A view of Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-Tourism Project site.
Sharjah - Dh250m eco-tourism project to house findings dating back 1 million years.
Published: Mon 25 Jan 2016, 5:54 PM
Updated: Tue 26 Jan 2016, 8:29 AM
An estimated Dh250 million will be utilised to protect Mleiha, one of the most important archeological sites in the UAE, over the next few years.
Titled the Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-tourism Project, the multi-phase project is expected to create a new tourist attraction in the UAE and the wider Arab region.
Unveiling the details of the project at a Press conference on Sunday, Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), said: "...Choosing to develop and protect Mleiha was a very important decision as it is a living memory of our heritage and an integral part of our future."
The first phase of the project is complete and will be officially opened by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, on Wednesday.
Dr Sabah Jassim, Director of the Sharjah Directorate of Antiquities, who is overseeing the excavations, said: "Some findings date back more than one million years, and to the pre Islamic times. We have found more than 300 skeletons including those of horses and camels."
Highlighting other aspects of the site, Dr Jassim said: "The fort was discovered in 1991 and due to its very thick walls we know this was a building designed for defense. Here we found moulds for coins and many coins indicating this was an important administrative building and suggests it was the centre of governance for the region."
Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq, unveiled details of the first phase of the project, which will see the opening of the Mleiha Archaeological Centre, designed to allow visitors gain a deeper insight about the site in an interactive manner.
The centre will have archaeological finds on display, informative and educational displays about Mleiha's history, signboards with details about the area, a store for the brand "I Love Sharjah", service facilities and administration offices.
Al Sarkal said that the project will house a range of archaeological sites, such as the Umm an-Nar Tomb, the Valley of the Caves, the Mleiha Fort, historic horse and camel graveyard, the ancient farmhouse with kitchen, the pre-Islamic Mleiha Palace.
"The project includes a variety of natural terrain.... We are currently conducting a host of studies and research with relevant bodies to find ways to increase and protect the plant diversity, which characterises the area," Al Sarkal added.
Al Sarkal revealed that Shurooq will soon embark on phase two of the Mleiha project, which will involve the construction of Mleiha National Desert Park over an area of 450 square kilometres.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com
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