1 October 2023 The Future is the Product of the Past

A Rock-Cut Temple and Inscriptions from the Neolithic period discovered in Saudi Arabia

In a project led by the Saudi Heritage Commission, a multinational team of archaeologists has discovered an 8,000-year-old archaeological site in the Al-Faw region using the latest technologies.

According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the study leveraged high-quality aerial photography; guided drone footage utilizing ground control points; a topographic survey; remote sensing, ground-penetrating radar; laser scanning; and geophysical survey, as well as extensive walkover surveys and sondages throughout the site.

Al-Faw, the former capital of the Kingdom of Kindah, is located on the outskirts of Al-Rub’ Al-Khali (the Empty Quarter), 100 kilometers south of Wadi Al-Dawasir on the modern highway connecting Wadi Al-Dawasir and Najran.

In the fifth and sixth centuries, a group of nomadic tribes from north and central Arabia formed the Kindah Kingdom. It is regarded as the first nomadic Arabian kingdom in history.

A team of archaeologists from Saudi Arabia and around the world have discovered new archaeological sites in the Al-Faw Archaeological Area. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat

The research uncovered a number of finds, including the remains of a stone temple and parts of an altar, where Al-Faw locals would practice their rituals and ceremonies.

The stone temple, which is rock-cut, is perched on the edge of Mount Tuwaiq on the east of Al-Faw.

Moreover, archaeologists revealed the remains of Neolithic human settlements dating back to the Neolithic era and more than 2,807 graves of different periods dotted throughout the site, which have been documented and classified into six groups.

Numerous ancient inscriptions that provide insight into the community’s religious beliefs have also been uncovered by archaeologists. Among these is the inscription in the Jabal Lahaq sanctuary addressed to the god Kahal, the deity of Al-Faw.

The inscription indicates a relationship between the cities of Al-Faw and Al-Jarh, and most importantly is attributed to a family from the city of Al-Jarha, it also referred to the ancient name of the place where the sanctuary was built (Mount Tuwaiq).

Rock drawings found etched on Tuwaiq Mountain depict daily activities, including hunting, traveling, and fighting. Photo: SPA

Given Al-Faw’s location on the ancient trade route, their relationship with Al-Jarh is most likely commercial considering. It may also imply either religious tolerance between residents of the two cities, or the worship of Al-Faw’s deity, Kahal, by some of the residents of Al-Jarha.

Though Al-Jarha was recognized for its richness and economic might, its exact location is unknown, and numerous scholars identify it with the site of Thaj.

The discovery offers valuable data regarding the geographical distribution of Al-Faw’s sanctuaries and reveals the foundations of four monumental buildings, some with corner towers. Their architecture, internal plans, and open-air courtyards suggest their use as resting places for trade caravans.

Other finds opened up the possibility of the existence of a number of complexes. A complex irrigation system was found that had canals and water cisterns. There were hundreds of pits dug to direct rainwater to the agricultural fields, providing an explanation for how local residents countered the harsh, arid climate.

More significantly, the findings at the Al-Faw site demonstrate that a culture of temples, rituals, and idol worship predated the monolithic, non-idol worshipers, anti-temple practices of Islam that exist there today. These findings may also challenge the widely accepted premise that the Islamic conquest civilized the desert people of Arabia.

Banner
Related Post

The 1,000-year-old Church found under a cornfield in Germany

2 July 2021

2 July 2021

The foundation walls of the large church of the rediscovered Royal Palace of Helfta in Eisleben in the German state...

The ruins of a thousand-year-old Buddhist Temple will be opened to the public in Kyrgyzstan

13 September 2022

13 September 2022

The unearthed remains of an ancient Buddhist temple in Kyrgyzstan will open to the public in mid-September as part of...

Ceremonial meals may have been served in the 4500-year-old structure unearthed in the Yumuktepe Höyük in Southern Turkey

3 November 2021

3 November 2021

A 4,500-year-old structure containing a jar, many pots, and food fossils has been unearthed at the Yumuktepe Höyük (mound) in...

New fortification walls discovered in the ancient city of Pergamon

14 February 2022

14 February 2022

2,500-year-old fortification walls were found in the Ancient City of Pergamon (Bergama), which was included in the World Heritage List...

Do Byzantine coins Record the Supernova of 1054?

25 June 2022

25 June 2022

SN 1054 was one of the most spectacular astronomical events of all time. The supernova explosion eventually formed what is...

A pendant made of mammoth bone with ‘mysterious dots’ could be the oldest known example of ornate jewelry in Eurasia

26 November 2021

26 November 2021

The fragments of an ancient pendant made of mammoth ivory were unearthed in Poland, and are regarded to be the...

‘Roman numerals’ discovered on Stone of Destiny ahead of King Charles III coronation

8 April 2023

8 April 2023

New research has revealed previously unrecorded markings that appear to be Roman numerals on the Stone of Destiny, considered one...

Ancient Hippodrome, Subject of Ben-Hur Movie, Will Become “Arkeo Sports Park”

8 August 2021

8 August 2021

Ben-Hur, a wealthy prince living in Jerusalem, is a historical figure who struggled for the freedom of the Jews during...

One-of-a-kind 1000- years-old gold earring found in Denmark

13 December 2021

13 December 2021

A metal detectorist in Denmark uncovered a one-of-a-kind piece of 11th-century gold jewelry that had never been seen in Scandinavia...

Ruins of the 700-year-old wharf, possibly used by royalty, found in Oslo

6 March 2023

6 March 2023

An excavation by NIKU archaeologists in Oslo’s seaside neighborhood of Bjørvika has uncovered the remains of a long section of...

A 2900-year-old collection of fossilized shark teeth found in the City of David, one of Jerusalem’s oldest Parts

5 July 2021

5 July 2021

Scientists discovered an inexplicable collection of fossilized shark teeth at a 2900-year-old archaeological site in Jerusalem’s City of David, one...

A Child’s Skeleton was Unearthed During the Tozkoparan Mound Excavations

12 August 2021

12 August 2021

The skeleton of a child was unearthed during the rescue excavations carried out in the Tozkoparan mound located in Tozkoparan...

10,000-year-old Settlement Discovered in Turkey’s Şanlıurfa

25 June 2021

25 June 2021

A Neolithic settlement was discovered in the garden of a house in the Sayburç Neighborhood of Şanlıurfa’s Karaköprü district. News...

A 1700-year-old Roman water tunnel dug into the mountain was discovered in Adıyaman province in southeastern Türkiye

13 September 2023

13 September 2023

It was revealed that in the Besni district of Adıyaman province, located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, the...

Excavation of the Temple of Athena Began in the Ancient City of Aigai

15 October 2021

15 October 2021

The foundations of the Temple of Athena were unearthed during the ongoing excavations in the ancient city of Aigai, located...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *