Toast to coast: Why the historic town of Khorfakkan is a haven for adventure lovers

[RISING SUN]

Toast to coast: Why the historic town of Khorfakkan is a haven for adventure lovers
AS our SUV races on the Sharjah-Kalba highway to Khorfakkan, a coastal town nestling on Sharjah’s fringes, an expansive view unfurls like an ornamental rug. To our left, the Shumayliyah Mountains soar to 3,356 ft.

Peppered with wadis (valleys) and dramatic and photogenic gorges and canyons, they offer a counterpoint to the catatonic desert. To our right, the Indian Ocean lies cupped against a crescent of golden sand, its water as blue as Paul Newman’s eyes. Fluffy cotton candy clouds scud low across the horizon. Khorfakkan — or the Creek of Two Jaws in Arabic — has a dreamy setting.

Silhouetted against a picturesque bay along the Gulf of Oman and the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, it is hemmed in by jagged mountains. Wadi Beih — touted as the Grand Canyon of the UAE — is an adventure hotspot offering camping and hiking trails. Though a part of Sharjah, and just a three-hour drive from the emirate city, Khorfakkan seems a world away from its hubbub. And in many ways, it is.

With a tiny population of 4,000, and none of the tangible trappings of sheikhdom (anodyne malls, flashy sedans, skyscrapers), it offers a blissful antidote to the UAE’s more commercial pleasures.

Glittering aquamarine waters, the mangrove forest of Kalba and the oasis town of Dhaid greet you here. As one of the world’s leading container transhipment ports, shipping lines seeking easy access to the UAE hinterland have to pass through Khorfakkan.

Something to Dive Into
Halfway into our journey, we cross the town of Dibba where the rugged Hajar Mountains appear even closer. At their foothills glints the mighty desert, home to the itinerant Bedouin tribe. Guide Shaada points to a palatial house perched among the rocky outcrops facing the ocean where dolphins prance. This is the abode of Sharjah’s ruler Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, she explains.

A little further down the bituminised road, we stop to pay homage at the Al Bidiyah Mosque, UAE’s oldest shrine. The mosque was built in the 15th century, using local stones and bricks, Shaada explains, as we perambulate the dun-coloured structure with four squat, helical domes.

Khorfakkan’s rich history dates as far back as second century BC — the evidence of which has been found in local graves and artefacts that have been unearthed. Scholars note that the town’s scenic beauty and strategic heft attracted hordes of invaders, including the adventurous Portuguese and Omanis from the 15th to 17th centuries. Over the years, however, peace has prevailed in Khorfakkan and it has continued to develop organically around the container port which also powers its economy.

Despite its splendid seclusion, Khorfakkan offers plenty of activities to dive into (some quite literally). You can swim, kayak, canoe, snorkel, scuba dive, fish, sunbathe, hike or picnic. The nearby Shark Island and its refreshingly undeveloped coastline not only possess raw glamour but also some of the best dive and snorkelling sites, thanks to numerous coral outcrops.
The ocean of deep jewel tones around Snoopy Island showcases a fascinating netherworld of sea turtles, parrot fish, clown fish, cuttlefish and some of the world’s most colourful coral. With the convergence of warm and cold currents, the ocean’s rich plankton soup attracts sharks, manta rays as well as blue whales. The coral reefs attract a heavy footfall of divers from all over the world with a welter of hotels and resorts offering snorkelling and scuba-diving packages.

We stroll on the serene Khorfakkan beach silhouetted against the sheltered backdrop of the magnificent Hajar Mountains. A gently blowing zephyr adds a touch of whimsy to the evening.
We leave Khorfakkan contemplating the intriguing dynamic between man and nature. For, in the town’s iridescent ocean, its exotic marine life and majestic mountains, I found myself reinforced in my belief that while human culture may be full of the marvellous, it is in nature that one truly finds the sublime.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com...aywrap&ncode=75903408e0b98cc62ba08fe4f10059f3

 

[STRANGER BIRD]

Khorfakkan is a nice place & proudly i am here for last 6 years almost.

 

[BRAVO_]

indeed a lovely place to visit

 

[PakBlood]

Ah, yes, I've been here, loved the beach there, the route to Khorfakkan actally reminds me of Balochistan, kind of gives you an idea of how good Balochistan can become, if only........

 

[Saif al-Arab]

It is a nice area of Arabia indeed but there are tons of nicer areas IMO.

