New discoveries of archaeological splendours dating back more than 7,000 years have been discussed at a major two-day conference in Al Ain (United Arab Emirates). the conference is the second in an annual series designed to enable archaeologists and historians to share information about the latest discoveries in the UAE.
     The session dealing with the late stone age or Neolithic period, spanning 7,500-6,000 years ago, comprised a paper by Dr Heiko Kallweit and Dr Mark Beech of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (Adias). During fieldwork earlier this year, the team reported that a large number of Neolithic sites had been found on plains between the sand dunes in southeast Abu Dhabi. These provided, for the first time, extensive evidence of the first human occupation of desert areas in the area. Two other papers on excavations in Abu Dhabi's offshore island of Marawah and at a Neolithic site at Jebel Buhais, south of Dhaid, were also discussed.
     Other papers presented were about a Bronze Age site at Al Sufouh, in Dubai, 3,000 year-old stamp seals from Jebel Buhays in Sharjah, a major Islamic fortification at Wadi Sur in Ras Al Khaimah, the Fujairah fort and its associated settlement, the ancient mosques of the islands of Abu Dhabi and a survey of the traditional houses of Ras Al Khaimah town.

Sources: Gulf News, The Nation (9 April 2004)