An archaeological site full of ancient treasures in Umm Al Quwain

Falaj Al Mualla fortress ... the keeper of history in the heart of the "oasis"

• The fort reopened after restoration in 2015. WAM

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Falaj Al Mualla Fort in Umm Al Quwain is a historical witness to the region, as it includes a group of important archaeological finds that summarize the civilization of the emirate, and the fort museum is replete with ancient treasures, as the date of its construction in 1800, during the reign of Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid the First, was aimed at protecting the northern side In the emirate.

The Umm Al Quwain government, represented by the Department of Tourism and Antiquities, has paid great attention to historical buildings and archaeological sites in the emirate, by protecting and preserving them, to enhance and educate the new generation of the importance of heritage.

The department indicated that the fortress of Falaj Al Mualla is located in the oasis of Falaj Al Mualla, which was a resort for the people of the Emirates in the past, as palm trees, lemons and vegetables are widely cultivated in it.

The fort consists of a square-shaped building, and includes two towers, one on the northeastern side, and the other on the southwestern side, and it consists of a large council for the ruler, in addition to the square, and the three corridors overlook an internal courtyard, and a mosque is attached to the fortress called Falaj al-Mualla Mosque, and the landmark was built of stones Canyon and stucco as binder, sandalwood and dawn for roofing, as well as the use of teak wood in the doors.

In 2009, His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, a member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, ordered the restoration of Falaj Al Mualla Fort and its mosque, and in 2015 the Falaj Al Mualla Fort and its annexes reopened.

According to the department, it has become an important shrine, especially after its opening and adding many facilities to it, as the outer yard of the fort has become an incubator for small merchants and productive families, and through it they display various handicrafts, most notably the folk costumes that are the best tongue expressing the traditions and heritage of societies. A council attached to the fort, and it was called "Sheikh Saud Council for Cultural Communication."

Archaeological finds

The Antiquities Room in Falaj Al Mualla Fort includes a group of important archaeological finds from the emirate’s sites, the most important of which are the Al-Dur site, Tal Al-Abraq, Al-Aqab Island and the Haziwa site.

Among the exhibited finds are a group of pottery and fishing tools that were used in the past, and a group of statues, dolls, and decorative tools that were used by women in the past.

A video is also displayed in the room about all the archaeological sites of the emirate, and the room includes the types of weapons used in hunting and warfare, and there are types of rifles, swords and pistols, and a strap for bullets.

In the room for folk crafts, shaving and sewing tools and a set of silver jewelry and decorations that women used to adorn, such as earrings, necklaces, anklets, bracelets and rings of various shapes, as well as traditional women's clothing such as the dress and burqa, sheila, trousers, loom making, and the bride's dress are displayed.

Falaj Al Mualla fortress also includes the “room of the sea” due to the vital role of the sea in the lives of the inhabitants of this emirate, as the waters of the Arabian Gulf surround it from almost all its sides, which had the greatest impact on the residents' social life, and the pearls had important banks for which the residents of Umm Al Quwain were famous. As well as fishing, as its inhabitants practiced trade through the waters of the Arabian Gulf since ancient times.

The exhibits in this room include a set of models of diving and trade ships that were used in the emirate, fishing nets, as well as the complete set of pearl diving tools, including compasses, weaning, scales, and sieves for pearl sieves.

Old tools

Falaj Al Mualla Fort also includes the popular market room, which introduces the visitor to Al Attar, the textile shop, the shop, the popular coffee and others, in addition to the photo and document room that includes a collection of old snapshots of national events and the stages of the development of the region, in addition to old tools used for documentation such as camera, writing tools, radio, and pashtah. And old phones and a printing machine.

The visitor to the fort also learns about the method of extracting molasses from dates in the “madbasah” room, as the people were very interested in obtaining “molasses”, which is a liquid extracted from dates, through a special laboratory called “al-Madbasa”, and given the importance of molasses an important food component, it was These factories are constructed in rooms with special specifications and are attached to the warehouse.

A very private space

The sheikha’s room in the fortress of Falaj Al Mualla enjoys a privacy that stems from the original Arab customs and traditions, by preserving the privacy of women by isolating the harem rooms from other rooms.

The Sheikha’s room consists of a bedroom in which all the requirements are provided, including a “bed”, a mandoos, a perfume box, and a “baby bed”, in addition to some utensils that are used in the past. The Harem Council is attached to the bedroom.

The antiquities room in the fort includes important archaeological finds from several sites belonging to Umm Al Quwain.

The Sea Chamber includes models of diving and trade ships that were used in the emirate.

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