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Reconstruction view of the northern part of walled oasis fortification of Khaybar around 2000 BC. Source: © Khaybar LDAP, M. Bussy & G. Charloux/ Journal of Archaeological Science

Vast, 4,000-Year-Old Oasis Fortification Discovered in North Arabia

Researchers have found a 4,000-year-old fortification defending an oasis in the North Arabian Desert, at the ancient Khaybar Oasis. It is officially one of the longest known structures - 14.5...
William Blake's ‘The Madness of Nebchuadnezzar’: Does the Book of Daniel confuse Nebchuadnezzar II with Nabonidus? Source: New World Encyclopedia/CC-BY-SA 3.0

The Lost Years of Nabonidus, Last King of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

Nabonidus was the last king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, reigning from 556-539 BC. He took the throne after the assassination of the boy-king Labashi-Marduk, who was murdered in a conspiracy only...
Dr Omer Aksoy and Giulia Edmond measuring the prehistoric hand axes. Source: The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)

Massive 200,000-Year-Old Hand Axes Rewrite Saudi Arabia History

Archaeologists digging at the Qurh site in Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Governorate uncovered a set of enormous stone hand axes that were made by ancient humans living in the region 200,000 years ago,...
A team of international archaeologists discovered life-sized wild camel carvings on a rock outcrop near the southern Nafud desert border in Saudi Arabia. Carvings are outlined in white to enhance visibility.         Source: Maria Guagnin, et al/Science

Carved Camels Ready for Copulation in Saudi Arabian Desert: Unknown Origin

An international team of archaeologists studying ancient rock art in Saudi Arabia is celebrating a new and surprising discovery. On a rock outcropping near the southern border of the Nafud desert ,...
The natural cliff overhang provided protection from the elements, contributing to the remarkable preservation of the horn chamber.  Source: Royal Commission for AlUla

7,000-year-old Evidence of ‘World’s Earliest Pilgrimage’ Unearthed in Arabia

Recent excavations and ensuing studies conducted at the ancient stone monuments ‘mustatil’ (literally meaning rectangle) in northwest Arabia have revealed the presence of a cultic ritual that was...
Mada'in Saleh (Al-Ḥijr & Hegra) archaeological site near Al Ula, Saudi Arabia. Source: hyserb/Adobe Stock

The Marvel of Mada’in Saleh and the Enigmatic Nabataean People

The archaeological site of Mada’in Saleh, previously known as Hegra, is the most famous ancient site in Saudi Arabia. It is also the first archaeological site of Saudi Arabia to be included in the...
Hegra, Saudi Arabia. Source: ab / Adobe Stock.

Hegra, Petra's Forgotten Twin (Video)

The magnificent ancient city of Petra , nestled in the rugged mountains of modern-day Jordan, captivates visitors with its breathtaking beauty and historical significance. Recognized as one of the...
Left to Right: Photograph of the engraved stone at the time of discovery at the Jibal al-Khashabiyeh, Jordan location. Sketch of position of plans on the engraved monolith from Jibal al-Khashabiyeh. Location of the engraved rock in Wadi az-Zilliyat, Saudi Arabia. Source: SEBAP & Crassard et al. 2023 PLOS One

8,000-Year-Old Rock Carvings Are Earliest Scale Diagrams By Prehistoric Architects

While exploring two remote sites on the Arabian Peninsula, an international team of archaeologists found a pair of rocks that each featured a most unique set of engravings. It seems that the stars...
Aerial view of the Saudi Arabian mustatil excavated for the study. Source: Kennedy et al. - PLOS ONE / CC-BY 4.0

The Cult, Pilgrimage – and Herding Past of a Saudi Arabian Mustatil

Within the desolate landscape of Saudi Arabia lie massive rectangular structures known as the mustatil . Dating back to the Late Neolithic era, researchers believe they were once used for ritualistic...
The Nabatean woman, known as Hinat. Source: Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU)

Ground-Breaking Tech Brings Us Face-to-Face with a Nabatean Woman

For the first time in history, a team of archaeologists, forensic scientists, and model makers working under the Saudi Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) have reconstructed the face of an ancient...
Aerial view of the Al-Faw archaeological site, home to a neolithic settlement, in Saudi Arabia. Source: CC BY-SA 4.0

8,000-Year-Old Neolithic Temple Discovered in Saudi Arabia

The once magnificent capital of the Kingdom of Kindah, Al-Faw south west of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia has been the subject of a project spearheaded by the Saudi Heritage Commission, headed by a Saudi...
Giant Camel Sculptures in Saudi Desert Found To Be Incredibly Ancient

Giant Camel Sculptures in Saudi Desert Found To Be Incredibly Ancient

A team of archaeologists studying life-size rock carvings of animals in the Saudi Arabian desert were shocked to discover the true age of these impressive stone sculptures. These carved figures of...
The Jubbah Oasis in northern Saudi Arabia, where humans were repeatedly present during periods of increased rainfall over hundreds of thousands of years.           Source: Ceri Shipton, Palaeodeserts Project / Nature

Arabian Peninsula Was a Hotbed of Hominin Cultures 400,000 Years Ago

Three things that we’ve heard before ad nauseam – climate change, human migration, and Africa being the cradle of modern humans. Combining all of them together is a fascinating new study which shows...
Inside the hyena cave of Umm Jirsan, one of the most spectacular lava tube caves in the world.                      Source: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia For UNESCO

Hyena Cave in Saudi Arabia Yields Huge Pile of Animal and Human Bones

A team of international scientists searching inside a Saudi Arabian cave made by ancient lava flow found one of the most substantial collections of human and animal bones ever assembled. Deep inside...
One of the more mysterious Saudi Arabia rock art examples found in the Bir Hima region.                  Source: Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage / UNESCO

Bir Hima Saudi Arabia Rock Art Site Gets UNESCO World Heritage Status

UNESCO has just added the famed Saudi Arabia rock art of site Bir Hima to its list of World Heritage sites. Officially designated as the “Hima Cultural Area,” this expansive section of the Najran...
Inscription on one of the basalt rocks depicting the Babylonian king Nabonidus holding a scepter in his hand.  Source: Saudi Heritage Commission

Archaeologists Find Inscribed Stone Honoring Babylonian King Nabonidus

Archaeologists from the Saudi Heritage Commission discovered a remarkable ancient artifact while exploring a fertile archaeological site in northwestern Saudi Arabia, the Commission has announced ...
Ramses III in Arabia? Hunt for Egyptian Artifacts in Saudi Arabia Is On

Ramses III in Arabia? Hunt for Egyptian Artifacts in Saudi Arabia Is On

Plans have now been finalized for a joint Egyptian-Saudi Arabian archaeological mission that will explore a long-distance trade route that likely connected ancient Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula...
A group of three mustatils.

Mapping Mustatils, Saudi Arabia’s 7000-Year-Old Stone Monuments

Over 7,000 years ago, people built hundreds of large stone structures in the area that is now northwest Arabia. Archaeologists have identified this act as the earliest known example of a widespread...
Saudi Arabian Dog Remains Are A Shocking Find

Saudi Arabian Dog Remains Are A Shocking Find

We’ll never get tired of hearing that dogs are a man’s best friend. What is true of domesticated dogs today, has been a socio-cultural and historical phenomenon developed over thousands of years, 15,...
Petra’s Saudi Arabian Sister City, Hegra, Opens to the Public

Petra’s Saudi Arabian Sister City, Hegra, Opens to the Public

The deserts of Saudi Arabia may look desolate, but they hold many important archaeological sites. One of the most important of these is the vast archaeological site at Hegra which has been classified...
Human and animal footprints found in Tabuk, northern Saudi Arabia. Source: Heritage Commission Press Release

Footprints Reveal Passage of Early Humans From Africa Through Arabia

In Saudi Arabia , an astonishing discovery has been made in the north-western desert. A team of archaeologists have found evidence of the oldest human habitation in the Arabian Peninsula . Several...
View along the length of a mustatil structure, note researchers at far end for scale. The image shows the character of these structures as two platforms connected by low walls.         Source: Huw Groucutt / Max Planck Institute

More Ancient Mysterious Stone Structures Found in Saudi Arabia

The pre-Islamic history of Saudi Arabia has been little researched, and it is only in recent years that archaeologists have begun to investigate the country’s vast deserts . Experts have found over...
Artifacts discovered at ritual platform discovered in Dûmat al-Jandal in northern Saudi Arabia.         Source: ©Mission archéologique de Dûmat al-Handal / Antiquity Publications Ltd

Ritual Platform Discovered in Saudi Arabia, With Egyptian Artifacts

While the megalithic stone monuments of northern Arabia remain largely unknown, the discovery of a vast ritual platform and Egyptian artifacts in northern Saudi Arabia has shed light on the evolution...
Deriv; The sands of Rub’ al Khali in Saudi Arabia (CC BY-SA 3.0), and dwellings near the Liwa Oasis, UAE

Qidan, The Lost City of King Ad: Hoax or Reality?

In the middle of World War II a Royal Air Force (RAF) transport plane flying off course over the Arabian desert found a ‘lost city’ deep in the Empty Quarter. It was never seen again. Or was it? In...

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