Regarding its geographical setting and cultural landscape, Dhayah is one of the most impressive and important sites in the Emirate of Ras al-Khaimah. Surrouned by steep mountains rising up to 850 m on three sides, and bordered by a lagoon towards the west, the bay of Dhayah has attracted settled life throughout the millennia. Its crescent shaped gravel plain is covered with cultivation towards the coastline, where a rich marine habitat completes the resourceful area. Dhayah’s palm garden area is further characterized by a singular conically shaped hill, which visually dominates the oasis.
Settled during the last 5000 years, the bay of Dhayah and its different landscapes represent a condensed version of the Northern Emirates’ characteristic environments. The cultural landscape of Dhayah is an outstanding example for the display of Ras al-Khaimah’s rich and fertil nature and its cultural importance. Sandbars created by sediment transportation inside the Gulf protect the lagoon and its small islands, which are covered with mangroves. Between the steep rising mountains of Dhayah and the lagoon, fertile outwash fans of the wadis are covered with palm gardens, the core of past life. At the edge of the palm gardens and towards the foot of the mountains, a conical shaped hill serves as a natural defence post for the oasis. Since prehistoric times, both the palm gardens and the hill were used for settlements and fortification alike. Furthermore, a prehistoric cemetery is located at the foot of the mountains in Dhayah. The first range of the Ru’us al-Jabal mountains rises to a height of 800 m, where terraced fields and terraced stone villages, typical for the Musandam Peninsula, are part of the landscape.
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