Zayed National Museum adds three ancient treasures to growing collection

The National

15-05-2025

Three artefacts excavated in the UAE are among the many ancient gems that will be featured in Zayed National Museum, The National can exclusively reveal. The items include an official stamp dating back to the Iron Age, a gold pendant from the Bronze Age and an ashlar block from the third millennium BC. They are among more than 1,000 items that will be displayed at the highly anticipated museum coming up on Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island. They artefacts join previously announced pieces such as the Magan Boat – a pristine, full-sized reconstruction of the ancient maritime vessel that sailed the Arabian Peninsula during the Bronze Age – as well as the Blue Quran, which dates back to the 9th century and is distinguished by its indigo-dyed parchment and gold Kufic script. 'These objects are not just historical artefacts,' says Ammar Al Banna, associate curator at Zayed National Museum. 'They reflect the ingenuity, identity and belief systems of the people who lived here thousands of years ago – and show how deeply connected this land was with surrounding regions, both culturally and economically.' Here is what you need to know about the latest items. A flat, black, square-shaped stamp etched with a camel motif dates back to the first millennium BC. Set to go on display in the Through Our Connections gallery at Zayed National Museum, the artefact highlights how ancient communities in this region harnessed technology and materials in the service of trade. 'Stamps like these were used for bureaucratic purposes – for sealing merchandise or documents. What's especially telling is the depiction of the camel, which was being domesticated during this time. It wasn't just a practical animal – it was central to people's identity and for expanding communal life,' Al Banna explains 'These iconographies were rooted in their daily life. By using the camel on a stamp, they were embedding their surroundings into their systems of trade and record – creating a visual language that tied community to commerce.' On display in the To Our Ancestors gallery will be a gold ornament resembling a brooch. Dating back to the second millennium BC, it features two animals positioned back to back. Three of the legs are missing, while fine lines are visible on the edges and remaining limbs. 'This pendant was discovered in a Bronze Age tomb belonging to the Umm Al Nar civilisation,' Al Banna says. 'Alongside it were other precious items, which tells us about their belief system – they buried their dead with prized possessions, suggesting ideas of status, spirituality and continuity beyond life.' He adds that the motifs in the piece mirror designs found in burial sites at Al Ain's Hili Grand Tomb – part of the Al Ain Archaeological Park – showing how the civilisation used symbolism across generations. 'These figures, whether carved or cast, were not merely decorative. They were expressions of identity and belief,' he says. 'It's a powerful example of how communities in this region developed their own iconographic language, long before written script.' A stone panel, once part of a large circular tomb wall in Umm Al Nar, features a carved relief of a camel. The restored panel, reassembled from four fragments, offers insight into the burial practices of the civilisation. 'This structure was part of a monumental communal tomb, possibly housing hundreds of individuals over time,' says Al Banna. 'What's fascinating is the effort it took to build these eight-metre-wide structures. They weren't made for elites alone, they were built by and for the community.' The carvings are also seen as artworks, offering a glimpse into how ancient communities used imagery to express ideas affecting all facets of society. 'The carvings show oryx, deer, camels and even humans. These weren't random; they were deliberately chosen,' Al Banna explains. 'The people of that era used their surroundings to communicate their relationship with life, death and each other. They wanted to leave their identity on these tombs to say: 'We were here.'' While no official opening date has been announced, The National previously reported that all attractions within the Saadiyat Cultural District – including the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi – are scheduled for completion this year. In April, teamLab Phenomena, a 17,000-square-metre digital art space, opened to the public. The Zayed National Museum will celebrate the history and culture of the UAE, while paying tribute to the legacy of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.