Mleiha National Park invites minds to discover unique experiences
Established through the visionary leadership of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah; and developed and operated by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Mleiha National Park safeguards over 34.2 square kilometres of pristine and awe inspiring landscapes, a gateway to Arabia's ancient legacy, grounded in decades of meticulous research and findings led by the Sharjah Archaeology Authority (SAA).
Ancient cosmopolitan hub
Revealing Mleiha's extraordinary scientific value, this area has been excavated since 1973 with collaborative efforts from leading archaeologists from around the world. Through the years SAA has announced discoveries including Stone Age tools from Jebel Faya documenting ancient human migration, a monumental 4,500-year-old Umm an-Nar tomb preserved intact beneath the park's Archaeological Centre, along with compelling evidence of a powerful trading kingdom that thrived between the 3rd century BCE and 3rd century CE, as referenced in Greco-Roman texts. Among the most striking finds is Arabia's only known ritual horse-and-camel burial, a testament to the site's unique cultural practices. Mediterranean amphorae, locally minted coins inspired by those of Alexander the great and his Seleucid successors' currency, and South Arabian inscriptions further attest to Mleiha's role as an ancient cosmopolitan hub.
Through a unique partnership; with Shurooq delivering world-class visitor experiences and sustainable infrastructure and SAA guaranteeing scientific integrity; this makes Mleiha a global model for heritage tourism.
Diverse experiences to enrich the mind
Aligned with the park's core ethos of history and education, the Mleiha Archaeological Centre allows visitors to encounter authentic and priceless artifacts. These include a wide range of arrowheads from the stone and iron ages, ancient coins; including those modeled after Alexander the Great's currency; Rhodian wine jars, and ancient inscriptions. With the addition of interactive displays and multimedia presentations, the centre brings the past vividly to life proving an experience that goes far beyond the museum walls.
Mleiha also offers a diverse array of educational activities and adventures that transport visitors back in time, making history accessible and engaging for all age groups. Programmes like the 'Fossil Fun Expedition' invite young explorers to become paleontologists for the day, crafting fossil casts from real finds and learning about ancient seabeds and the creatures that once inhabited them. Interactive workshops such as 'Sounds of the Past' allow participants to experience ancient tool-making techniques, while the Valley of the Caves Tour and Jebel Buhais Tour immerse visitors in the daily life and burial practices of Neolithic and Iron Age communities.
For those fascinated by the wonders of the universe, the Space Camp workshop offers an engaging introduction to astronomy and observational techniques through hands-on activities, where participants use high-powered telescopes to explore celestial objects in the night sky. One of the highlights of the workshop is the chance to create a model comet using dry ice and various compounds, simulating the makeup of real comets while discovering their significance within our solar system.
These tailored educational programmes also ensure meaningful learning for every age and interest, where school groups engage in hands-on discovery through supervised fossil hunts and archaeological sites explorations, making history tangible and intriguing. University students and researchers are able to delve even deeper with specialised programmes analysing ancient trade systems or settlement patterns.
For families and groups, activities that combine adventure with learning, guide guests across archaeological sites, geological formations, and hidden wadis, and the Standard Educational Package provides a comprehensive introduction to the region's flora, fauna, geology, and archaeology, with hands-on workshops and guided site visits that cater to students and lifelong learners alike.
An archive of human resilience
Reflecting on the park's importance and historical value, Omar Jasim Al Ali,
Manager of Mleiha & Strategic Projects said, 'This ancient landscape is an archive of human resilience and transcends tourism by providing a living and experiential destination where visitors engage authentically with the UAE's deepest roots. We invite the public to connect with history and nature through hands-on learning and storytelling that celebrates our land's role in shaping the course of civilisation. Mleiha preserves the UAE's past not just in books, but in the very land beneath our feet, offering every visitor the unique chance to understand this region's legacy and literally walk in the footsteps of those who shaped it millennia ago.'
With its global recognition and new discoveries continually emerging, Mleiha National Park represents a pioneering approach to heritage stewardship and the park welcomes year-round visitation for scholars, students, and travelers seeking to witness where humanity's shared past resonates across millennia.
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