«التراث» تعلن اكتشاف أقدم مستوطنة معمارية في الجزيرة العربية

The Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Heritage Authority, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, announced the discovery of the oldest architectural settlement in the Arabian Peninsula. This discovery is part of the archaeological excavation work carried out by the authority in partnership with Kanazawa University in Japan, and in collaboration with NEOM at the site of "Masyoun," northwest of the city of Tabuk. The settlement dates back to the Neolithic period, specifically to the time between 11,000 and 10,300 years ago.

Historical Significance

The site of "Masyoun" has been listed in the National Heritage Register since 1978, but recent field studies, which began in December 2022, have revealed its historical significance as the oldest known model of human settlement in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Heritage Authority, through its scientific team in collaboration with the Japanese university, has conducted four intensive field seasons until May 2024, which included organized excavation work using precise scientific methodology. This involved documenting archaeological layers, sorting and classifying finds, and analyzing organic samples to determine absolute dating.

The excavation work resulted in the discovery of semi-circular architectural units built with local granite stones, including residential buildings, storage facilities, corridors, and fireplaces, reflecting an advanced functional layout suitable for a lifestyle based on hunting and grain cultivation during that period. A large collection of stone tools was found, including arrowheads, knives, and grinding stones believed to have been used for grinding grains, alongside decorative items made from amazonite, quartz, shells, and raw materials indicating productive activity within the settlement.

Human and Animal Remains

The finds also included rare remains of human and animal skeletons, as well as stone pieces adorned with geometric patterns, indicating symbolic meanings and providing researchers with a deeper understanding of the social, economic, and cultural lifestyle in the region during the early Neolithic period.

The Heritage Authority confirmed that this discovery represents an important scientific turning point in understanding the beginnings of stable human settlement in the northwest of the Kingdom, reinforcing the hypothesis that it is an area that formed a natural extension of the "Fertile Crescent" (Mesopotamia, the Levant, and southern Anatolia), and an early home for the transition of humans from nomadism to settlement.

This achievement comes as part of the ongoing efforts by the Heritage Authority to document archaeological sites in the Kingdom and expand cooperation with international universities and research centers specializing in archaeology, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, and to enhance the Kingdom's status as a knowledge hub in the field of global human heritage.