Fujairah forts and sites: History at your doorstep

The control of the strategic location of the UAE’s East Coast has always made it an attractive proposition for regional and world powers.

Through the ages, the interest in this coastline reflected the ambitions of the powers of the time and has now left us some fascinating indicators of their history in the area.

A number of forts and other archaeological sites show the presence of some indigenous cultures and regional and international powers, mainly in the shape of Persian, Ottoman and Portuguese.

The history and exact origin of some of these sites is still a matter of research and study, but at least more is known about the best and most striking of these structures.

Perched at a 20-metre high rocky hill, Fujairah Fort has an imposing presence and, lit at night, it can be seen from kilometres away, a glowing picture of a time gone by.

Tourists and passers by are easily impressed by the recently restored 500-year-old structure, and now the surrounding area add an even more impressive feel to the site, thanks to the Fujairah Heritage Village.

The village is a reconstruction of a historic Fujairah settlement around the fort, which based one of the earliest foundations of what is now Fujairah City.

There is no clear indication on which came first, the fort or the village, but in either case no doubt the two were interdependent.

The fort was built by local inhabitants using locally found material like rocks, gravel and clay. It was used primarily as a defensive barrier, historians say, but in peace times it was much more than that.

Archaeologist, Salah Ali Hasan, of Fujairah Museum, says the fort was like a second home to the local community.

“Mostly, the fort was used as an administrative building from were rulers can preside over the affairs of the people, receive visitors and so on” Said Salah.

Being the Largest and strongest structure in the area, the fort would form a good refuge in bad weather, like heavy rains or strong winds.

Like other outstanding structures, the fort must also have served as symbol of rule and power in a period when tribal conflicts were part of the landscape.

It was used by rulers in the area until as late as the 1960s and in 1925 it was cannon bombed by the British navy attempting to subdue local rebellion.

The structure of the fort is somewhat unique in that it has three circular tower and a square shaped fourth.

Carbon dating of the foundation structure indicates the fort was built between 1500 and 1550 AD and rebuilt again sometime between 1650 and 1700 AD.

The current pristine look of the fort is the result of a two-year renovation project which ended in 2002 and after recent restoration to the interior of the structure, it has now been opened to the public.

The Fujairah Fort is a mere newcomer compared to Awhala Fort which was carbon dated to the ninth BC. The Iron Age fort was discovered in 1996 under the site of the Islamic period structure.

It is considered as one of the largest Iron Age structures in the south east of the Arabian Peninsula and judging y it’s architectural design, historians think it has Neo-Assyrian influence, liking it to the Mesopotamian civilization.

The East Coast has many other forts and watch tower scattered around areas such as Al Bithnah, Al Bidyah and Al Hayl. Many of the historic sites have already been restored, or are waiting to be, but many sites are yeat to be fully excavated.

Nearly all of the sites are open to the public such as the recently restored Al Bithna fort tucked away in the valley bellow the village bearing the same name.

Ahmad Al Shamsi, Director of Fujairah Museum, says there is a duty to restore some of the most important sites so they can be preserved for future generations.

By Fuad Mohammed Ali