Today's Edition
RAJEEV CHERIAN (RAS AL KHAIMAH)
Once a thriving pearling and fishing settlement where a way of life was forged by the sea, the hamlet lies now deserted. The remnants of homes – built of coral stone and beach rock – stand as a silent witness to the rich maritime heritage.
Today, the UAE’s last remaining intact Emirati pearling village, Al Jazeera Al Hamra heritage village in Ras Al Khaimah, offers visitors an immersive and real-time encounter with the past. Weathering modernisation and rapid development after the discovery of oil, the village is on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites’ tentative list.
Al Jazeera Al Hamra, meaning the “red island” in Arabic, is named after the rich colour of the sands of the tidal island. It was established in the late 16th century by the Za’ab tribe, within the lands of the Al Qasimi ruling dynasty of Ras Al Khaimah.
The place, occupied since Neolithic times, lies at the convergence of the desert, mountains and coastline. It remained an island surrounded by a shallow lagoon and marshland (Sabkha) until the late 1970s when it was infilled and connected to the mainland. In its heydays in the early 20th century, the village comprised around 500 houses and between 2,500-3,000 residents.
The decline of the global pearl industry in the 1920s, mainly with the Japanese invention of the cultured pearl, and discovery of oil in the region from the 1950s, led inhabitants in their search for new opportunities in Abu Dhabi in the early 1970s.
Typical of a bustling settlement, the village features a fort, watchtower, family quarters, mosques and a souq all connected by “sikka” or narrow alleyways between plots. Thanks to the conservation and restoration efforts of the Ras Al Khaimah Government, the site is an ideal location for history enthusiasts and families alike.
Today it is surrounded by the most luxurious of hotels and resorts, with the heritage village providing a remarkable rustic charm as a foil to the tourists and visitors alike.
The visit to the heritage village starts at the fort, which served as the local Sheikh’s residence. It comprised several domestic buildings, including two summer houses with wind catchers and large open windows for ventilation, as well as two winter houses, one with an attached “madbasa” (date press).
The courtyard was also used as a “sur”, where inhabitants would gather with their animals in times of danger during attacks from outside the village, according to information posted at the site.
Moving through the alleys past remnants of houses, each marked with historical information posted, visitors are taken through the warp and weft of the daily life in what was once a bustling village.
Among the highlights of the village is Abdul Kareem House, the former home of Al Jazeera Al Hamra’s main trader. It features four wind towers around the central courtyard. Built of coral, beach rock and later sand brick, the structure reflects changing architecture and seasonal living styles.
The Mahzam Mosque, built some time after 1955, sits atop an earlier platform. Its architecture shows that the earlier mosque originally consisted of two stories.
The lower floor served as a winter mosque with small windows, while the upper floor was used as a summer mosque. Its open structure, consisting of “Areesh” walls and pillars supporting the roof, provided shade while also allowing the breeze to circulate during the summer, according to information provided at the site.
Areesh refers to the traditional Emirati vernacular architecture that uses palm fronds, trunks and leaves.
As for the souq, structured in a row for selling local products, it shaped the area’s way of life. It was once used to sell dates, fish, imported slik and perfumes.
Another highlight is Masjid bint Samikh, the mosque named after Aisha bint Abeed Al Samikh Al Zaabi, who had it rebuilt in the 1950s. The mosque features a minaret inspired by Al Asha architecture.
The oral history of Al Jazeera Al Hamra is also available on YouTube, featuring interviews with members of Al Za’ab tribe who grew up in the village.
The heritage village also hosts cultural activities, weddings and private events.
Many descendants of the village’s original inhabitants still visit the village, connecting with the past, paying homage to their ancestors’ way of life, and preserving that legacy for future generations.
