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VIDEO

Abu Dhabi Culture – Instagram, 26 July 2024

Sir Bani Yas Island Visitor Centre, 10 July 2024
Discover the history of Sir Bani Yas Island and learn about the discovery of its Church and Monastery 30 years ago, as well as Sheikh Zayed’s legacy of protecting the island’s natural and archaeological heritage.

 

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https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9NWebKyI5k/?hl=en/

ARWA Online Lecture, 19 June 2024

View this ARWA (International Association for Archaeological Research in Western and Central Asia) Online Lecture which was held on Zoom on the Archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula, given by Dr Kevin Lidour from our Historic Environment Department team at the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), Abu Dhabi.

Date: June 19th, 2024, at 4 pm CET (6 PM UAE time)

“Exploring the Coastal Neolithic of Eastern Arabia: Insights into Ancient Maritime Cultures”

Despite significant fieldwork conducted over the past decades, the Neolithic period (c. 6500-3300 BCE) in Eastern Arabia remains poorly defined culturally. This period is characterized by a lack of agriculture and only vaguely defined pastoral practices, making the definition of a regional Neolithic economy a subject of debate. In this presentation, we propose to explore another aspect of the cultural evolution of human societies in Eastern Arabia at the beginning of the Holocene: ancient maritime adaptations. These adaptations not only support the theoretical construction of a regional Neolithic but also attest to the development of a maritime culture with a sophistication level rarely equaled in Southwest Asia.

You can now watch this lecture on the YouTube ARWA channel:

Saadiyat Cultural District , 16 June 2024
The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi is set to be the largest of its kind in the region and will feature some of the rarest natural history specimens found on planet Earth

 

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https://www.instagram.com/p/C8PE3gEiQNe/

Saadiyat Cultural District, 27 May 2024
Launch of the Voices of Advocacy campaign to promote the Saadiyat Cultural District

EURONEWS, 22 May 2024

Video: Saadiyat Cultural District: One of the greatest cultural hubs set for 2025 completion

Saadiyat Cultural District, 22 May 2024
Video (English): Be Moved in a Thousand Ways

Saadiyat Cultural District, 22 May 2024
Video (Arabic): Be Moved in a Thousand Ways

Abu Dhabi Culture, 22 May 2024
Video (Arabic): Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi Journey

Abu Dhabi Culture, 22 May 2024
Video (Arabic): Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi Journey

Monocle Radio, 22 May 2024

Saadiyat Cultural District, Abu Dhabi | The Urbanist – a podcast featuring Robert Bound interviewing his excellency Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

Saadiyat Cultural District, 20 May 2024

Embark on a mesmerising journey through the architectural wonders of Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi. #SCDAbuDhabi

@saadiyatculturaldistrict

Embark on a mesmerising journey through the architectural wonders of Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi. #SCDAbuDhabi أبحر في عالم من الروائع المعمارية في المنطقة الثقافية في السعديات أبوظبي.

♬ original sound – Saadiyat Cultural District

The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi reaches 65% completion.

SeaWorld Science Talk – Ancient Abu Dhabi, 22 February 2024

SeaWorld filmed the Science Talk: Ancient Abu Dhabi – this featured the following:

– Welcome and Introduction by Dr Elise Marquis (SeaWorld) [0-4:10 mins]

– Dr Thomas Steuber (Khalifa University) [4:10 -29:38 mins]
Sea-level and climate change in the Arabian Gulf during the last ice ages: A history derived from rocks, sediments, and fossils of coastal Abu Dhabi.

– Dr Mark Jonathan Beech (Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi)
[29:38 – 1:05:38 mins]
From Ancient Seas to when Elephants Walked in Abu Dhabi – what fossils tell us about the historic environments of the UAE.

– Question and Answer session [1:06:10 – 1:32:08 mins]

SeaWorld Instagram – Science Talk, 22 February 2024

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3sfGpZoaxy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

DCT Instagram – Inauguration Opening of the Sir Bani Yas Island Visitor Centre, 15 November 2023

https://www.instagram.com/p/Czop3N1yhFZ/?hl=en

UAE Forsan – Abu Dhabi Reopens Delma Museum, Which Contributes to Preserving Cultural Heritage of the Emirate, 13 November 2023

DCT Abu Dhabi – X – Reopening of Delma Museum, 12 November 2023

 

DCT People – Noura Hamad Al Hameli, 22 September 2023

نورة الهاملي، عالمة آثار تشرف حالياً على علوم الآثار، تقدم لنا لمحة عن تاريخ أبوظبي العريق، وتطلعنا على مجموعة متنوعة من المكتشفات التي قام بها فريق آثار الدائرة حتى يومنا هذا.​ Noura Al Hameli, our archaeologist who is currently overseeing the development of our archaeology programme, provides insight into Abu Dhabi’s fascinating history and details various discoveries the team has made so far.​ #دائرة_الثقافة_والسياحة_أبوظبي #نزدهر_معا #DCTAbu Dhabi #CollectivelyWeThrive

Arab News, 21 September 2023
Leading heritage experts gather in Saudi Arabia for inaugural AlUla World Archaeology Summit

Saudi on Demand, 12 August 2023
AlUla World Archaeology Summit ‎in September 2023‎

Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, 18 May 2023

Celebrate International Museum Day by understanding the history of museum development in Abu Dhabi and finding out about the upcoming museums in the Saadiyat Cultural District.

Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, 3 January 2023
Together with the Zayed National Museum, the Historic Environment Department at the Department of Culture and Tourism organised “The Archaeology Conference 2022”, under the theme “Advances in UAE Archaeology”. The event saw leading Emirati, regional and international experts present their research and discuss the latest discoveries and preservation work, shedding light on the heritage of the UAE and the region across historical eras.

click here for a short video of the highlights (via the DCT LinkedIn website). You can also watch all the presentations given at the conference via the DCT Abu Dhabi Culture YouTube channel:

Day 1 – The Archaeology Conference – Monday 12 December 2022

Day 2 – The Archaeology Conference – Tuesday 13 December 2022

YouTube – Historic Building Discovery in Abu Dhabi, 12 December 2022

YouTube – Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi Exhibition 67-million-year-old T-Rex @ Manarat Al Saadiyat@MarsOne, 13 May 2022

Video by @MarsOne about the recent Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD) Exhibition.
#NaturalHistoryMuseum #AbuDhabiExhibition #67millionyearoldTRex

YouTube – Jimmy Brother TV, 24 April 2022

Nice video from Jimmy Brother TV about the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD) Exhibition #naturalhistorymuseumabudhabi #saadiyatisland #inabudhabi #trex #stan

YouTube – AADU & ANNU – The Vlogger Kids, 14 April 2022

Watch this nice video about the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi (NHMAD) Exhibition made by AADU & ANNU – The Vlogger Kids. #stan #trex

YouTube – oloomaldaar, 7 April 2022

معرض متحف التاريخ الطبيعي أبوظبي.. يرتحل بزواره إلى ما قبل 13.8 مليار سنة

‏⁧‫#علوم_الدار⁩ ‬
‏⁧‫#مركز_الأخبار_أبوظبي⁩‬

You Tube – Department of Culture and Tourism, 6 April 2022تم افتتاح معرض متحف التاريخ الطبيعي أبوظبي! يمكنكم زيارته يومياً لغاية 12 مايو، من الساعة 10 صباحاً حتى الساعة 11 مساءً. والدخول مجاني. كن أول من يتعرف على أبرز المقتنيات التاريخية الطبيعية النادرة والشهيرة! لمزيد من التفاصيل، تفضّلوا بزيارة: https://bit.ly/NHMExhibition_AR The Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi exhibition is officially open! You can visit it from 10am to 11pm until May 12 and entry is free. Be the first to check out some iconic natural wonders! For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/NHMExhibition_EN #في_أبوظبي #متحف_التاريخ_الطبيعي_أبوظبي

Twitter – UAE Forsan, 6 April 2022

 

Twitter – Abu Dhabi Culture, 24 March 2022

YouTube – Visit Abu Dhabi, 24 March 2022
موطن جديد للتاريخ الطبيعي في منطقة السعديات الثقافية عام 2025 العاصمة أعلنت اليوم احتضانها متحف التاريخ الطبيعي أبوظبي، الذي سيعرض الآلاف من أندر العجائب الطبيعية الفريدة من كوكب الأرض، وسيأخذ الزوار في رحلة ملهمة تعود إلى 13.8 مليار سنة، مُقدماً لمحة استثنائية عن مستقبل كوكبنا

Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi will showcase thousands of unique natural wonders from Earth and beyond, taking visitors on a 13.8-billion-year inspirational journey and providing a thought-provoking glimpse into our planet’s future.

