KSA discovers Archaeological Evidence of Babylonian King Nabonidus in Hail
Saudi Heritage Authority announced a new archaeological discovery in the Al-Hadeed Governorate in the Hail region, north of Saudi Arabia.
It is a rock inscription dating back to the Babylonian King Nabonidus in the middle of the sixth century BC.
The discovery gives further evidence of the historical role of the Arabian Peninsula and its cultural continuity with most of the civilizations of the ancient Near East.
It consists of an inscription on one of the basalt rocks depicting the Babylonian king holding a sceptre in his hand; in front of him, several religious symbols.
According to the Saudi Press Agency SPA, a cuneiform text was found, with an approximate number of lines reaching 26, making it the most extended written text found so far in the Kingdom.
The authority also clarified that the discovery is subject to study and analysis by the authority’s specialists. Details will be announced after the completion of the research and link it to the previous results recently documented in the northwest of the Kingdom.
Previous discoveries
The archaeological discovery is in addition to previous findings of stone inscriptions and obelisks in some sites between Tayma and Hail that mention the King of Babylon “Nabonidus”.
Cultural and commercial contact between the Arabian Peninsula and the civilizations of Mesopotamia has been proven now.
The site, known in the past as “Fadak”, represents an essential site in northwestern Arabia from the first millennium BC until the early Islamic era.
A series of drawings, rock inscriptions, and early Islamic writings were discovered there. It includes castles, forts, fences and water installations that give another dimension to its cultural importance.
