According to the locals, the history of this perplexing ghost town near Dubai is not known. All we know is that the village of Al Madam also called “Buried Village” was constructed sometime around 1970. According to some locals who participated in the 2018 Sharjah Art Foundation public survey conducted to trace the history of the village, this mysterious place was once inhabited by the Al Kutbii tribe.

One theory is that the village could have been a part of the Sha’bi housing project by the UAE government which endeavoured to provide the Bedouin population with well-constructed settlements. But considering the current state of the village, it seems like things didn’t go to plan. Some locals attribute the abandonment to the lack of infrastructure and electricity.

A widely held belief behind the abandonment of the village is that place is haunted by a notorious group of “djinns” – the supernatural beings that are said to possess places and people. Locals also believe that there is something mysterious in the sand that caused it to invade the houses, leading the locals to flee the village. Other tales place the blame squarely on Umm Al Duwais, a female jinn said to have cat eyes and machetes for hands, whose story is integral to Emirati folklore.

Be ready to walk a lot if ever you decide to explore the ‘abandoned village’ of Al Madam. As you’ll walk closer to the village (inside), you’ll find well-built houses in well shape, half covered in sand. It’s a sad sight, agreed, but slowly the sight will start to creep you out by the presence of some unseen negative vibes. Part of the appeal is that the village is so open for exploration and contains hidden treasures for explorers to find. There are no plans to develop Al Madam as a tourist attraction at present though tourists are welcome to visit.