Riyadh: The authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have announced the discovery of a archaeological village that dates to the Bronze Age called ‘Al-Natah’ in the Khaybar Oasis, located in the northwest of the Kingdom.
The discovery was announced by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) during a press conference at the Conference Centre of the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) in Riyadh on Saturday, November 2.
This discovery is the first of its kind in the region and offers insights into the social and economic life of that era.
Watch here the archaeological discovery in Saudi Arabia
According to SPA, the transition from a mobile pastoral life to a settled urban life in the region during the second half of the third millennium BC is illustrated by the discovery.
This change in paradigm challenges the previous notion that pastoral and nomadic society was the dominant socio-economic model in northwestern Arabia during the early and middle Bronze Age.
The discovered village provides evidence of a clear division, within forts and cities, of residential and funerary areas.
It dates back to around 2400-2000 BC to 1500-1300 BC, and had a population of 500 people in an area of 2.6 hectares, with a 15-kilometre stone wall surrounding the Khaybar Oasis to protect it.
This discovery confirms the Kingdom’s commitment to preserving and promoting cultural heritage aligns with its Vision 2030, emphasizing the need for strengthening international partnerships to present this rich legacy globally.
