With 17 villages and more than 633 archaeological features, the site reveals how communities adapted to Hatta’s mountain landscape
Dubai’s archaeological sites preserve a rich record of its history, revealing how communities lived, adapted and connected with neighbouring regions and cultures. Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) documents and protects these sites through surveys, excavations, and research in collaboration with specialist archaeological missions. Through this work, the Authority safeguards Dubai’s archaeological heritage and deepens understanding of the communities whose knowledge and resourcefulness shaped life in the emirate.
Among these sites is Suhaila, on the lower slopes of the Hajar Mountains in Hatta, documented through Dubai Culture’s archaeological surveys between 2021 and 2026. Comprising of 17 villages and more than 633 archaeological features, it preserves a record of life during the Late Islamic period. Houses, agricultural terraces, mosques, wells, watchtowers and dams reveal how communities adapted to the mountain environment, managed water and sustained their livelihoods. Pottery fragments, stone tools, metal objects, coins, jewellery and everyday utensils add further detail to this picture, tracing daily routines and connections with the wider region.
Pottery discovered at Suhaila reveals links extending well beyond the mountain settlements. Locally made vessels were found alongside remains of jars brought from Julfar in Ras Al Khaimah and from Oman, pointing to connections with pottery-producing centres in Julfar and the Omani town of Bahla. The finds also suggest indirect links with Yemen, Persia and East Asia, including China. Metal and stone tools offer a more intimate picture of daily life. Many of the stone tools were found in or near house courtyards, linking them to everyday domestic activities.
The local and foreign coins provide further evidence of economic activity and trade. They point to exchanges between Hatta and the mountain communities’ connections to wider trading networks reaching India, other parts of Asia and Europe. Marine shells found at the site also suggest links with coastal areas.
Pottery analysis, radiocarbon dating and coins help researchers establish when Suhaila was occupied. The evidence points to the most intensive settlement between the 18th and early 20th centuries CE, while some finds suggest possible earlier activity in parts of the site during the 14th and 15th centuries CE. Researchers also believe that some villages were occupied seasonally or for limited periods, particularly in winter, with livelihoods centered on herding, seasonal farming and honey gathering.
The settlements reveal a close relationship between architecture and the landscape. Houses were built on the lower mountain slopes, close to water sources. Homes ranged from simple single-room dwellings, known locally as khid‘ah, many built below ground level for protection and to help regulate indoor temperatures, to larger houses with several rooms and open courtyards. The structures were made of local stone without the use of mortar except in some cases. Scientific research indicates a variety of roof shapes made of wood and tree branches. Huts were also found among the settlements. Courtyards provided space for daily activities, while walls and watchtowers protected some villages. Suhaila 1 includes a mosque and several residential buildings, while Suhaila 2 features houses, a mosque, a natural spring, burial areas and agricultural terraces concentrated within a relatively deep valley.
Water was central to life in Suhaila. Residents relied on seasonal rainwater flowing through Hatta’s network of wadis, as well as natural springs. They built small dams to collect rainwater and dug wells, known locally as tawi, to provide water during dry periods. These sources also supported agriculture. Terraces along the lower mountain slopes enabled residents to grow seasonal crops, supported by irrigation channels designed to deliver water to cultivated areas and conserve water resources. The surviving infrastructure reveals how the community managed scarce water resources and cultivated the mountainous terrain.
Together, Suhaila’s settlements and artefacts document a way of life shaped by farming, herding, trade and careful use of natural resources. Dubai Culture is undertaking conservation work and collaborating with international archaeological missions on research and excavation. These efforts highlight the site’s historical and cultural significance and reinforce the importance of preserving its archaeological heritage for future generations.
2026.11.01 Stockholm
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority
Leave a Reply