Mleiha Archaeological Centre
| This article is part of a series on the |
| History of the United Arab Emirates |
|---|
| United Arab Emirates portal |
25°7′34.95″N 55°51′27.17″E / 25.1263750°N 55.8575472°E
Mleiha Archaeological Centre is a visitor centre and exhibition based around the history and archaeology of the areas surrounding the village of Mileiha in the Emirate of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates.
It sits at the centre of the Paleolandscape of Faya, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025.
Built around a preserved Umm Al Nar era tomb, the Centre details the excavations and discoveries made over the past 40 years at Mleiha and surrounding areas (including Al Thuqeibah, Jebel Faya, Al Faya, Al Madam and Jebel Al-Buhais), particularly the important Faya North East find, which provides evidence that anatomically modern humans were in the Mleiha area between 130,000 and 120,000 years ago.
The Faya find, in particular, points to a virile southern dispersal route in the spread of humanity from Africa across the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf region, and onward to populate the world through Iran, India, Europe and Asia.
The centre was opened on 24 January 2016 by the Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The multi-phase eco-tourism development is intended in future to comprise accommodation, a campsite and an astronomical observatory, with a total investment of some UAE Dhs 250 million. It will also include the development of a 450 km desert park. The centre was developed by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq).