Ming Dynasty ruled China between 1368-1644 AD and their ruling appeared to have been characterised by social reforms and stability. Historical records also reveal that Ming Dynasty exported culture and traded mainly in Asia and many other countries all over the world. Chief among its trade was the so-called Ming Dynasty Porcelain, which highly flourished between the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth centuries.
This phenomenon seems to be clearly visible during the field survey and in the beginning of excavation at Julafar ruins, when different kinds of Ming Dynasty Porcelain sherds began to appear in fairly good quantities.
Moreover, through the course of excavations, unusually large number of pieces of Ming Porcelain Ware began to appear in different depths and levels. This was clear and absolute indications that Julafar was an important redistribution centre in the Arabian Gulf for Ming Dynasty Porcelain.
As excavations continued in different parts and directions to a depth of over two meters, more complete and incomplete antiquities were discovered along with contemporary porcelain.
Among them, for example, were bronze coins, small glass bottles (perfume containers), knives and other tools made of iron, different kinds of beads made of semi-precious stones, and coloured glass bracelets.
In addition to them spindle whorls, terra-cotta figurines, complete storage pottery jars usually with four lugs, pottery pots in form of modern coffee pots were also found. The most important of all the finds, however, were the fourteen pearl beads, which were found together threaded in deteriorated fibre string.
As for architectural features a number of rooms built with unshaped soft stones and remnants of mud used as mortar were found after removing the debris, which contained carbonized material and layers of black ashes.
At the end of the season, we reached the conclusion that the excavated area consisted of four consecutive habitation levels. They ranged from the fourteenth to beginning of the twentieth century. The people lived here were in general traders and fishermen and were part of the pearling industry in the Arabian Gulf.
This unique coastal vast town served through thirteen centuries as re-distributing port for the entire Arabian Gulf up to the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean and it was part of the Silk Rood Trade System.
At the end of the season, demonstration of the antiquities found during the excavations were made by the writer to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and other top officials of the Emirates who were with him at Al Thad Fort located in the desert.
The presence of layers of black ash, carbonised material, pieces of crushed stones and gypsum bricks, and cannon balls were good indications that Julafar, the famous coastal town, was often attacked by pirates and foreign ships sailing in the Arabian Gulf waters seeking shelter and consequently control.
Continous field survey along the five-kilometres long and over two hundred meters wide settlement indicated that most of its southern parts lie (then) under the seawater. While it’s northern parts are deteriorating by high waves and high tides. Consequently, parts of the settlement were devoured by the sea waters and many antiquities completely crushed and scattered on the seashore.
In addition to this, the continuous disturbances of the entire settlement area by modern buildings, paved streets, cemetery and many other facilities left the entire area shrank some few hundred square meters by now.
The Peninsula
