50,000-year-old artifacts unearthed in Al-Quraynah town in Riyadh
RIYADH — The Heritage Commission has completed an archaeological survey and excavation project at an archaeological site in the town of Al-Quraynah, northwest of Riyadh. The project resulted in the discovery of numerous earthenware pieces and stone tools, some dating back 50,000 years to the Middle Stone Age.
The survey and excavation work also revealed circular structures that closely resemble tombs dating back to the third and second millennium BC. They also identified an archaeological road extending from the valley to the top of the plateau at Al-Qurainah, all the way to Riyadh.
This discovery is one of the fruits of the Al-Yamamah initiative launched by the Heritage Commission to redraw the archaeological map of the Riyadh region and surrounding areas. This initiative involves conducting precise surveys using advanced research techniques to document previously unexplored sites and analyze patterns of human settlement across different eras, reflecting the depth of the region's cultural and civilizational heritage.
The survey and excavation process was conducted with the participation of a group of Saudi experts, as part of its efforts to survey and excavate national heritage sites, preserve them, and promote them, while leveraging this national heritage portfolio as an important cultural and economic resource for the Kingdom.
The project sought to gather as much information as possible to enhance scientific studies on the Quraynah site to understand the site's cultural and historical sequence, as well as to identify architectural styles and construction methods, and to document archaeological findings that resulted from the project's work.
The Heritage Commission indicated that its archaeological survey and excavation works across various regions of Saudi Arabia is a continuation of its efforts to preserve national heritage assets. It explained that the Kingdom's cultural heritage is an extension of the successive civilizations that settled on its lands throughout the ages. This reflects the Kingdom's richness in heritage, cultural, and historical resources.
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