UAE > Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah

Partho-Sassanian Ras Al Khaimah (300 A.D.- 632 A.D.)

Unlike the Ancient Near East, the Arabian Peninsula avoided interference from the Roman and Greek cultures. By 200 A.D., Northern Arabia came under the influence of the Sassanian Empire. The region of Ras Al Khaimah was controlled by a confederation of Arab rulers who had some Independence from Sassanian rulers. During this period, international trade continued to be Important. Archaeological finds from these sites include glass, Ivory and high-quality ceramics from China, India and Iraq. Some of the important sites In this period were a fishing community in Jazirat al-Hulaylah, Kush and the fortified settlement of Mleiha. The end of the Partho-Sassanian period saw the rise of Islam in the region. People of this region were among the first to convert to Islam, after Prophet Mohammed sent a letter to the confederation of Arab rulers.

Rise of Islam and The Abbasid Period (750 A.D.-1250 A.D.)

After the death of Prophet Mohammed, a state known as a caliphate was established under religious successors of the Prophet Historically there were three major caliphates. During the third caliphate, the Abbasid Caliphate, this region saw significant changes. In the 8th century, the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate was moved from Damascus to Baghdad.

Trade with Western Asia increased. This allowed Ras Al Khaimah to once again become an important trading point. The new exchange system revived economic activities such as large-scale copper mining in the Wadi Safafir. Another important development was the establishment of the port city of Julfar, which later became a major international trading centre.