History History

Abu Dhabi soil is one of the largest elephant track sites in the world. " About eight million years ago, up to what is known as the Late Miocene epoch, mammals walked on the soil of Abu Dhabi, which is then revealed to be one of the largest elephant track sites in the world," according to a publication in a Royal Society journal. The earliest known evidence of how prehistoric elephants interacted socially was recently collected at an Abu Dhabi track, "Mleisa 1", by a team of Emirati and international researchers

Stone tools found around Jebel Hafit. Abu Dhabi's historical treasure trove includes various stone artifacts dating back some 300,000 years, found in surveys around Jebel Hafit.

Early local human communities build habitats. On Ghagha Island, stone structures probably housed the first local human communities. "People were settling and building houses here at least 500 years earlier than previously thought," says Mohamed Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism, quoted by The National. "The values of innovation, sustainability and resilience have been part of the DNA of the people of this region for thousands of years. Recent archaeological discoveries help reinforce the deep cultural ties between the emirate's people and the sea. The Abu Dhabi Islands were indeed a focal point of human innovation and settlement during the Neolithic period, the last stage of the Stone Age, considered a key era in the development of humanity worldwide." The ancient structures discovered are simple round rooms with stone walls preserved at nearly one meter in height. Hundreds of artifacts were found in the rooms.

Traces of hunting and artistic tools. On the island of Marawah, off the coast of Abu Dhabi, a Neolithic settlement has left a legacy of arrowheads, shell beads and vessels with decorative work.

A burial is carried out on the island of Ghagha. A person was buried in the ruins of the identified structures on Ghagha Island. This is one of the few known burials from this period on the islands of Abu Dhabi.

Birth of the agricultural palm groves in Al Ain. A well-preserved Iron Age fortress also exists at the Hili archaeological site in Al Ain.

Development of trade. This period called Umm al-Nar takes its name from the common circular tombs, the best reconstruction of which is found at Hili, north of Al Aïn. They contained, enclosed in soft stone boxes, objects of various types, which confirms the hypothesis of numerous contacts with Mesopotamia, but also with Iran, the Indus Valley (Pakistan) and Bactria (Afghanistan). At the end of this important period of the Bronze Age, the region experienced a climatic warming.

Discovery of the falaj and domestication of the dromedary. During this Iron Age, paradoxically, the importance of iron in the region was relegated to the background by the arrival of preeminent factors in the organization of the inhabitants' way of life. First of all, the discovery in Al Ain of a new irrigation principle, the falaj, allowing the adduction of water by artificial canals, underground or not, from the mountain to the crops, provokes an unexpected growth of resources. At the same time, the domestication of the dromedary provided a new means of transport and encouraged commercial contacts. These two innovations combined to revolutionize the regional economy

The Abu Dhabi region became a major pearl fishing center. From the 1st century onwards, historical information is more precise thanks to some writings that appear. Pliny the Younger, in his Natural History, mentions the presence of numerous villages in the area that is now the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. He describes a nomadic people who lived either from fishing on the coast or from the desert.

Nestorian monastic community of Sir Bani Yas Island. These Christians of the Assyrian church organized the pearl trade and collected taxes.

While during the first centuries the Persian influence is asserted and several religious currents coexist (Arab paganism, Nestorian Christianity...), the arrival in the region of the followers of the prophet Mohammed, who died in 632, sounds the conversion of the inhabitants of the region to Islam

During the Portuguese rule, the Bani Yas tribe occupied the Liwa oasis. In 1448, the Portuguese, after having taken control of several islands located on the spice route, seized the territory of Abu Dhabi until then under the control of Hormuz, in order to extend their commercial power as far as India and to claim a monopoly on trade between Europe and the Indian Ocean. Originally from Saudi Arabia, the great Bedouin tribe of the Bani Yas first settled in Liwa, an arc of oases bordering the northern edge of the Rub Al Khali desert, the "Empty Quarter. There, they founded a village entity that encompassed some forty hamlets and constituted an important social and economic pole for the region since the 16th century. The tribe was confederal in nature and comprised about twenty clans. Differences in the way of life appear between them according to whether they practice fishing or cultivation, but they constantly mix and help each other, ensuring the tribe a perfect cohesion. The poet Saeed Mohammed bin Salem Al Muhairbi presents the Bani Yas, the most numerous tribal confederation in the Al Dhafra region, as follows: "We are the Bani Yas, a people of noble origins. We have inherited this nobility from our ancestors. Our ancestors earned it with their lives. It is up to us to protect it with a sword and a spear. O valiant brothers, we are a proud and strong people."

The Portuguese were driven out of all their positions by the English and the Dutch. The Portuguese leave the memory of a sometimes cruel domination towards the population. And their presence, which lasted nearly a century and a half, will have had the consequence of tightening the fabric of certain local tribes.

