Arab. arch. epig. 2000: 11: 9–14 Copyright C Munksgaard 2000 Printed in Denmark. All rights reserved ISSN 0905-7196 A neolithic site at Bida Al Mitawaa in Western Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.) PHILIPPE CROMBE ´ University of Gent, Belgium Introduction and location On November 19th, 1992 a geological survey team discovered a prehistoric sur- face site situated approximately 5 km to the south of the village of Bida Al Mitawaa (Fig. 1) in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (co-ordinates 23æ44’12’’N– 52æ34’13’’E). Lying on a palaeo-dune, which is partially overlain by the first dunes of Rub Al Khali along the southeastern border of a gravel desert, the site appar- Table 1. Typological inventory of the tools. Artefact type* Number % Winged and tanged arrowhead with pointed barbs 17 Winged and tanged arrowhead with angular barbs 9 Winged and tanged arrowhead; indeterminate fragment 6 subtotal 32 71.11 Bifacial leaf-shaped arrowhead with weak tang 2 Bifacial leaf-shaped arrowhead with convex edges 2 Bifacial leaf-shaped arrowhead; indeterminate fragment 1 subtotal 5 11.11 Huwayyan foliates of triangular to drop-shaped form 6 Huwayyan foliate; indeterminate fragment 1 subtotal 7 15.56 Hammerstone 1 2.22 Total 45 100.00 * The industry has been classified according to the typology used by Spoor (7) in an article about the chronological and geographical distribution of arrowheads in the Arabian Gulf. 9 ently covers an area of more than 10 ha. According to the finder, who only collected some arrowheads, hundreds of lithic and ceramic finds are to be found on the sur- face mixed with numerous fragments of os- trich eggshell. Description of lithic finds In total only forty-five lithic artefacts were collected during the geological survey.