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35-455: Access to the village of Nahwa is through the northernmost road into the Madha enclave south of Khor Fakkan which leads to New Madha. From New Madha, there is a paved but winding road (about 5 km (3 mi)) leading to Nahwa. Entering Nahwa, there is an Emirati police outpost some 80 metres (260 ft) after the boundary marker. The village itself is further up the road, on the same side as

70-542: A fort at Khor Fakkan that was a ruin by 1666. The log book of the Dutch vessel the Meerkat mentions this fort and another one, describing "Gorfacan" as a place on a small bay, with about 200 small houses built from date branches, near the beach. It refers to a triangular Portuguese fortress on the northern side, in ruins, and a fortress on a hill on the southern side, also in ruins, without garrison or artillery. As well as date palms,

105-497: A jetty serving the container terminal. Tourism is well developed thanks to sandy beaches and the coral reefs that attract many divers. Khor Fakkan Beach lies to the north of the center of the town. From November to April Khor Fakkan is sunny and warm during the day; the evenings are cool and humidity low. Daytime temperatures range from 18 to 30 °C (64 to 86 °F). One may expect rain and tropical storms between January and March. The climate warms from May to September with

140-453: A removal flat stone doorway, located 10 meters west of the tower and made of limestone ashlar blocks and beach stone, contained the mostly dis-articulated co-mingled remains of some 410 individuals (276 adult). Analysis of the human remains have shown evidence that individuals suffering illness and limited mobility were cared for, pointing to a developed society which was sufficiently secure and prosperous to be able to afford compassion. One of

175-779: A sheikh of the Al Qasimi , Sharjah 's ruling family, according to the German traveler Carsten Niebuhr . There is a map by the French cartographer Rigobert Bonne dating to about 1770 that shows the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf and includes Khor Fakkan. At the turn of the 19th century, Lorimer notes that Khor Fakkan had about 5,000 date trees and was home to about 150 houses of Naqbiyin and Arabicised Persians, amounting to some 800 people. The population lived by cultivation and pearling, and

210-589: Is a city and an exclave of the Emirate of Sharjah , located on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), facing the Gulf of Oman , and geographically surrounded by the Emirate of Fujairah . The city, the second largest on the east coast after Fujairah City , is set on the bay of Khor Fakkan, which means "Creek of Two Jaws". It is the site of Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in

245-1010: Is located near the village of Shis . The highest building in the city is the Al Suhub Rest House , which overlooks Khor Fakkan from a height of 580 metres above sea level. 25°20′N 56°21′E  /  25.333°N 56.350°E  / 25.333; 56.350 15th century 16th century 15th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 16th century 17th century 15th century 16th century Portuguese India 17th century Portuguese India 18th century Portuguese India 16th century 17th century 19th century Portuguese Macau 20th century Portuguese Macau 15th century [Atlantic islands] 16th century [Canada] 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century Tell Abraq Tell Abraq (Til Abrook)

280-492: Is provided by Iron Age pottery finds at Tell Abraq, which include similar artefacts to those found at Shimal. The mound comprises an area of some four hectares and rises to a height of some ten meters above the surrounding sabkha , or salt flats. As the site is divided by a border, excavations of the east and west areas are generally independent efforts. Limited trenching was undertaken by an Iraqi team led by Sayid Rabi' al-Qaisi in 1973, of which there are no records. The site

315-525: The Meerkat ' s log also mentions fig trees, melons, watermelons and myrrh . It notes several wells with "good and fresh water" used for irrigation. One reason suggested for the ruinous state of the forts is an invasion in 1623 of the Persian navy under the control of Omani Sheikh Muhammad Suhari. Suhari, facing a Portuguese counterattack, withdrew to the Portuguese forts, including that of Khorfakkan. When

350-678: The "best preserved and largest prehistoric settlement in the Lower Gulf" and is thought to be one of the key locations of the area the Sumerians knew as ' Magan '. Finds at Tell Abraq show human occupation through the Umm Al Nar, Wadi Suq and Iron Age periods, from approximately 2,200 BC to 200 AD. At the core of the settlement lies a large circular fortification built out of mud brick and faced with stone, some 40 meters in diameter and eight metres high and constructed c. 2200 BC. A stone lined well in

385-422: The 16th century by naval commander General Afonso de Albuquerque and was referred to as Corfacão. It was part of a serial of fortified cities that the Portuguese used to control access to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, including Muscat, Sohar and Hormuz. At the dawn of the 16th century, it and its port were defended by a wide walled belt facing the land, closing the gorge that, in the mountain range parallel to

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420-534: The 3rd to 1st millennium BC. Excavations by a team from the Sharjah Archaeological Museum have identified 34 graves and a settlement belonging to the early-mid 2nd millennium BC . These are clustered on rock outcrops overlooking the harbor. Around 1500, Duarte Barbosa described it as a village “around which are gardens and farms in plenty”. The town was captured by the Portuguese Empire in

