Mleiha Archaeological Centre, Archaeological center near Mleiha town, United Arab Emirates.
Mleiha Archaeological Centre is a visitor centre and exhibition built around a preserved Umm Al Nar era tomb, a large circular Bronze Age grave of light tan stone blocks. Its raised drum holds pale gravel and rough stones, with a cross-shaped arrangement of low walls sunk below the rim and a small stone spout on the right side. Opened on 24 January 2016, it presents finds from Mleiha and nearby sites such as Jebel Faya and Al Thuqeibah.
The site became notable through archaeological excavations revealing human habitation dating back roughly 130,000 years. Discoveries span from the Stone Age through the Iron Age, documenting a long human presence in this region.
The centre takes its name from the village of Mileiha, and its displays trace the area's Bedouin past through the finds themselves: 409 Hellenistic coins found in February 2021 in a clay pot, and 300 animal skeletons, among them horses and camels, left by the caravan trade. Guided excursions from the centre run to Fossil Rock and Jebel Mleiha.
The centre sits 50 km east of Sharjah city and 20 km south of Al Dhaid, reached by road through the desert. It opens weekdays 9am-7pm and Thursdays and Fridays 9am-9pm. Guided excursions leave from the centre to Jebel Mleiha and Fossil Rock, and horse-riding activities are offered for beginners and advanced riders.
Within the center sits an integrated Umm Al Nar tomb from the Bronze Age that visitors can enter and view directly. This 4,500-year-old burial chamber reveals how the dead were laid to rest during that era.
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