New research brings together 7,000 years of history in South Arabia to show how ancient pastoralists changed placement and construction of monuments over time in the face of environmental and cultural forces. In a study published today (May 28, 2025) in PLOS One, an international team of archaeologists documents how monuments changed as the climate transitioned from a humid environment to, eventually, an arid desert. Early monuments were built by larger groups at one time. But as people dispersed with the increasingly drier climate, smaller groups began constructing monuments and eventually built many of them in several visits. Vast, 4,000-Year-Old Oasis Fortification Discovered in North Arabia Saudi Arabian Dog Remains Are A Shocking Find Desert Pastoralists: A Resilient, Adaptable Force
