Al Ain Oases

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Al Ain Oases

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Dating back to over 4,000 years ago, the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates is home to many oases and is a treasured UNESCO World Heritage Site. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation has also recognised the significance of Al Ain’s oases as a repository of genetic resources, biodiversity and Emirati cultural heritage

With a history spanning over 4,000 years, Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates is home to numerous oases and holds a prestigious place on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The palm oases, an integral part of Al Ain's cultural sites, have graced the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. They stand as remarkable testaments to human civilization and agricultural practices in the region, dating back to the early Bronze Age, around 3000 BC.

These oases played a pivotal role in sustaining civilizations that flourished through efficient and innovative water management and harmonious coexistence with the desert environment. This led to the development of a rich cultural landscape in Al Ain, evident in the archaeological remains that span from prehistoric times to the present day. Ongoing research confirms that the current oases represent a continuation of natural and ecological systems prevalent since the late 17th century.

Aflaj, ancient water channels, served as the primary water source for all the oases. Water was transported from underground sources over long distances, often through a network of underground and surface channels. This water was then equitably distributed among the date palm groves, reflecting a community-based management approach rooted in solidarity and continuous maintenance. The aflaj system exemplifies the close link between traditional practices and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Occupying a strategic location, the oases serve as vital centers within the urban fabric. They are essentially low-lying basins teeming with date palms, fruit trees, and vegetables thriving under their shade. Interlaced with hundreds of aflaj channels, they create a unique and humid microclimate that extends its benefits to the surrounding areas. This fosters agricultural activities in the vicinity, thanks to the fertile soil and sustainable water sources provided by groundwater extraction.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has recognized the Al Ain oases as repositories of genetic resources, biodiversity, and Emirati cultural heritage.

Today, the oases still house over 80 historical structures, including forts, watchtowers, residential houses, mosques, markets, and numerous mud-brick buildings showcasing traditional construction techniques.

Al Ain Oasis

Al Ain Oasis, nestled in the heart of the city, is believed to be the largest oasis in the Al Ain region and holds a prominent place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Distinguished by its central location within the urban fabric, it is nourished by the traditional "falaj" irrigation system. Al Ain Oasis safeguards a culture and way of life that have endured for millennia. Spanning 130 hectares, this oasis is the largest among all the oases in the Al Ain region. Farmers continue to cultivate over 80,000 date palm trees, alongside fruit trees such as mango, orange, banana, fig, and jujube (locally known as "sidr"), which also serve as fodder for animals.

Aflaj

The word "falaj" is a local term, also Arabic in origin, derived from the Semitic root "falaja," meaning "to divide something into two parts." Since ancient times, it has been used to describe a system for dividing water rights among landowners.

The falaj plays a crucial role in the lives of the people of the UAE, a land lacking flowing rivers. Its existence has been vital for the continuity, development, and growth of life in this region. Numerous aflaj (plural of falaj) are found throughout the UAE.

A falaj is an ingeniously engineered channel, dug deep into the earth, designed to transport water from its source in elevated areas to lower-lying agricultural lands.

Components of a Falaj System:

The falaj system comprises five main components:

Umm Al Falaj (Mother Well): The primary source that feeds the falaj with water.

The Main Channel or Tunnel: Excavated underground, this channel carries water over long distances.

The Surface Channel or Ditch: Dug at ground level, this channel distributes water within the oasis.

Al Sharea: An open basin where water is collected and distributed for irrigation.

Surface Channels (Saqia): These smaller channels deliver water directly to each date palm or tree.

It's important to highlight the integrated mechanism within the falaj system, which governs irrigation practices and ensures the equitable distribution of water shares among landowners. This is achieved through precise timekeeping methods, relying on the stars at night and the sun during the day.

Hili Oasis

Located in the far north, Hili Oasis is one of the six oases in Al Ain inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. Spanning 60 hectares, it boasts approximately 40,000 fruit-bearing date palms spread across more than 252 farms. The oasis also houses several historical structures, including two watchtowers and a fortified house dating back to the early 19th century. The house of Hamad bin Hadi Al Darmaki, situated at the heart of Hili Oasis, exemplifies the fortified houses that once protected the oasis.

The Hili Watchtowers

Although commissioned by different patrons, the two watchtowers at Hili served a common aim – to form a protective gateway to Hili village and guard its vital water supply. Both towers were built of local materials including mud bricks, palm trunks and fronds. The square tower, known as the Sheikh Zayed Murabba, was built at the command of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates. The tower stands on top of a man-made earth mound and has the classic features of the defensive murabba (square) tower. Approximately 50 metres away, the 7.4-metre high round watchtower known as Seebat Khalifa bin Nahyan dominates a similar earth mound. This older tower was probably built during the 19th century.

