Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Dubai Culture, has hosted a design talk and workshop on the historic findings of Saruq Al Hadid, an archaeological museum, on the final day of ‘Dubai Next’, in London.

The talk and workshop were organised in partnership with Dubai Municipality, and aimed to strengthen Dubai’s position as a global design hub by shedding light on the emirate’s creative history.

A Dubai Municipality representative explored the background, historical context and key design findings made at Saruq Al-Hadid, which is one of the largest and most important Iron Age sites in the Arabian Peninsula. This was followed by an ‘Inspirations from Saruq Al-Hadid’ workshop hosted by Emirati designer and entrepreneur Nadia Al Zarouni, focused on applying the precision, patterns and manufacturing processes of the site findings to modern day fashion, jewellery and clothing design.

By sharing story of Saruq Al-Hadid with UK audience, Dubai Culture aims to strengthen cultural dialogue and understanding between two countries in an enriching conclusion to the 2017 UK/UAE Year of Creative Collaboration.

Saruq Al-Hadid is a remote desert site that was a centre for metalworking some three thousand years ago. It has yielded thousands of artefacts that reveal the artistry of Iron Age metalworkers and provide important insights into the industrial activity, trade, and everyday life of this fascinating period of history. Excavation is still underway and the public can enjoy the story unfolding at the Saruq Al-Hadid museum, which contains a beautiful array of artefacts and is housed in a historic building in the Shindagha Heritage District of Dubai.