455-574: The Bu Said of Oman) gathered a group of village elders of the nearby village of Madha and posed the question as to which sheikhdom the Madhanis would declare allegiance. While Madha chose Oman, Nahwa chose to stay loyal to Al Qawasim of Sharjah, effectively making them a counter enclave within the exclave of Madha. Following consultations between the area's tribes and Julian F. Walker , the British representative to

490-717: The Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region to the northern Italian hub of Trieste with its rail connections to Central Europe , Eastern Europe and the North Sea . Khor Fakkan lies on the east coast of the UAE, between the Indian Ocean and the Shumayliyyah or Western Hajar Mountains . The bay of Khor Fakkan is north-east facing and is protected from prevailing winds by

525-597: The Persian Gulf were eaten extensively. Digs have uncovered over 100,000 animal bone remains. Both Tell Abraq and Shimal and Seih Al Harf in Ras Al Khaimah show a continuation from the Umm Al Nar to Wadi Suq periods, although Shimal has yielded a preponderance of the distinctive Wadi Suq burials. The tower at Tell Abraq continued to be occupied throughout this period, with evidence of a changing lifestyle among its occupants and more dependence on seafood. Further possible links between these two communities (through Ed-Dur)

560-594: The Persians were expelled, the Portuguese commander Rui Freire urged the people of Khorfakkan to remain loyal to the Portuguese crown and established a Portuguese customs office as well. In 1737, long after the Portuguese had been expelled from Arabia, the Persians again invaded Khor Fakkan, with some 5,000 men and 1,580 horses, with the help of the Dutch , during their intervention in the Omani civil war. In 1765 Khor Fakkan belonged to

595-598: The Sharjah-Khor Fakkan highway lies the Rifaisa Dam that is considered to have been built over a village, and thus when the water is very quiet, the tops of the old houses are visible. The development of Al Rifaisa Dam spans an area of 10,684 square meters. Khor Fakkan has a long history of human settlement. There is evidence of post holes from the wooden uprights of the traditional barasti huts known as areesh , similar to those found at Tell Abraq which dates from

630-497: The Trucial States , the borders were established and later finalized in 1969. Al Nahwa Cave is an cave and archaeological site on Nahwa in northern Khor Fakkan , Emirate of Sharjah remains were discovered here in 1930s This United Arab Emirates location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Khor Fakkan Khor Fakkan ( Arabic : خَوْر فَكَّان , romanized :  Khawr Fakkān )

665-514: The UAE. Twenty one 2nd millennium BC bitumen samples, some attached to Mesopotamian and to local pottery, were subjected to geochemical analysis. Their origin was determined to be in Elamite lands, unlike the Mesopotamian origin for bitumen in most regional sites. Four complete or fragmentary copper-alloy figurines, one of a naked anatomically correct man, dated between 300BC and 300AD were excavated at

700-460: The center of the tower ran down to the water table. This has been preserved by a late 2nd millennium BC mud platform, built over the fortification. It is the largest of the distinctive Umm Al Nar fortress towers to be excavated in the UAE. As well as a collection of Umm Al Nar buildings and fireplaces, mud brick buildings dating from the second and early first millennium were found. The 6 meter diameter Umm Al Nar tomb with two internal chambers and

735-460: The coast, allows communication with the interior. In this monumental structure a single door was torn, defended by a tower. The ensemble was responsible for safeguarding eventual tribal attacks. In 1580 the Venetian jeweler Gasparo Balbi noted "Chorf" in a list of places on the east coast of the United Arab Emirates , which is considered by historians to indicate Khor Fakkan. The Portuguese built

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770-509: The high temperature at noon in July and August reaching 40 °C (104 °F). The nights too are warm, with the temperature reaching 36 °C (97 °F), with high humidity. Khor Fakkan has one 4 star holiday beach resort, the Oceanic Hotel. The fish, fruit and vegetable souq is located at the southern end of the corniche and near the main highway. Shees Park , a recreational park

805-489: The individuals, a woman in her twenties, was found to be suffering from polio, thought to be the earliest dated instance of the disease in human history. Grave goods found included "ceramic and stone vessels, copper and bronze rings, spearheads, ostrich eggshell fragments, beads, and infant feeding shells". The tomb dated to the late 3rd millennium (2200-2000 BC). The subadults included a number of pre-term infants, neonates, and infants under two years of age. Charcoal samples in

840-523: The north of the center of the town. Khor Fakkan is located on the east coast of the UAE, between the Shumayliyah Mountains and the Arabian Sea, with an altitude of 1,023 meters (3,356 ft) at al Hilqah Mountain (Jebel al Hilqah). The bay of Khor Fakkan faces the northeast and is protected from prevailing winds by a jetty serving terminal for container ships. In the mountains of Khor Fakkan and off

