Hili Archaeological Park
Hili Archaeological Park is located in the United Arab Emirates. It contains a public garden, tombs, and the remains of a settlement from the Iron Age. The buildings in the park are made from mud bricks; they are similar to igloos in their appearance. The object that attracts people in the park the most is the Great Hill Tomb. It is a circular building built using mud brick stones. The stones are not even, and appear as pieces of canvas. The Tomb’s color is light brown, and it has a small opening like a window. The Tomb’s height is 2.5 meters, and its diameter is 8 meters (“Al Hili Archaeological Park”). It was constructed around 2700-2000 BC. As the object was restored in 1995, it attracts many tourists nowadays as the structure with more than four thousand years of history (“Al Hili Archaeological Park”).
Besides the massive brown tomb, there are smaller houses made from mud brick that dates back to the Iron Age. All of them are surrounded by the park, and that creates a feeling that one is within an actual ancient settlement. The place consists of tombs and ancient houses that are circular and are similar to one another. The colors of the houses remind of pottery since they are similar to the ancient jars created thousands of years ago. The tomb towering above the houses serves a special purpose. It was the place where ancient residents would bury the dead bodies of their fellow citizens. The place does not only have an archaeological meaning but also explains much about the history of the people of that time and the time period in general.
Hili Archaeological Park is interesting due to its content because it reveals information about the ancient settlements and the way people used to live in the Iron Age. For instance, the Tomb described above revealed various interesting things about the people of the past. In the Tomb, the researchers found the remains of the bodies of people who were buried there (“Hili Tomb Restored”). They found more than six hundred remains of dead bodies in the area. Thanks to the findings, the researchers calculated the approximate lifespan of people who lived at that time. They determined that the average life expectancy was around 40 years, and there was a high level of death among young children (“Al Hili Archaeological Park”). The researchers also calculated how these ancient people looked like. They determined that an average woman was around 157 cm in height while an average man was 14 cm taller (“Al Hili Archaeological Park”). Besides that, the researchers learned other important things that enabled them to understand these ancient people in a better way. For instance, they found out that the people of that time were often suffering from starvation, and that they lacked the needed vitamins. That could result in physical exhaustion and the problems people had with their teeth, and that could also be the reason why so many people died young.
The park provides visitors with a better understanding of their ancestors. By looking at the Tomb, they can see some of the monumental architecture of that time and realize what things were important for their ancestors. Although the Tomb appears small in comparison to the twenty-first-century buildings, it is definitely big compared to the other houses and other structures that were created during that era. It shows that the people of the Iron Age who lived in that region valued their dead ones and constructed monumental buildings in their honor.
The remaining houses and objects displayed in the park explain what people were doing at that time. They were farming, but it was difficult to do due to the scarcity of resources and the complicated living conditions. With the low development of tools and materials, the region just started using iron resources. The fact that the park is preserved in the original desert area also shows the living conditions of that period and place (“Hili Archaeological Park”).
Watching the pictures of the park allows one to imagine the life of that time period without actually being there. Just by looking at the houses and the photo of the Tomb, one can imagine how people lived and what things they found valuable. Visiting the park helps one understand the past of humanity which was very different from modern life.
Viewing the photos of Hili Archaeological Park provides one with an opportunity to understand both the historical development and cultural roots that influenced the region. The information one may find in the park explains the beginnings of the United Arab Emirates and the way this nation has been developing. It is also a sign of pride in the residents of this region because they view this place as a symbol of their rich past as well as the development of the human civilization in general.
Analyzing the content of Hili Archaeological Park is an interesting experience that opens the doors to the past. It enabled one to see the principles of architecture of that period, like the rich usage of mud to build stable houses that were different from the buildings in the previous period. One also realizes the cultural meaning of the park and the Great Hill Tomb; the place provided scientists with a lot of important information as well as serves as an educational center for the visitors who may learn much about the past and the culture that existed before.