Twitter – Abu Dhabi Government Media Office – 23 March 2022
الدكتور مارك بيتش، رئيس الآثار في منطقة الظفرة والعاصمة أبوظبي في إدارة البيئة التاريخية التابعة لدائرة الثقافة والسياحة – أبوظبي، يشرح أهمية متحف التاريخ الطبيعي أبوظبي في تعزيز وإثراء المعارف حول التاريخ الطبيعي وإلهام جيل جديد من العلماء الشباب.
Dr. Mark Beech, Archaeology Unit Head – Al Dhafra and Abu Dhabi, Historic Environment Department at  @dctabudhabi, explains the significance of the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi in enriching knowledge of natural history and in inspiring a new generation of scientists.

Twitter – Abu Dhabi Media Office, 23 March 2022

YouTube – Department of Culture and Tourism – 23 March 2022
الإعلان عن الموطن الجديد للتاريخ الطبيعي

Unveiling a New Home for Natural History

YouTube – Department of Culture and Tourism – 17 February 2022
اكتشافات أثرية تعزز فهم أعمق لتاريخ منطقة الخليج العربي

Archaeological Discovery Reveals a Deeper Gulf History

Baynounah TV – 3 November 2021

 

PODCAST – 3 September 2020
Faysal Bibi, Bill Sanders, Mark Beech, Barbara J. King, Alex Atack and Hebah Fisher. 2020. Listen to the Podcast “Elephants in the Desert” (29 minutes). Faysal Bibi and his team of palaeontologists have been captivated by this one particular moment that took place in the Abu Dhabi desert seven million years ago. This week, a journey back to a time before the desert was the desert… when elephants, crocodiles and monkeys reigned supreme in the UAE. This episode was produced by Alex Atack, with editorial support from Dana Ballout, Nadeen Shaker, Tamara Rasamny and Zeina Dowidar. Fact-checking by Zeina Dowidar and Dina Salem. Sound design by Alex Atack and mixing by Mohamed Khreizat. Kerning Cultures is a Kerning Cultures Network production. Kerning Cultures – Season 1. Published 3 September 2020.

The History of Emirates TV programme (International version) is now available by live streaming. Narrated by Jeremy Irons, the fascinating 3-part series reveals how new archaeological discoveries are only now revealing the true extent of this land’s ancient wonders and its 125,000-year heritage from the earliest human presence in the region to the national union in 1971. Utilizing the latest cutting-edge technology — from CGI to LiDar scanning and 360 degree camera work — interwoven with never-before-seen archival footage, it is a ground-breaking series that profiles the very foundations of the country’s civilizations. You can watch this via:  https://historyoftheemirates.com/en/the-series-2?fbclid=IwAR3M7RbY0lsQs1KsDc_LOhFMLhKDs3bJy20vJuUDN5lp0DjgwhWnwz3cO9Q

The History of the Emirates TV programme (UAE version) is now available by live streaming. This fascinating 5-part series reveals how new archaeological discoveries are only now revealing the true extent of this land’s ancient wonders and its 125,000-year heritage from the earliest human presence in the region to the national union in 1971. Utilizing the latest cutting-edge technology — from CGI to LiDar scanning and 360 degree camera work — interwoven with never-before-seen archival footage, it is a ground-breaking series that profiles the very foundations of the country’s civilizations. The Five episodes are entitled: History of the Emirates: Society, Innovation, Trade, Belief and Unity. You can watch this via: https://www.awaan.ae/show/212123/History-of-the-Emirates?fbclid=IwAR12Osvh2z2CXvcGeQXxsBCuVsRq4toGyxu68dTt5_VMV4fZERX_-V7IGwQ

World’s oldest natural pearl found in Abu Dhabi, 20 October 2019
See this interview with Abdulla Khalfan Al Kaabi about the discovery of the Abu Dhabi Pearl found on our archaeological excavations on Marawah Island. It includes footage of the excavations and the visit of DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman, HE Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak to the site.

Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery: UAE’s oldest Christian site opens to the public, 27 September 2019
https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/27/sir-bani-yas-church-and-monastery-uae-s-oldest-christian-site-opens-to-the-public
– Click here for video link

History of the Emirates (Trailer), 30 July 2019
Trailer for the forthcoming Atlantic Productions/Image Nation Abu Dhabi TV series “History of the Emirates”, due to be broadcast in November 2019 on local government channels in the UAE, including National Geographic Abu Dhabi.

Click here to play the Trailer

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan visit to Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery, 17 June 2019
Dr Mark Jonathan Beech, Head of Archaeology: Al Dhafra & Abu Dhabi from the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi), shows His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Rulers’s Representative in Al Dhafra, and his two sons, HH Sheikh Hazza bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Yas bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, around the Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery – 17 June 2019.

Interview with Bishop Paul Hinder OFM Cap at the inauguration of the Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery – 13 June 2019

DCT Abu Dhabi – 13 June 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByqGzMXHGVc/


The National – 13 June 2019
The UAE’s oldest Christian site reopens to the public

Gulf News – 13 June 2019
UAE’s oldest Christian site opened on Sir Bani Yas

WAM Emirates News Agency – 13 June 2019
نهيان بن مبارك يدشن موقع كنيسة ودير صير بني ياس


Sharjah TV News – 13 June 2019
نهيان بن مبارك يدشن موقع كنيسة ودير صير بني ياس


Dubai TV – Akhbar Al Emirat – 13 June 2019 – about Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan’s inauguration of the Sir Bani Yas Church and Monastery


RADIO BROADCAST


BBC World Service Radio, 4 April 2019
Listen to this interview with Peter Magee (Head of Archaeology, Historic Environment Department, Department of Culture and Tourism) discussing the results of our recent archaeological excavations on Marawah Island.

VIDEO

DCT @ Instagram, 2 April 2019
Click here to see the video about our recently completed Marawah excavations.

PODCAST


Podcast – Dr Mark Beech – The UAE’s Coastal Heritage – Palaeontological Discoveries

Listen to this podcast released by the Department of Culture and Tourism about some of the interesting palaeontological discoveries we have made in Abu Dhabi, including a broader discussion of fossils discovered in Arabia and elsewhere.

The podcast is available in the following languages: Arabic – English – French

FILM APPEARANCES

Films of the presentations at the Archaeology 2018 conference held in Al Ain from 26-27 March 2018 (published on 10 April 2018).

Session 1: Palaeoenvironment and Early Human Settlement
Title: When Elephants walked in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region: new evidence for a series of Late Miocene Proboscidean trackways
Presenter: Mark Beech

Session 2: The Neolithic in the UAE
Title: Neolithic camel hunters of Baynunah (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Presenter: Terry O’Connor and Marjan Mashkour

Session 2: The Neolithic in the UAE
Title: Recent archaeological excavations at MR11, Marawah Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Presenter: Richard Cuttler and Mark Beech

Session 9: From the late Pre-Islamic to the Recent Past
Title: Broken Pot Sherds on a Desert Island: Pottery Analysis from the Saadiyat Coastal Heritage Project, 2015-17
Presenter: Mark Beech and Mai Hareb Al Mansoori

 

Film of our visit to Qasr Al Muwaiji during the Archaeology 2018 conference in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE – (27 March 2018)  – video: Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)

Film of our visit to Al Jahili during the Archaeology 2018 conference in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE – (27 March 2018)  – video: Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)

Film of our visit to the Qattara Arts Centre and archaeological site during the Archaeology 2018 conference in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE – (27 March 2018) – video: Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)

Nice film clip with some of the highlights of the recent Archaeology 2018 conference held in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE – (26-28 March 2018) – video: Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)

 

Launch of the new Abu Dhabi Cultural Portal at Manarat Al Saadiyat (27 February, 2018) – video: Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT)

Working at TCA Abu Dhabi – new promo film launched on TCA’s Linkedin web page (21 June 2017) – video: TCA Abu Dhabi.

Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, and Christian Bishops of the Gulf visit the Church and Monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island (17 January 2017) – video: WAM Emirates News Agency.

Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, and Christian Bishops of the Gulf visit the Church and Monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island (17 January 2017) – video: WAM (Emirates News Agency).

Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, UAE Minister of State for Tolerance, and Christian Bishops of the Gulf visit the Church and Monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island (17 January 2017) – video: TCA Abu Dhabi.

 


Deciphering archaeological clues on Delma island (22 June 2015)
A 7,000-year-old site on Dalma Island, which was first excavated in 1993, holds clues about the people who lived there and their relations with settlements along the Gulf coast. An interview with me at our recent excavations of the Ubaid-related site in April 2015, carried out by The National newspaper.

Abu Dhabi TV Interview (October 2014)
Mohammed Amer Al Neyadi and Dr Mark Jonathan Beech from the Historic Environment Department at the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) are interviewed by Abu Dhabi TV about the latest paleontological and archaeological discoveries made in Al Gharbia in October 2014.

Abu Dhabi Awards (11 March 2014)
Attended the Abu Dhabi Awards ceremony at the Emirates Palace Hotel. Peter Hellyer, previously Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS), received one of the awards. I briefly feature in the short film clip which introduced Peter prior to him being presented with the Abu Dhabi Award by H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor, and Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

 

In the Land of the Ichthyophagi: The Archaeology of Abu Dhabi’s Coast & Islands (5 February 2014)

Go to  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLP4PXSNtiU&t=2423s  and click on play to see the public lecture I gave at New York University Abu Dhabi on the 5th February 2014.  Total duration: 81 minutes.

Life on the Baynunah River: Abu Dhabi 7 Million Years Ago (16 January 2014)

Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnDjQmXXFF0  and click on play to see the public lecture given by Faysal Bibi at New York University  Abu Dhabi Downtown Campus on the 16th January 2014. Following a brief introduction by Dr Phillip Kennedy, I introduce Faysal to the audience. Total duration: 60 minutes.

From Pearls to Oil (14 October 2012)

Go to  https://youtu.be/P5pDnz0TyhI and click on play to see David Heard, the author of ‘From Pearls to Oil’, in conversation with Mark Beech (Cultural Landscape Manager, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority), Nick Cochrane-Dyet (Special Advisor, BP Abu Dhabi), and Philip Kennedy (Associate Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, NYUAD).

Abu Dhabi – Between Tradition and 21st Century (2012)

I appear several times in this film produced by Explora Films for the National Geographic Channel Network.

HOME MADE MOVIES

Kuwaiti Folklore evening (6 March 2014)
A special folklore night and dinner was organised by our Kuwaiti hosts at the end of the “Kuwait Through the Ages” conference. This was held in the open courtyard of the Museum of Modern Art in Kuwait City.

Wedding at Hili, Al Ain (25 May 2013)
This was a wedding of one of my Emirati colleagues which I attended  at the Hili wedding hall in Al Ain. Filmed on my iPhone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUe5ORxB7iQ

Bull Butting Competition in Fujairah (8 February 2013)
This is the remarkable sport of bull butting, which takes place each Friday afternoon in Fujairah. Filmed on my digital camera.

Traditional Ayala Dance (5 September 2012)
This traditional Emirati dance was shot at the annual Abu Dhabi Hunting and Equestrian Festival, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Filmed on my iPhone.

OTHER FILMS OF INTEREST

Some other films about the archaeology and history of the UAE, and neighbouring areas, which may be of interest:

Failaka Island: More than 4,000 years of history (MOI  Kuwait News, 22 December 2013)

 

Abu Dhabi 1974 through the lens of Jack Burlot (29 November 2012)

 

UNESCO World Heritage Eco Learning Program – Cultural Sites of Al Ain (17 May 2012)

Mleisa Elephant Trackway represents fossilised behaviour (BBC World News, 22 February 2012)

Al Ain’s UNESCO Cultural Sites (21 November 2011)

Sir Bani Yas Monastery (A video report on the Christian Monastery excavated on the Abu Dhabi Island of Sir Bani Yas, presented at the PARIS 4 –  Preservation of Archaeological Remains In Situ Conference staged in Copenhagen, May 2011.)

A Pre-Islamic Monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (The short video programme is written and narrated by Peter Hellyer and produced by Mike Shepley, 19 May 2011)

Ancient Christian site opens up in UAE (Al Jazeera, 23 December 2010)

Farewell Arabia (1968) –  remarkable film… I love the bit at the beginning of the film with Sheikh Zayed driving his car over the sand dunes!