Excavations by archaeologists from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) on the island of Marawah have revealed the earliest village yet discovered in the UAE.

According to new radiocarbon dates the buildings date to nearly 8,000 years ago to a time called the ‘Neolithic period’, or the New Stone Age.

The houses uncovered at the site are remarkably well-preserved, and experts believe the houses were used for several hundred years.

The houses consist of several rooms and outdoor spaces for the keeping of animals and the preparation of food. In total there are estimated to be up to 10 houses in the village.

Each of those excavated so far show a remarkable similarity in design and construction.

Experts are currently trying to digitally recreate the village to understand how it looked nearly 8,000 years ago.

Although finds from this time have been discovered elsewhere in the UAE, until now no architecture had been found. It had been assumed by researchers that the inhabitants of the UAE at this time were only nomadic pastoralists — people who moved around with their sheep and goats.

Experts believe the evidence indicates that the people on this island began to settle on one place to build permanent structures.

Neolithic Revolution

Elsewhere in the ancient Middle East this process was linked to the development of agriculture, a process that is sometimes called The Neolithic Revolution; at Marawah it is believed an entirely novel process led to the construction of the village.

Mohammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, commenting on the new discovery said: “The expertise of the team of archaeologists at the Department of Culture and Tourism is continuing to reap rewards, and their work is allowing us to deep-dive into the emirate’s history, piecing together an intriguing and extraordinary story of the earliest known inhabitants of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

“The exciting discoveries they have uncovered thus far serve to showcase Abu Dhabi’s earliest years, and help us accurately map out our development by seeing how far we have come.

"As we continue to invest in these archeological excavations, we will no doubt further understand our ancestors and our land, and share these findings with the world,” he added.

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