ABU DHABI // A talk next week in Abu Dhabi will explore the history of archaeology in the UAE.
The event on Wednesday, held by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, is the second event in the Multaqa Zayed National Museum lecture series.
Archaeology in the UAE began in the 1950s with the excavation of Bronze Age tombs on Umm Al Nar Island. The Danish excavating teams were invited by Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan, then Ruler of Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, took interest in their work and accompanied his brother Sheikh Shakhbut to the site.
Sheikh Zayed understood the importance of unearthing the UAE’s past and encouraged more excavations in Abu Dhabi and across the emirates.
Eisa Yousif, director of excavation and archaeological sites at the Sharjah Archaeology Authority, and Peter Magee, head of archaeology at TCA Abu Dhabi, will present the talk at Manarat Al Saadiyat cultural centre.
The final discussion in the Multaqa series, on the history of Emirati hospitality, will take place on May 10 at Manarat Al Saadiyat. Majlis traditions will be explored as well as the history of gahwa (local coffee) preparation, serving and drinking.
Emirati hospitality was named an intangible element of heritage by Unesco in 2015.