Lot's of history beneath the ground as well in the UAE. However that is not what the country is known for today which is not really surprising when you think about it.

Know the UAE: Archaeological site found south of Dubai shows key aspects of life in Iron Age Arabia​

Ancient gold jewellery, pottery and other items show Iron Age civilization thrived thousands of years ago south of Dubai

Published: 23:57 November 4, 2016
Gulf News Web Report

Dubai: Did you know that an ancient civilization that goes back more than 3,000 years was found in Dubai?

Set in a spectacular desert landscape south of modern emirate, the site known as Saruq Al Hadid is an archaeological treasure trove first discovered in 2002 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The site is an important archaeological find which shows that Dubai did not become a centre of trade only in the 21st century, or after the development of the Dubai Creek.

The Saruq Al Hadid site, preserved by the dunes that covered it for millennia before being discovered, provides ample evidence that the emirate had strong trade links with a wide swathe of the ancient world — from Egypt to the Indian subcontinent, dating as far back thousands of years.

A jar, one of the 12,000 pieces found from the archaeological site. (Zarifa Fernandez / Gulf News)
​

Today, experts consider Saruq Al Hadid as the jewel in the crown of Dubai’s archaeology, a site of international significance that increases he understanding of industrial activity, trade and everyday life during the Iron Age.

How did they arrive at that conclusion? Some 12,000 pieces of archaeological pieces were found here so far, making it one of the largest and most important Iron Age sites in the Arabian Peninsula.

Together, these items tell a compelling history of Dubai's past, through which archeologists are able to map the trading links that existed between Dubai and other countries in the region during the Iron Age.

These priceless Sarouq Al Hadeed pieces are now on display in a museum in Shandagha, Bur Dubai.

Incense burners found at the site. (Zarina Fernandez / Gulf News)​

The exhibits include golden, bronze and metal foundry that discovered at Sarouq Al Hadeed Archaeological Site in the Rub' Al Khali desert (the Empty Quarter) South of Dubai.

In fact, the logo of Dubai Expo 2020 was inspired from a golden ring that was round at the site.

Gold jewellery found at the Saruq Al Hadid archaeological site south of Dubai (Supplied)​

Arrowheads from Saruq Al Hadid site. (Youtube screen grab)

This delicately decorated shell disc may have been used as a form of jewellery. Zarina Fernandes/Gulf News
​

The rich collection of artifacts reveal that the Saruq Al Hadid site was one of the main centers of copper manufacturing of various tools in the region since the beginning of the Iron Age.

The site contains large amounts of metal ores and remains of domesticated animals that date back to thousands of years.

http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/cultur...-aspects-of-life-in-iron-age-arabia-1.1924218

Funny how history repeats itself. Today Dubai is one of the most important, iconic and visited cities in the world. Let alone being a trade hub.

Brushing off sands of time at the archaeological site of Saruq al-Hadid​

Jonathan Gornall

July 31, 2016 Updated: July 31, 2016 03:58 PM

Since its first chance sighting from the air in 2002, the archaeological site of Saruq al-Hadid, lost for thousands of years in the desert dunes about 60 kilometres south of the Burj Khalifa, has yielded a treasure trove of 12,000 finds, 3,000 of which were unearthed in the past year.

But despite this wealth of evidence, one word dominated proceedings as archaeologists gathered in London at the weekend to present their latest findings from Saruq al-Hadid at the annual seminar organised by the British Foundation for the Study of Arabia: mystery.

What is known is that from about 5,000 year ago, peaking during the Iron Age about 3,000 years ago but active all the way through to almost the early Islamic period, this remote desert site was an important centre of metalworking activity, where skilled craftsmen produced objects in bronze, iron and gold in such numbers that it can only have been for trade with the wider region.

It was the tell-tale ore, scattered around on the dunes and staining the sands, that first drew the attention of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Ruler of Dubai, as he flew over the site in a helicopter 14 years ago. Many of the objects subsequently found at Saruq Al-Hadid can be found in the dedicated museum in Dubai’s historic Shindagha district. One, an elaborate gold ring, has inspired the design of the symbol for Dubai’s Expo 2020.

"There is no doubt that it is a really important site," said Derek Kennet, senior lecturer in Durham University’s department of archaeology.

