16 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Artificial intelligence is Detecting New Archaeological Sites in the Arabian desert

A team of researchers at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi has developed a machine-learning algorithm to help them trawl vast tracts of the Rub al-Khali, or ‘Empty Quarter’— a desert spanning 250,000 square miles on the Arabian Peninsula.

Recently, artificial intelligence has emerged as a groundbreaking tool for uncovering hidden archeological treasures in the region, revolutionizing the field of desert archeology.

The desert is home to the site of Saruq Al-Hadid, which holds evidence of 5,000 years of human activity. The team used data from this site to train their algorithm to identify additional possible excavation sites in the vicinity.

Traditional ground surveys are challenging and expensive in the desert, and dune patterns and sandstorms have proven to be obstinate challenges for satellite imagery interpretation. The algorithm can analyze images obtained using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), a powerful radar system capable of penetrating sand and vegetation, allowing researchers to see hidden structures beneath the surface.

A view over the central sector of Saruq al-Hadid, showing the dark surface layer of copper slag that distinguishes the site from the surrounding desert landscape. Image Credit: Weeks et al., 2019
A view over the central sector of Saruq al-Hadid, showing the dark surface layer of copper slag that distinguishes the site from the surrounding desert landscape. Image Credit: Weeks et al., 2019

Satellite-borne SAR, which can cover a larger area than is feasible from the ground, was employed by the archaeologists. The team also used radar to perform a ground survey to replicate the satellite’s findings, thanks to funding from Dubai Culture, the government agency in charge of Saruq Al-Hadid. Both technologies are not new: machine learning has been gaining popularity in archaeology, and SAR imagery has been around since the 1980s.

 But the use of the two together is a novel application, says Diana Francis, an atmospheric scientist and one of the lead researchers on the project., and to her knowledge, is a first in archaeology.

Through the use of machine learning and deep learning techniques, the team has developed an algorithm that can automatically detect features in the landscape with an accuracy of within 50 cm and generate 3D models of the expected structure.

Now, Dubai Culture plans to excavate the newly identified areas — and Francis hopes the technique can uncover more buried archaeological treasures in the future.

A satellite view of the Saruq al-Hadid site showing the western zone that was under excavation (right) and the eastern zone which is not excavated yet. Khalifa University/Ben Romdhane et al., 2023
A satellite view of the Saruq al-Hadid site showing the western zone that was under excavation (right) and the eastern zone which is not excavated yet. Khalifa University/Ben Romdhane et al., 2023

If the project is successful, it will expand the use of artificial intelligence in archaeology. The Arabian Peninsula is not the only place where artificial intelligence is being used in archaeology. For instance, A.I. demonstrated its worldwide potential in archaeological exploration when it helped uncover four new Nazca petroglyphs in Peru.

Some experts have urged caution against “over-reliance” on the technology, however. Hugh Thomas, an archaeology lecturer at the University of Sydney, told CNN that there remains nothing better than a “trained archaeological eye” to detect sites.

DOI:10.3390/geosciences13060179

Cover Image Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Related Articles

A Medieval Necropolis Discovered During Excavations at the site of the Future Bus Station in Sozopol, Bulgaria

4 April 2024

4 April 2024

A medieval necropolis was discovered during excavations at the construction site of a bus station in the old seaside town...

Extraordinary discovery for the Western Baltic Sea region: a 400-year-old shipwreck Found at Bottom of German River

3 August 2022

3 August 2022

During a routine measurement at Trave, near Lübeck, in the northern part of Germany,  Kiel-Holtenau Waterways and Shipping Authority (Wasserstraßen-...

Norse Runic Text found in Oslo could be Prayer!

30 December 2021

30 December 2021

Archaeologists from the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Studies (NIKU) have unearthed two objects inscribed in Norse runic text in...

Rare discovery: Ancient Egyptian burial reveals Ovarian Teeth in Oldest Example of Teratoma

13 November 2023

13 November 2023

Archaeologists have unearthed the oldest documented example of a teratoma discovered within the 3,000-year-old burial chamber of a young woman...

Scenes of Warriors from 6th Century BC on a Slate Plaque Discovered at Tartessian Site in Spain

6 June 2024

6 June 2024

Archaeologists representing Spain’s National Research Council (CSIC) excavating at the archaeological site of Casas del Turunuelo have uncovered a slate...

Archaeologists discover the Americas’ oldest adobe architecture

7 December 2021

7 December 2021

On the north coast of Peru, researchers have discovered the oldest adobe architecture in the Americas, constructed with ancient mud...

Unique tombs wrapped in high-quality fabrics and painted bodies were discovered at monumental temple in Peru

11 March 2023

11 March 2023

Unique tombs wrapped in high-quality fabrics and painted bodies were discovered at the monumental temple in Peru. Located on the...

Unique and very well-preserved prehistoric engravings found in southwestern Catalonia

23 March 2023

23 March 2023

Significant prehistoric rock art has been discovered in La Febro, in southwestern Catalonia. The team that discovered the art inside...

Receding waters in Lake Van reveal rock-cut Urartian port

22 September 2022

22 September 2022

Located in the eastern province of Van in Turkey, the falling water level of Lake Van, with the decrease in...

Two Infant burials found under prehistoric “Dragon Stone” in Armenia

4 June 2024

4 June 2024

An international team of researchers has unearthed the remains of an adult woman and two infants buried under a basalt...

3,000-year-old Drill Bit Workshop Unearthed in Vietnam’s

13 May 2021

13 May 2021

According to the provincial museum, an ancient drill bit workshop dating back more than 3,000 years has been discovered at...

Experts believe the 7,000-year-old circular stone structures were once houses, complete with doorways and roofs in Saudi Arabia

16 July 2024

16 July 2024

Archaeologists have excavated eight ancient “standing stone circles” in Saudi Arabia that they say were used as houses. Eight of...

Underwater excavations start at 1,700-year-old ancient Black Sea port Kerpe

20 September 2021

20 September 2021

The traces of the ancient harbor on the Black Sea coast of Kerpe, in Kocaeli’s Kandıra district, are being brought...

A rare 2,500-year-old shipwreck found off the Greek island of Kythera

5 November 2021

5 November 2021

A rare shipwreck from the ancient era was discovered during the maritime survey for the Crete-Peloponnese subsea link. The Independent...

Archaeologists Uncover Large Roman-Era Complex Beneath Modern Melun

18 June 2025

18 June 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered significant remnants of the ancient Roman city of Metlosedum, now modern-day Melun, in a recent excavation revealing...