Al Madam, Sharjah

I was fortunate to visit the 'buried village' of Al Madam when I visited Dubai in 2024. This is a unique settlement in Sharjah which was abandoned by its Bedouin residents in the 1990s, likely as a result of the challenging weather conditions of the area. Since then, the village has been gradually taken over by the desert, helped by the strong desert winds which have created sand drifts within and among the crumbling buildings to dramatic effect. Local folklore has it that the village is possessed by a group of 'djinns', supernatural beings which are said to haunt places and people, and although I didn't see any supernatural activity while I was there, I hope my photographs give you a sense of its unique atmosphere.