But what we still don’t know is why it was situated where it was. About 40 kilometres inland from the present day port of Jebel Ali, it was hardly conveniently placed for the export of goods by sea, or for access to the precious copper ore in the distant mountains of Oman.

"There’s no immediately obvious reason why you would have a lot of human activity in a location like that," said Dr Kennet, chairman of the seminar’s organising committee. "But there was clearly a lot of metalworking out there, mainly copper, but also gold."

To smelt metal you need three ingredients: fuel, ore and water, and none is available at Saruq al-Hadid. Archaeologists believe there may have been a water supply during the site’s heyday – a lake, or seasonal surface water – while hardy ghaf trees, perhaps once abundant there, could have provided the fuel. The heavy ore, though, would have to have been carried from the distant mountains for many days on the backs of pack animals.

Long-forgotten politics could explain the remoteness of the site, which is unusual in that it was occupied for a very long period of time. "It may have been located out there to avoid controls by the powers-that-be in the more populated areas," said Dr Kennet. Alternatively, the location – and indeed, the many finds of apparently ritualistic metal snakes – may have been linked to superstitions or religious beliefs.

The bronze snakes found at the site, also thought to have been made there, are one of the many mysteries of Saruq al-Hadid. In smaller numbers, these have been found elsewhere in the UAE and Oman, but Saruq al-Hadid was either the main centre for production or, perhaps in addition, had some significance to what archaeologists believe may have been a snake cult in the region.

Likewise, small metal human figurines have been found – toys, or charms, perhaps – alongside everyday but nonetheless spectacular finds such as swords, daggers, metal bowls and thousands of bronze arrow heads. Another mystery is a single anklet found at the site, possibly fashioned to fit a camel but possibly forged to hold a human leg.
One of the challenges of the site, which has drawn the attention of archaeologists from around the world, is that almost every find poses more questions than it answers. But, thanks to the unique properties of the site, which because of its remoteness has been protected from interference for centuries, archaeologists are amassing "an archaeological record which tells us a lot about the development of human civilisation more generally", said Dr Kennet.

Ironically, it is the current state of human civilisation in the wider Middle East that has led to what he says is the current "golden age" for archaeology in Oman and the UAE, an age in which Saruq Al-Hadid is emerging as one of the jewels in the crown.

In all, says Dr Kennet, there are now "something in the order of 25 foreign teams working in Oman and the UAE every year now, a massive increase over what they had a few years ago". The reason, he says, is the instability in traditional archaeological destinations such as Iraq, Syria and Iran, combined with the openness of Oman and the UAE to foreign collaboration. As a result, archaeologically "we are beginning to realise there was much more going on across this region than had been realised".

Many of yesterday’s sessions at the two-day seminar, held in the British Museum, were dedicated to discussions and presentations about finds in the region, from Saruq al-Hadid to the discovery of a new Iron Age ritual complex in Central Oman and the latest findings from Tell Abraq, the ancient city on the border between present-day Sharjah and Umm Al-Qaiwan. There, evidence has been found of imports from Mesopotamia of bitumen, used more than 2,000 years ago to waterproof the hulls of ships trading up and down the Gulf.

There was, said Dr Kennet, much more to be learnt about the past in the region and its contribution to the development of civilisation in Mesopotamia, but he sounded a warning.

For one thing, rapid economic development, especially in the UAE, meant time was running out for the past: "We are seeing the archaeological landscape being steadily transformed by development, and in 20 or 30 years it will be much more difficult for archaeologists to work in the area."

It was, he said, also now "vital that Oman and the UAE now do more to develop their own archaeological expertise. Most of the archaeology in the region to date has been done by westerners, especially in the UAE.

"But as global financial circumstances in the world change, western missions may not find it so easy to come and work in the region and increasingly the locals are going to have to deal with their own archaeological heritage themselves."

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/herit...e-archaeological-site-of-saruq-al-hadid#page1

Some of the many objects found:

Let's not forget that UAE is part of Arabia. The oldest inhabited land on this planet outside of Eastern Africa and Horn of Africa. Of course our region will be full of history. The "problem" is that so little has been discovered yet, despite that what has been discovered so far is in the heavyweight category.

 

[El Sidd]

Ah, yes, I've been here, loved the beach there, the route to Khorfakkan actally reminds me of Balochistan, kind of gives you an idea of how good Balochistan can become, if only........

That's the idea if people just start getting serious now