Muweilah

Muweilah is a significant archaeological site located in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, representing an Iron Age settlement that thrived between 850 and 600 BCE. The settlement is notable for its large, fortified structure constructed with interlocked mud bricks and stone walls, encompassing a central administrative area with multiple buildings. Rich archaeological finds include painted and spouted pottery, iron weapons, and bronze items, indicating a well-developed society with advanced craftsmanship and trade networks. Muweilah also boasts the earliest known inscription in the UAE, a pottery shard with South Arabian script. The site offers crucial insights into the early domestication of camels and extensive trade connections with regions such as Iran, Iraq, and Yemen. Despite its eventual destruction by fire, Muweilah remains a testament to the cultural and economic complexity of the early Iron Age in the Arabian Peninsula.