara Oasis in the southern part of the emirate.

The necropolis consists of over a hundred graves, each comprising a two-metre-deep vertical shaft with an oval subchamber, where the deceased was buried in the fetal position. Some of the burial sites were looted by grave robbers, but interesting grave goods have been found in undisturbed chambers, including ceramics, copper weapons, blades, and gold beads. A copper bowl with zoomorphic ornamentation depicting birds was identified as one of the main treasures of the necropolis by Tatiana Valente, an archaeologist from Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, who noted the fine craftsmanship of ancient Al-Ain artisans.

Saleh Al-Merri, Director of the Historic Environment Department of Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, stated that the discovery of the necropolis in Al-Ain promises to change perceptions of the ancient history of the Emirates. Archaeological work in Al-Ain has been ongoing for 65 years and has already led to the discovery of several Iron Age settlements. The current work is being carried out by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism as part of the ‘Al-Ain’ project, which aims to study the ever-growing number of ancient sites that are being uncovered during construction surveys along the Oman–Emirates border.

Sources:https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2025/04/21/iron-age-cemetery-uncovered-in-al-ain-to-transform-our-understanding-of-uae/ 

https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/en/arts-culture/department-of-culture-and-tourism-abu-dhabi-discovers-first-major-iron-age-cemetery-in-al-ain-region/