Husn Awhala: A late prehistoric settlement in southern Fujairah

On 2 January 1996, a previously unrecorded prehistoric settlement was discovered at Awhala by a team from the University of Sydney's Australian Expedition to the United Arab Emirates, working in conjunction with the Department of Antiquities and Heritage of the Government of Fujairah (1). Located in the southeastern corner of the Emirate of Fujairah, Awhala is only 9 km as the crow flies from the Batinah coast town of A1 Murayr in the Sultanate of Oman (Fig. 1). For non-U.A.E. residents unable to drive down the coast road from Fujairah past the U.A.E.-Oman border post at Khatmat Malahah, however, it is accessible from the south by driving along a series of tracks from the Wadi Munay'i (which can be reached from the Wadi al-Qawr and a road leading eventually to Hatta) or from the north by driving to Khor Kalba and turning inland along an unpaved track which leads from Ghayl to Awhala and the hot springs at A1 'Ayn al Ghamur.