Looking back: 10 amazing historical photos of the UAE

Rewind: Here are 10 pictures that show glimpses of the UAE through the last half century.

Bookmark this one to show any friends that say, “oh, you live in Dubai, there’s like no history or culture there, right?” Wrong.

1967

Men manually unload cement at the ‘Cement Wharf’ near what is now Port Rashid. The demand for cement skyrocketed after oil was discovered in 1966, and H.H. Sheikh Rashid (Sheikh Mohammed’s father) made expansion plans for the emirate of Dubai. Thousands of tonnes of cement were manually hauled, bag by bag, by these men. This photo was taken before the UAE even existed (it was formed in 1971).

1977

A man drives past the still-iconic white stone Jumeirah Mosque, which was completed in 1978. (It is now surrounded by shops.)

1979

Queen Elizabeth II’s official transport on her 1979 tour of the UAE was a Mercedes. The guards enlisted to protect her on the tour followed the car on camel. (Top tip: This exact car is now in the Emirates National Auto Museum in Abu Dhabi.)

1984

HH Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE, would have been 66 when this photo was taken, and he was in the 13th year of his 33 year term as President of the UAE.

1987

An Emirati family is pictured outside a traditional store that sold key supplies in Dubai.

ALSO READ: 19 photos that capture the essence of Deira Fish Market

1990

This photo of Emirates Golf Club shows how much the landscape of the city has changed in 16 years. The club is now surrounded by The Views, JLT and The Lakes. And yes, that piddly road you see in the picture is now the multi-lane Sheikh Zayed Road.

1991

And here’s what the golf club on the other end of town – The Dubai Creek Golf Club looked like in the early ’90s. The site is now home to lush greens and the gorgeous Park Hyatt hotel. Here’s what it looks like now.

1995

A woman wears a traditional bedouin wedding headdress – such silver jewellery often represented the bride’s share of the money going into the marriage.

1996

A traditional healer in Al Ain shows off an ancient Bedouin technique that involves applying hot metal to a patient’s stomach (in a similar action to acupuncture).

1997

The mid-90s, when computers the size of small dogs were something to marvel at Gitex. Who would have thought that, less than 20 years later, they’d be showcasing homes that can actually talk to you at Gitex.

Photos: Getty Images 

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