Sharjah coastal heritage network added to UNESCO Tentative List

The Coastal Fortified Network of South Eastern Arabia has been added to the UNESCO Tentative List for World Heritage. This network, which includes the historic sites of Dibba Al-Hisn, Khor Fakkan, and Khor Kalba, represents over 2,000 years of maritime history along the Oman Sea.

The Sharjah Archaeology Authority noted that the sites demonstrate the region's historical significance in trade, navigation, defense, and coastal administration. The network's history spans from early Indian Ocean trade routes through the era of the Kingdom of Hormuz and Portuguese presence in the 16th and 17th centuries, until the sites came under Al Qasimi authority.

Archaeological findings at Dibba Fort include evidence of settlement from the Neolithic period to the 20th century, featuring glass-working workshops, pearl-processing installations, and date-processing facilities. This addition brings the total number of sites on the UAE’s UNESCO Tentative List to 16, with six located in Sharjah.