Al-ʿAyn
An inland oasis city on the Omani border, watered by falaj channels — the UAE's oldest continuously settled place.
- Type
- Oasis city
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Setting
- Foot of Jabal Ḥafīt, on the Omani border
- Status
- UNESCO World Heritage
Overview
Al-ʿAyn lies inland at the foot of Jabal Ḥafīt, on the Omani border. Its name means simply 'the spring', and its oases are watered by *falaj* channels of the same kind used across Nizwā and interior Oman.
Antiquity
The area holds tombs and settlement remains going back to the Bronze Age, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list as the oldest continuously inhabited part of the country.
In genealogy
The sources record the surrounding country in connection with Banī Yās, the grouping most closely associated with this part of the interior — recorded here as an association of place, with no lineage claim attached.
Frequently asked questions
Why is al-ʿAyn a World Heritage site?
For its Bronze Age tombs and settlement remains and its falaj-watered oases — the oldest continuously inhabited part of the UAE.
Sources
- ياقوت الحموي، معجم البلدان، 626هـ — مادة: توام
- الحسن الهمداني، صفة جزيرة العرب، 334هـ — في ذكر عُمان
Last reviewed: 2026-07-27