The Al-Nahyan clan moved to the coast and founded Abu Dhabi. This clan from the Bani Yas went to the island of Abu Dhabi to fish, dive for pearls and collect salt, which was used to preserve food, including the fish they had caught... The legend of the gazelle leading the Bani Yas to fresh water explains why this island later became known as "Abu Dhabi" which means "Father of the Gazelle": "One day, when Abu Dhabi was nothing but open land, two men of the Bani Yas tribe were hunting the gazelle. Tired and thirsty, they suddenly see movement. A gazelle stands a few meters in front of them. One of the men slowly loads his bow but the other stops him and whispers: "Stop! Look!". He gestures with his head to his feet, where water appears. The gazelle now forgotten, the two hunters fall to their knees and join hands to bring water to their parched lips. The water is sweet!"
This story highlights how vital water is to survival! Until this reliable source of water was established, the Bani Yas had not been able to take full advantage of the wealth of natural resources that the island had to offer.
Abu Dhabi proved to be a strategically advantageous location. Access to the sea linked them to the rest of the world, while the coastal economy, particularly the collection and marketing of pearls, became an important source of prosperity. From 1791, Abu Dhabi became so important that the political leader of all Bani Yas groups, Sheikh Shakbut, moved from Liwa to Abu Dhabi.
This was a period of great change throughout the Arabian Peninsula with the decline and collapse of empires and the rise of new powers. It is in this context of changing powers that the decision of the Al-Nahyans to settle on the island of Abu Dhabi must be understood.

The British recognized the independence of the Trucial States. While the great European powers (Holland, France and especially Great Britain) logically coveted the region after the departure of the Portuguese, numerous clashes pitted the crews of ships chartered by local sheikhs against those of English vessels. A tribe from Ras al-Khaimah, the Qawassim, worked to assert their naval power and became a serious threat to the British fleet. The struggles between the Qawassim and the British seemed to end in 1820, when a peace agreement was signed between Britain and the seven sheikhs of the Omani coast, whose independence the British now recognized and who were called the "Truce States. A temporary truce was agreed upon during the pearling season and renewed each year, then for a period of ten years. It was not until 1853 that the signing of a permanent peace treaty finally allowed these seven emirates, including Abu Dhabi, to return to a peaceful environment, conducive to the revival of their maritime trade and economy.

The pearling industry is booming. The future city of Abu Dhabi is still a modest fishing village.

The Trucial States were hit hard by the war.

Abu Dhabi's prosperity was based mainly on the pearl trade. Competition from the Japanese pearling market and the economic crisis that had been shaking the world since 1929 were to hurt. Despite the development of a parallel trade to that of pearls, Abu Dhabi saw trade become scarce. The population suffered from hunger. Rice, sugar and tea were in short supply. Great Britain was obliged to provide rations to the countries of the Trucial States. The pearl divers tried to convert themselves into labourers for the unloading of ships.

While studies on the country's oil resources had already been underway for a few years, in 1935 the Emir of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakbut, signed an agreement with the Petroleum Development Company.

The British announced their intention to end their protectorate in 1971. Faced with the prospect of independence, Sheikh Zayed, the leader of Abu Dhabi, immediately rallied the leaders of the other emirates to form a strong federation.

The creation of this new country brings together Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwaïn and Fujaïrah. Sheikh Zayed was elected president. A few weeks later, Ras-Al-Kaïmah joined them.

The economic changes that occurred after the 1973 oil crisis and the increase in oil resources led to the realization of the need to diversify revenue streams.

The emirate of Abu Dbabi is embarking on gigantic projects.

Death of Sheikh Zayed, founding father of the Emirates at the age of 86. Sheikh Khalifa, his son, became the second President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi. He is known to be a good listener, modest, affable and interested in his people, passionate about falconry, fishing, history and literature. He continues the great development projects initiated by his father

The "Vision 2030" strategic plan anticipates the limited life of oil fields. It sets the framework for Abu Dhabi's economic diversification which includes sustainable development, tourism and cultural development to prepare for the "post-oil" era

The booming economy is slowed by the onset of the global financial crisis

The UAE is participating for the first time in the G20, at the invitation of France.

Growing Islamist threat in the countries of the region. This forces the UAE to mobilize for fear of instability spreading to its own country. They participate in various air strikes: in 2014 in Libya against Islamist militants as well as in Syria against Daech, and since 2015 in Yemen against Houthist rebels. In March 2014, for the first time, significant tensions led the UAE, along with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, to publicly stand up to Qatar, whose support for the Islamist movement they disapprove of.

United Arab Emirates cuts off relations with Qatar. Gulf crisis.

Presence of Pope Francis invited to Abu Dhabi in the framework of the Year of Tolerance. Signature between Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar of the document on human brotherhood for peace in the world and common coexistence.

Signature of the Abraham Accords. Normalization of relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

In January, relations with Qatar were restored

Death of Sheikh Kalifa. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed became the new governor of Abu Dhabi and third president of the UAE on May 14. He is also the son of Sheikh Zayed, half-brother of Sheikh Khalifa