The Saudi Heritage Authority Resumes Archaeological Excavations

The Saudi Heritage Authority is preparing to resume its surveying and archaeological excavation projects in various regions of the Kingdom, in partnership with international missions from universities and specialized international research centers.

The commission invited the departments and colleges of antiquities in Saudi universities to contribute to the survey and excavation operations in the coming period. In addition it invited them to also participate with international missions in discovering antiquities in various Saudi regions and to contribute to writing the cultural history of the Kingdom.

Archaeological surveying and excavation is a priority for the Heritage Authority, as it is a scientific means necessary to discover the monuments that the Kingdom is rich in, most of which date back to ancient historical eras and are linked to the beginnings of human civilization.

In the period preceding the pandemic, the Kingdom witnessed the participation of more than 40 international and local missions in the excavation of antiquities in various regions of the Kingdom.

 Important results were presented on the history of human settlement in the lands of the Arabian Peninsula, which were published in a number of scientific publishing vessels, such as the Saudi Antiquities Yearbook, ‘Ruins,’ In addition to a number of specialized archaeological books, and digital platforms.

Within the framework of the authority’s cooperation with public universities such as “King Saud, Hail and Jizan,” Saudi archaeological missions will return to resuming their survey work in five archaeological sites.

 The commission will also implement an archaeological survey and excavation projects in 19 sites in different regions of the Kingdom, in addition to registering Shipwreck sites in the Arabian Gulf for the first time, after the authority made a number of archaeological discoveries of underwater heritage.

The Heritage Authority and its partner missions carry out archaeological survey and excavation works by modern scientific methods, using remote sensing techniques and artificial intelligence.

It is targeting the excavation of various archaeological sites that extend in their history to more than a million years from prehistoric times to the Islamic ages (the 10^th century AH).

The authority is expected to launch new research projects this year in cooperation with a number of local partners, such as the King Abdulaziz House, the Daraa Gate Development Authority, the Royal Commission in Al-Ula Governorate, NEOM Company, Amala Company, the Red Sea Development Company among others.

 The authority will work to involve national cadres, including male and female students, researchers in the field of archeology and heritage, to participate in these projects.

The Heritage Authority aims to resume survey and archaeological excavation projects to raise the level of archaeological discoveries in the Kingdom in terms of quantity and quality.

It also aims at providing solid research paths that allow the participation of Saudi cadres specialized in antiquities, and to stimulate archeology departments in Saudi universities to involve their students and researchers in international missions whose members have great experience in the field of archaeological excavation.