Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas)

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The Cultural Sites of Al Ain: A Testament to Ancient Civilizations in the Desert

The Cultural Sites of Al Ain, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, offer a unique glimpse into the rich history and cultural evolution of a desert region dating back to the Neolithic period. Located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this serial property comprises four distinct areas: Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud, and the Oases Areas.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The Cultural Sites of Al Ain (Hafit, Hili, Bidaa Bint Saud and Oases Areas) constitute a serial property that testifies to sedentary human occupation of a desert region since the Neolithic period with vestiges of many prehistoric cultures. Remarkable vestiges in the property include circular stone tombs (ca 2500 B.C.), wells and a wide range of adobe constructions: residential buildings, towers, palaces and administrative buildings. Hili moreover features one of the oldest examples of the sophisticated aflaj irrigation system which dates back to the Iron Age. The property provides important testimony to the transition of cultures in the region from hunting and gathering to sedentarization.

Encyclopedia Record: Al Ain

Al Ain is a city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, and the seat of the administrative division of the Al Ain Region. The city is bordered to the east by the Omani town of Al-Buraimi. Al Ain is the largest inland city in the Emirates, the fourth-largest city, and the second-largest in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The freeways connecting Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai form a geographic triangle in the country, each city being roughly 130 kilometres (81 mi) from the others.

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