Jumeirah Archaeological Site is having a key-role among today’s archaeological excavations in the area where Dubai is situated. The Jumeirah Archaeological site in Dubai already keeps several archaeological finds that creates new theories regarding the life of people in the area going back to approximately the 5th century AD.
Dubai today is one of the shiniest “Pearls” of the Persian Gulf, with extreme importance in both business and in tourism. However, once, Dubai had solely been a fishing village, with the main activity of the locals to earn their living was either fishing or pearl diving, which later started to give name for Dubai and Dubai people. In the area of today’s Dubai, once the people, called Jumeirah people lived there. That is the time from when today the main district of Dubai has also been named, together with the world-famous hotel chain just to name a few examples.
The area where now the Jumeirah Archaeological Site is found was one point of the Jumeirah route, which has connected Iraq and Oman. Merchants and pilgrims mainly used this ancient highway during those times, and the exact place of the Jumeirah Archaeological Site was one of the stopping stations where merchants who mainly used camels or donkeys to bring their goods, used to stop for a while, in order to gain back energy for continuing their long journey.
After the huge modernisation of Dubai, the emphasis on the past has come into view again, not to mention its touristic pulling-force. Therefore, in the whole area of Dubai, many excavations such as the ones at the Jumeirah Archaeological Site have started.
Jumeirah Archaeological Site is one of the four currently ongoing big excavations, which aim to know more on the life, culture and history of the ancient times in the area of Dubai. The other three excavations are conducted in the districts of Al Quasis, Al Sufooh and Hatta. Next to Jumeirah, the other historically important and unique culture and people were the one of the Hattas. In order to treasure the “Hatta” Culture, the Sheikh of the Emirates ordered to protect the one standing Hatta Village of Dubai, today a highly popular touristic spot. In the areas of Al Sufooh and Al Quasis, there have been several graves found, many of which are more than two thousand years old!
Jumeirah Archaeological Site situates very near to the Dubai Museum, which today keeps many of the ruins and other historical treasures found at the site. These include mainly pottery, and even streets with ancient houses. However, there were even several pieces of jewellery and armour among the finds. It is also worth seeing this historical site as it is still keeping many treasures. In order to visit the Jumeirah Archaeological Site, one must turn to the management of the Dubai Museum in order to obtain licence to enter this museum. The entrance is free, but in order to preserve the Site in its form, only previously arranged groups can enter the Jumeirah Archaeological Site.
