Ancient Echoes of Living History
Jebel Jais isn’t just a mountain marked by time—it’s a living landscape where the past and present coexist. The same ridges that cradle Bronze Age tombs also shelter today’s Bedouin mountain communities who continue to live, farm, and raise families much like their ancestors once did.
A Mountain Marked by Time
Thousands of years before it became a destination for hiking and adventure, Jebel Jais was home to early civilizations who left their stories in stone. Those stories are still being told—through archaeological discoveries and through the people who continue to live in the highlands today.
The Hafit Period (3200 – 2600 BCE)
On elevated ridges and secluded valleys lie the ancient tombs of the Hafit Period—modest in size, yet monumental in legacy. Made from locally sourced stone and shaped like beehives, these graves were discovered in areas like Khatt, Wadi al-Bih, and Wadi al-Qarw, revealing a deep connection between early humans and the mountains they called sacred.
The Late Bronze Age (1600 – 1250 BCE)
Near the base of Jebel Jais, excavations in Shamal unearthed the remains of a settlement from the Late Bronze Age. Here, life was defined by proximity to nature. People built arish-styled homes from palm fronds, farmed the valleys, and fished from creeks that once reached inland. Traces of shells, bones, and date seeds tell a story of everyday life shaped by both land and sea.
Living Heritage
Over 60% of the local Emirati population in Ras Al Khaimah is part of the local Bedouin mountain community, making it the Emirate with the largest mountain community in the entire United Arab Emirates.
Jebel Jais is still home to Bedouin mountain communities today—families who trace their roots back through generations. The Al Shehhi, Al Hebssi, and Al Dohoori tribes are among those who have long lived in this terrain, preserving customs, language, and traditional ways of life. Their distinct dialect, agricultural methods, and architecture are a living continuation of their cultural heritage—not just memories of it.
Many still tend terraced farms, live in stone houses, and celebrate local festivals in a setting that remains largely untouched by time. This is not a place frozen in the past, a place where history continues to unfold.
Explore It For Yourself
Some heritage sites are visible along hiking routes or tucked quietly into valleys. Others are best explored through guided cultural experiences or visits to Ras Al Khaimah’s museums, where discoveries from Jebel Jais are preserved and interpreted for future generations.
For cultural tours information, please visit here.