A small and ancient ring found in a land long forgotten, its significance not dulled by the passing of time finds its way back into the spotlight as the logo of Expo 2020. The relic, found in Saruq Al Hadid, has intricate patterns that have come to represent connectivity, resilience and strength as it turned muse for the occasion.
How did Dubai come to discover the ring?
In 2002, when His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, was flying over a desert landscape in Rub Al-Khali, he noticed the subtle difference in the colours of the sand. This spot would become known as Saruq Al Hadid, where artefacts dating back to the Iron Age – i.e. 3,000-5,000 years ago – could be found.