The sole mountain in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and one of the highest mountains in the country,it has given its name to a period in UAE history, the Hafit Period of the Bronze Age (3200 to 2600 BCE), because of the discovery of a cluster of important beehive tombs at its foothills. As of 2017, the mountain is recognised as being part of a national park, and was incorporated into the Sheikh Zayed Network of Protected Areas in 2018.