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Pottery fragments, stone tools dating back over 50,000 years discovered in Riyadh Province

Pottery fragments, stone tools dating back over 50,000 years discovered in Riyadh Province

Arab News4 days ago
JEDDAH: The Saudi Heritage Commission has completed an archaeological survey and excavation at a site in Al-Qurainah, northwest of Riyadh, uncovering structures, artifacts, and evidence of human settlement over thousands of years.
The work, carried out in collaboration with a team of Saudi experts, is part of the commission's efforts to document and protect national heritage sites, promoting them as cultural and economic assets for the Kingdom.
Excavations revealed circular structures resembling tombs from the third and second millennia BC, as well as an ancient road linking the valley to the plateau at Al-Qurainah and extending toward Riyadh.
Pottery fragments and stone tools were also found, some dating back over 50,000 years.
The project forms part of the Al-Yamamah initiative, which aims to redraw the archaeological map of Riyadh and its surrounding areas using advanced survey techniques.
The program focuses on documenting previously unexplored sites and analyzing patterns of human settlement through various periods of history.
The Heritage Commission said its survey and excavation work reflected its ongoing mission to safeguard Saudi Arabia's heritage, which it described as the product of successive civilizations that have flourished in the region over millennia.
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