4,500 years ago, Kalba, located in the east of the United Arab Emirates, was not only one of the oldest and most stable settlements in the region, but was probably also an important hub for trade relations between Mesopotamia, India and the Arab world. This is the conclusion reached by archaeologists from the Austrian Archaeological Institute (OeAI) during their latest excavations.

Barbara Horejs, field director and scientific director at the OeAI, emphasises the special significance of the site: »Kalba is an outstanding example for people settling in ecologically favourable niches that not only enabled a functioning cultural exchange over thousands of years, but also set new cultural dynamics in motion.«

Early Bronze Age commercial centre

The site, which was built during the Umm an-Nar culture around 2,500 BCE, has massive stone ring walls and tower structures. It was apparently a place of intense economic activity for more than 1,500 years.

The excavations, which continued at the end of 2024, also revealed for the first time massive clay brick structures inside the complex, fireplaces and evidence of craft production, including metalworking. Remains of mangrove wood indicate a favourable starting point for human settlement.

Cultural influences

The Gulf-style seal discovered the previous year, which combines symbols of the Indian Harappa culture with local Arabic influences, also provided new insights and has now been prominently published by the excavation team in 2024. The analysis of this important find demonstrates the use of administrative techniques and developed administration for trade processes and extensive networks between India and Arabia.

In addition to cultural artefacts, the archaeologists also found evidence for the processing of copper ores from the nearby Wadi Hilo in the Hajar Mountains, where copper deposits have already been documented. Michael Brandl, head of the Lithic Lab at the Austrian Archaeological Institute, was able to make further rock discoveries in the region: »Our excavations have uncovered numerous new and previously unknown deposits of flint, various metamorphic rocks and semi-precious stones, including jasper, chalcedony, agate and carnelian, which are currently undergoing further investigation.«

Supraregional importance of Kalba

According to the archaeologists' findings, the exploitation of these resources played a key role in trade with Mesopotamia and other regions. These discoveries suggest that Kalba was not only of regional but also supra-regional importance – both for trade by sea and with the Arab interior.

The results of the research were published in the journal »Antiquity« in 2024. The project is funded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Sharjah Archaeological Authority and the Austrian Embassy Abu Dhabi.