STANDING at the archaeological corner of the Heritage Village you cannot help but wonder what people back then would have made of the view now across the seafront.
The eclectic Abu Dhabi rises up bold, shining, seemingly without limitation. On closer inspection it fidgets with agile cranes and workmen in green dungarees toiling day and night to complete another brave Arab state vision in steel and glass.
It is hard to believe this sun-baked conurbation fringed by sea and desert was little more than a fort and a small transient population less than 40 years ago. But like its arguably higher profile neighbour Dubai, it is largely defined by progress.
The dentistry of construction has replaced numerous buildings younger than many of its people with greater architectural monuments to the prosperity of oil.
Establishing the identity of Abu Dhabi beyond its urban ambitions is a trickier task. Even doing so via its people is hard – with a boom comes migration and 40 plus nationalities call this state home.
So we are left with facts and figures. While Dubai is arguably winning the race for the skies – tallest building, more cranes than anywhere else in the world – a couple of hours away by road in Abu Dhabi they have more oil, greater land mass and a similarly unbridled appetite for construction.
A new island promises to dramatically increase the profile of Abu Dhabi, bringing with it buildings of breath-taking design from a cunningly-fashioned maritime museum to a Guggenheim project that threatens to put his Bilbao classic in the shadows.
Since the discovery of 'black gold' in the 1950s the United Arab Emirates capital has put its money where the mouth of the river is, the Corniche alone, main park-lined promenade and dual carriageway separating water from skyline, testifies to the billions poured into a place that once based its economy on fishing, date growing and pearl diving.
Today those dhow boats still bob in the harbour, but they are largely for tourists seeking a taste of the Arab culture that survives amid the towering ambitions of the ruling Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The Heritage Village, located on the city's Breakwater, is a big nod to the past, built around a reconstructed Bedouin camp and souk.
Back then dried palm leaves were the main material and air-conditioning came via wind towers known as barajeel.
These days the hum of modern units combines with the chatter of locals in the cafes tucked away on side streets, the gurgle of a shisha 'hubbly bubbly' pipe the only distraction from the buzz of conversation.
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