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>From this same period of time a settlement has been found in Kalba and a tomb in Al Suffouh. After that there is a gap in our present-day knowledge, because very little evidence was found dating back to the second millennium BC.

Then starts the Iron age (1st Mill. BC) and many settlements were thriving: a caravansary in Hili, a village near Al Tuqaibah, a fort with an urban settlement at Milaiha, graves at Jebel Buhays, sulfur mines at Jebel Dhana, tombs at Bithnah, Qidfa and Husn Madhab and a prosperous community at Kush near Ras al Khaymah. The Kush occupation continued from the first Mill. BC till the early Islamic era.

Mileiha is the only know site with occupational evidence from the late 3rd C. BC till the 3rd C. AD, partly contemporary with the occupations at Ad Door and Kush.

This site has yielded a treasure of constructions and artefacts. The most obvious structure is a 2000 meters square fort with 2m thick walls that stretched for 55 meters, with towers on each corner and midway along each wall, eight in all. The building was not only used for defence and protection but also as a residence, judging from the presence of storerooms with large storage jars and Mediterranean amphoras (some with Latin inscriptions), grinding stones and what seems to be the country's one and only prehistoric minting facility. This was located in a room that had many small fireplaces with lots of copper slag, where the copper was melted to makes bronze coins. Coin moulds were also found. Sixty-four coins minted here can be seen at the Sharjah Museum.

Another interesting feature of the Mileiha dig is the evidence of camel burials. Important people were buried with their beast of burden slaughtered near their tomb. In one case a horse was also found, complete with a pure gold head ornament. This artefact can be seen in the Sharjah archaeological museum in a stunning display with a re-enacted film of Mileihan warriors, one riding the horse wearing the headdress at great speed through the desert.

Only a few pre-Islamic sites have been described so far. The fort of Mileiha was constructed in this period. On Sir Bani Yas an interesting find was made a few years ago: that of a Christian monastery dating from the 5th to 8th C. AD. Several exquisite plaster decorations in raised relief were uncovered: of floral designs, of a Nestorian cross and other geometric designs.

The occupation at Kush continued from the Iron Age till the early Islamic era. In Jumeirah there is also an early Islamic site that is still being studied.

Of the more recent past - the late Islamic era - there is much evidence: the extension of Abu Dhabi airport had to be delayed for quite a while to allow the rescue dig of such a site. On Abu al Abyad Island and in Julfar near Ras al Khaymah other occupations from this time were studied. Julfar is especially interesting as a historic Islamic seaport. It has been under excavation since 1989. The site was occupied from the early Islamic days till the late 17th C. AD. The 1991 excavations uncovered evidence of three mosques built one on top of the other.

Important people were buried with their beast of burden slaughtered near their tomb.

The occupation at Kush continued from the Age till the early Islamic era. In Jumeirah tehre is also an early Islamic site, that is still being studied. Of the more recent past that is "the late Islamic era", there is much evidence: the extension of Abu Dhabi airport had to be delayed for quite a while to allow the rescue dig of such such a site. On Abu al Abyad island and in Juffar near Ras al Khaymah other occupations from this time were studied.

Julfar's thriving trade with India and China came to an end during the Portuguese times, with a battle in 1621.

The Portuguese were the first of the foreign traders to arrive in the region in 1487. The famous explorer Vasco da Gama describes the coast, that he visited just before 1500 in documents that can be studied at the Ras al Khaymah museum. These Portuguese sailors were not exactly peace loving. As they moved along the coast from Muscat north they occupied every harbour and pillaged every settlement on the way. Khor Fakkan put up a stiff fight. A nice description of Khor Fakkan is recorded in the "Commentaries of the great Afonso Dalboquerque":

Orfacao is a large town of the Kingdom of Ormuz and contains very good houses; it is strong on the landside and the reason of this that it was more fearful of being attacked by land than by sea. Many worthy merchants of Gudjerat lived there. The town lies at the foot of a very high mountain and on the land side it has a very strong wall, which is carried along to the sea"

The fort at al Bidiyya was a fortified stronghold of the Portuguese. The recently excavated site at Bidiyyah has the remains of a 3rd Millennium tower as well as the Portuguese fort. In fact, stones from the Umm an Nar tower were used to build the later fort. The finds from the area include ceramics, copper coins, glass kohl applicators and a pair of decorated bronze tweezers! Ceramics and porcelain evidence from the site suggests a date range of 16th century to the early 20th century.

Much more work needs to be done on various sites. Some are known and not yet excavated, others may still be found. The fascination for the past will bring understanding of the country's history.