Uncover this hidden treasure in Al Ain | Visit Abu Dhabi

Delve into culture and history at Bidaa Bint Saud in the garden city of Al Ain.

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If you’re a history buff, you have to get to the incredible city of Al Ain, about an hour and a half away from Abu Dhabi city. Al Ain is the UAE’s first World Heritage Site and is home to a 4,000-year-old oasis, 5,000-year-old tombs and the Hili Archaeological Park. Come to Al Ain for rich discovery and adventure!
Located 25 kilometres north of Al Ain, Bidaa Bint Saud contains a wealth of archaeological finds, including 5,000-year-old burial tombs, Iron Age (1300 BCE-300 BCE) irrigation systems, a rare Iron Age building and other artefacts showing the area was an important stop on a possible caravan route extending from Al Ain to the north of the United Arab Emirates.
The area is dominated by Garn bint Saud, a 40-metre-tall rock rising above the surrounding landscape in Al Ain. Burial sites and tombs were found along the top and eastern sides of the outcrop, while slightly further south were the irrigation systems and buildings.
Located adjacent to the main access point of the falaj, archaeologists excavated a large mud-brick building. It contains a large hall measuring 10 metres by 13 metres. Some parts of the remaining walls stand up to 160 centimetres high. The roof is missing but appears to have been supported by 12 columns. Storage rooms were later added and were found to contain many storage jars.
The building’s purpose remains unclear; however, it most likely was used as an administrative building to manage the distribution of falaj water.
Along the eastern side of the outcrop are the remains of several stone tombs dating to the Bronze Age. Though they look like heaps of stones, excavations show that each heap conceals a hollow chamber surrounded by a ring wall with a narrow passage leading inside. Originally these tombs would have had domed roofs.
A second set of tombs dating from the Iron Age also were built in Al Ain of local uncut or rough-cut stone and formed into a variety of shapes. These collective graves were divided into several chambers, each of which contained the remains of a several people.
Despite being plundered in the past, excavations from these Iron Age tombs yielded a number of artefacts, including pottery and stone vessels, dagger blades, bronze arrowheads, and different types of beads. All these and more are ready to be explored during your visit to Al Ain.
Planning a UAE trip? If Dubai is on your list of places to visit, we highly recommend coming to explore Abu Dhabi after you’ve soaked up all the Dubai tourist attractions!
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