Continued archaeological exploration at Tell Abraq in modern-day United Arab Emirates uncovered a history of cultural trade networks.

Archaeologists uncovered a 2,000-year-old building in what is modern-day United Arab Emirates that likely served as a sanctuary at which merchants and travelers could worship before and after trips across the Persian Gulf.

As the Italian Archaeological Mission in Umm al-Quwain continues to explore the Tell Abraq site, members found that not only had the site been host to 3,000 years of continuous human occupation (in a community that likely formed around 2500 B.C.E.), but it had eras in which it was a key stop on trade networks across the Persian Gulf.