Al Ain National Museum explores history of domesticated camels

The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi hosted the third in a series of Coffee Morning lectures at Al Ain National Museum on 7th November, led by Peter Magee, Head of Archaeology at the Department. The lecture introduced the audience to an Al Ain of 3,000 years ago by presenting the latest discoveries on the origins of the domesticated Arabian camel.

In an effort to understand how and when camels were first domesticated in the Arab world, Magee explained that recent archaeological discoveries could shed some light on one of the ancient mysteries of the Middle East. The analysis of bones found on dig sites across the country indicated that camels were tamed and domesticated no earlier than 1000 BC.

The findings show that the numbers of wild camels declined significantly around this time giving scientists an indication as to when the domestication of camels was first introduced in the Arab region. The first use of camels for trade and transport signifies a radical shift in people’s daily lives in the Arabian Peninsula.

According to DNA research undertaken on bones from various dig sites across the region, the ancient wild camel of the UAE is directly related to camels today, and camels were not only used for trade and transport, but also as sources of milk. This finding determines the beginning of a key source of nutrition in the region.

In addition to his work as Head of Archaeology in the Department, Magee is the Chair and Professor of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania, US.

Al Ain National Museum’s new Coffee Morning lecture series discusses a variety of cultural topics with the public.