875-580: The police outpost. It consists of about 40 buildings and has its own clinic. This part of the village is called New Nahwa, and there are more houses further down the road in Old Nahwa. The third part of Nahwa is the village of Shis . While the situation is uncommon, Nahwa is not the only exclave in the world surrounded by another enclave; some exclaves of Dutch Baarle-Nassau are embedded in Belgian Baarle-Hertog enclaves. Nahwa's counter-enclave

910-560: The region and one of the major container ports in the UAE. The Port of Khor Fakkan faces the Emirate of Sharjah’s eastern seaboard, extending connections with Asia and the Far East . This port is one of the Emirate’s three ports. It is also a popular spot among domestic tourists due to its white sand beaches and coral reefs that attract many marine life enthusiasts. Khor Fakkan beach lies to

945-606: The site has been linked through its decorative form to Bactria . There is evidence that bronze was both refined and cast at the site. Some 600 sherds of red-ridged Barbar pottery at Tel Abraq show distinct links to Umm Al Nar island and also ancient ' Tilmun ', or Bahrain . Tell Abraq boasts the largest collection of faunal remains uncovered on any archaeological site within the Arabian Peninsula. Domesticated animals such as sheep, goats and cattle were reared, while locally available wild animals such as gazelle and oryx were hunted. Fish and shellfish as well as turtles and dugongs from

980-475: The site worked by the current excavation has come from later periods, from late Bronze Age up to Iron Age III. A charcoal sample from the base area of the Umm Al Nar fortress tower provided a radiocarbon date of 2461–2199 BC (C14 date 3840±40 BP). It was calibrated with IntCal13. Finds from Tell Abraq have been crucial in the division of the Iron Age I (1200-1000 BC), II (1000-500 BC) and III (500-300 BC) periods in

1015-618: The storage capacity and to facilitate large cranes, and 16 metres (52 ft) deep quays to accommodate for major vessels over 400 metres (1,300 ft) in length. As of 2004 it handled 1.6 million TEU 's. The port is part of the Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast to the south via the southern tip of India to Mombasa , from there through the Red Sea via the Suez Canal to

1050-474: The tomb were radiocarbon dated to 2197-2036 B.C, calibrated with CALIB 3.0.3c. As with Ed-Dur, there is evidence of extensive trade links between the people of Tell Abraq and Mesopotamia , Iran and the Indus Valley . Finds include two Harappan cubical weights, distinctive Harappan carnelian and agate jewellery and an ivory duck figurine, and tin and ivory from Afghanistan . An ivory comb and pottery found at

1085-582: The town had seven shops. The German submarine U-533 sank about 25 miles (40 km) off the coast on 16 October 1943 during World War II. Divers found the wreck at a depth of 108 metres (354 ft) in 2009. The modern Khor Fakkan Container Terminal was inaugurated in 1979, and is the only natural deep-sea port in the region, and one of the top ports in the Emirates for containers. The Dh 300 million ($ 81.75 million) project involved reclaiming some 150,000 square metres (1,600,000 sq ft) to increase

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1120-470: Was an ancient Near Eastern city. Located on the border between Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain in the United Arab Emirates about 50 kilometers north-east of Dubai, the city was originally on the coastline of the Persian Gulf but changing sea levels have placed the remains of the city inland. It is located on the main road from Umm Al Quwain to Falaj Al Mualla . The mound containing the ruins of Tell Abraq

1155-831: Was excavated in 5 seasons between 1989 and 1998 by a team from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark led by Daniel Potts. Work was resumed in 2007 by a joint team from the Bryn Mawr College and the University of Tübingen led by Peter Magee. Initially principally involved in cataloging the existing site, in 2010 large scale excavations were undertaken. Beginning in 2019 the Italian Archaeological Mission in Umm al‐Quwain effort has been led by M. Degli Esposti. The portion of

1190-537: Was formed as a result of Madha 's decision to declare allegiance to Oman instead of Al Qawasim of Sharjah , Al Qawasim of Ras Al Khaimah , or Al Sharqi of Fujairah which today all form part of the United Arab Emirates. In the late 1930s or early 1940s the leaders of the four rival clans who ruled the Musandam Peninsula (Al Qassimi of Ras Al Khaimah, Al Qassimi of Sharjah, Al Sharqi of Fujairah, and

1225-530: Was originally excavated by a team from the University of Copenhagen working on the extensive remains of the city of Ed-Dur , a few kilometres to the north. Their original intention was to confirm the time sequence prior to Ed-Dur's primacy, around 1,000 BC. However, they were surprised to find extensive indications of much earlier settlement, dating back to the Umm Al Nar period, including a 3rd millennium monumental fortification. Tell Abraq has been cited as being

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