Jimi Oasis

Al Jimi Oasis is situated in the northern part of the city, within the Al Jimi district. It lies directly south of Al Qattara Oasis and approximately 4 kilometers northwest of Al Ain Oasis. Jimi Oasis is one of six oases which make up the oasis component of Cultural Sites of the Al Ain UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jimi Oasis contains more than a dozen historic earthen buildings – including mosques, fortified houses and watchtowers that speak to the agricultural and administrative importance of this historical oasis from the 18th century onwards. Jimi Oasis sits in a sunken basin that is divided into a series of palm gardens. Fruit trees and vegetables are grown in the shade of the palm canopy. In the past, fields around the outer edge of the oasis were used for winter cereal crops, and beyond that was a zone for animals to forage.

Restored Buildings

Among the most important structures in the oasis is the late-19th century fortified residence of Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhaheri, the Representative of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Zayed the First (r. 1855-1909) in Al Ain. The house provides a fine example of a residential fort built to protect the oasis, the falaj and farms and houses that fell under his jurisdiction. A nearby mosque reflects the simple design and construction that characterised the architecture of Al Ain at the time. Located to the south of Jimi Oasis is the round Jimi Watchtower, built by Sheikh Ahmad bin Hilal Al Dhaheri in the second half of the 19th century. The 14-metre-tall tower protected the shariaa of the falaj, the point where the underground water supply comes to the surface and is accessible for public drinking and irrigation.

Qattara Oasis

Qattara Oasis is rich in history, with a 4,000-year-old tomb, ancient mosques and fortified houses. Nestled amid the attractive patchwork of date palms, fruit orchards and cool pathways are 19 historic earthen buildings dating from the mid-18th to the early 20th century. These buildings include a souq or traditional market. While the oasis has been farmed for at least 300 years, older signs of human habitation include a 14-metre long tomb to the east where excavations revealed a trove of ancient artefacts more than 3,000 years old.

The oasis and its haraat (the villages at the edge of oases) present a profile of the religious, domestic and trading activities of the area. In the former haraat there are a number of mosques; several residences (some featuring storage and living areas); three forts; the souq and numerous plantations, many of which are still operational.

Qattara Tomb

Qattara Tomb is located to the east of the oasis. This Bronze Age site dates from 2000-1000 BCE. Excavations revealed jewellery, including golden pendants, and a large cache of weapons, stone vessels and pottery.

Al Qattara Souq

Al Qattara Souq dates back to the 1930s. The original structure remains largely intact, although a limited restoration was undertaken in 1976. The souq comprises a corridor approximately 35 metres long with 19 shops arranged on either side of a central covered passageway. The building demonstrates the traditional construction techniques of the oases – thick mud walls with limited small openings for light and air. It was roofed with palm logs and palm mats and had mud plaster floors and walls.

Al Daramkah Watchtower

The watchtower stands at the south-east corner of the oasis and was built by one of the families living there to protect the vital water source. The water for the oasis is supplied by a falaj irrigation system that brings water from the Hajar Mountains, located several kilometres to the east.

Muwaiji Oasis

Muwaiji Oasis is the smallest and westernmost oasis in Al Ain and contains approximately 21,000 palm trees. The oasis was historically fed by the Muwaiji falaj, an underground water channel running east west under the modern city from its source in the foothills of the mountains. The oasis lies at the western edge of the Al Ain alluvial aquifer in an area bounded by two main seasonal water courses or wadis. Some 500 metres to the north of the oasis is Qasr Al Muwaiji, believed to have been built by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, son of Sheikh Zayed the First, in the early years of the 20th century at a strategic location guarding the approaches to Al Ain from Abu Dhabi and the west. From 1946 to around 1960 this fort was the home and diwan of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and it is the birthplace of the former ruler of Abu Dhabi and the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Mutaredh Oasis

Al Mutaredh Oasis stands as one of the six oases in Al Ain honored with a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2011. Situated in the central/western part of the city, it lies approximately two kilometers west of Al Ain Oasis.

Several historical mud-brick structures grace Al Mutaredh Oasis and its surroundings. Among these are:

The House of Sheikh Suroor bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al Dhahiri: A sprawling courtyard house situated on the eastern edge of the oasis.

The House of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa: Recently restored, this house is located on the northeastern side of the oasis. It exemplifies the traditional architectural styles of palaces from the mid-20th century. The fusion of traditional stone and the then-relatively modern concrete sheds light on the evolving cultural traditions in the UAE during the pre-oil era.