Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran

Special Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran
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The rare finds occurred at Al-Okhdood in Najran. (Supplied)
Special Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran
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The rare finds occurred at Al-Okhdood in Najran. (Supplied)
Special Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran
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The rare finds occurred at Al-Okhdood in Najran. (Supplied)
Special Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran
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The rare finds occurred at Al-Okhdood in Najran. (Supplied)
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Updated 21 February 2023
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Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran

Rare archaeological finds from pre-Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Najran
  • Najran was a compulsory stop for caravans traveling from the south of the Arabian Peninsula
  • The bronze bull’s head had traces of oxidation, a natural reaction when bronze is exposed to air

MAKKAH/RIYADH: The Heritage Commission announced the discovery of three gold rings, a bronze bull’s head and a southern Musnad inscription on a granite stone — all dating back to the pre-Islamic era — at Al-Okhdood, a village in Najran, on Feb.15.

The rare finds are currently in the hands of professionals and undergoing restoration.

Dr. Salma Hawsawi, an associate professor of ancient history at King Saud University, told Arab News that Najran was a compulsory stop for caravans traveling from the south of the Arabian Peninsula.

“Two commercial routes branch out from it, one of which is towards the northeast, passing through the village of Al-Faw, and ends in the east of the Arabian Peninsula, while the second road heads north to reach Petra and from there to the cities of the Levant and Mesopotamia,” she said.

The inscription is written with unique standing letters using an old South Arabian script, called Musnad. It is 230 cm long and approximately 48 cm high, with the length of the letters 32 cm, making it the longest Musnad inscription found in the region.

It belonged to a former resident of Al-Ukhdood, Wahb El bin Maqen.

“Commemorative inscriptions can be found across most of the Arabian Peninsula in great numbers, which reflects the advanced knowledge and cultural level that the society reached and how much it cared for writing and documenting.

“The inscription also shows that watering was the profession of Wahb El, which consists of delivering water to the houses, including his own. It also shows the common Arabic names of that period, as the owner of the inscription mentions his and his father’s name,” Hawsawi noted.

Another interesting discovery was the bronze bull’s head that had traces of oxidation, a natural reaction when bronze is exposed to air, creating a patina coating that can range in colors.

“The bull head drawings and statues first started to emerge in the south of the Arabian Peninsula around the first millennium BC,” she said.

It is said to have been a symbol of strength and fertility for pre-Islamic groups of South Arabians: Sabaeans, Minaeans, and Qatabanians. It was also known for its versatility in daily life, as it was used to plow the lands, its meat was eaten and its skin was used in various industries.

It symbolizes the moon because of the resemblance of the bull’s horns to the crescent. According to the Hawsawi, the moon was called “Wad” by the Minaeans, and it was known to the Sabaeans and others as “Warkh,” “Al-Maqah,” “Shahr,”“Kahl” and “Sun” in Hadramout.

“The moon is the eldest of deities and precedes them all. It is commonly referred to as ‘Al’ or ‘El’, while the Arabs of the north called it ‘Baal’ or ‘Hubal’. The moon held a very distinguished position, as it was a guide for trade caravans and travelers. This is why it was given titles such as ‘The Wise,’ ‘The Truthful,’ ‘The Wise,’ ‘The Blessed,’‘The Helper,’ and ‘The Protector,’” she said.

Talking about the three gold rings, Hawsawi said: “Through this discovery, we came to know the metals that were used by the people during that period. The golden rings equipped with locks at both ends show that they were used in different ways and places, along with the possibility of adjusting their sizes as needed.

“They were worn on the fingers, on the arm or around the ankles. They were worn for aesthetic purposes by men and women alike.

“When it comes to the rings discovered at Al-Okhdood site, they were used by women based on the way they were made, the golden lobes on them and the butterfly-shaped locks.”

The associate professor highlighted that the profession of goldsmiths was found in ancient Arabic inscriptions.

“This profession spread across the Arabian Peninsula, where the jeweler melted and purified the metals by blowing into the flame to melt the metals before reshaping them.”

Archeologists also found great number of potteries in a variety of sizes with one of them being attic pottery, signifying human settlements in the region that date back to third century B.C.

Hawsawi explained that the site at Al-Okhdood, which they visited recently with a group of researchers and specialists, was located inside walls with around 20 multi-story buildings made of mud bricks. The smallest building on the site is 6 meters tall and the largest is 14 meters.

“Only their foundations remain, which are a group of stone installations, inscribed with drawings of some animals, such as horses and camels. Some of the buildings are engraved with inscriptions in the southern Musnad line, most of which are commemorative inscriptions.”

The site also includes two millstones each used for a different purpose.

“Some researchers suggested that they were for grinding grain while others stated that they were for melting metals, due to their large size, and the inability to be moved by humans because of their weight. Being built of stone, and also because of their large size, it is likely that many animals were used to move these mills,” she said

This is the eleventh season that Saudi experts have fulfilled an archeological excavation project.

The Heritage Commission has conducted exploration of Najran in the past and found many discoveries about the land’s history, culture, and community.

The commission has divided projects into various categories, such as archaeology, urban heritage, crafts, and intangible cultural heritage.

Within each category, a specialized group of people from Saudi Arabia and abroad unravel more of the Kingdom’s heritage, culture, and purpose than ever before.

Reflecting Saudi’s Vision 2030 “vibrant society with strong roots” promise, the Heritage Commission has established great initiatives to expand research of the explored and unexplored parts of Saudi Arabia.


Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 
Updated 21 September 2023
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Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

Co-founder of Norway’s Masahat Festival on the challenges of adapting to a new culture 

LONDON: Norway’s Masahat Festival celebrates Arab culture across multiple genres and provides a platform for examining complex issues around history and identity.   

Attendees can listen to the mesmerizing vocals of Iraqi Egyptian Nadin Al-Khalidi, front singer of Tarraband, and participate in thought provoking seminars on topics such as “Pasts That Persist: Perspectives from Iraq and Palestine” and how to reclaim and take ownership of your own history after being written out of it for generations. Egyptian historian, Khaled Fahmy, Edward Keller Professor of North Africa and the Middle East at Tufts University, will speak on the latter subject.

Arab News spoke to Masahat’s Artistic Director Rana Issa to learn more about the aims and impact of the annual festival which she co-founded in 2015.   

Issa arrived in Norway from Lebanon in 2006. She had just completed her masters and proceeded to do her PhD at the University of Oslo. Today, she moves between Norway and Lebanon where she is an Assistant Professor of Translation Studies at the American University of Beirut. 

While her children are immersed in both Norwegian and Arab culture, for her, the experience of adapting to life in Norway has been more challenging.  

‘Once you leave your country you never really feel good again in a way because you become an exile. That never really leaves you. My parents are in Lebanon – my brother is in Dubai, my sister is in New York. That has a lot to do with how I perceive my life here.  

‘If I were to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have decided to leave Lebanon in that way. There’s something about leaving your homeland in haste that is quite traumatic. 

‘When I first came, I felt very lonely and this kind of loneliness I wouldn’t wish   even on my enemies,’ she said. 

In her work with Masahat, she is driven by a desire to help other minorities – not just Arab – to find their feet in their new homeland and to educate her fellow Norwegian citizens about Arab people.  

‘There’s a lot of misconceptions. They don’t, for example, understand that people can be Christian and living in the Middle East, and what they understand by Islam is so simplified and reductive,’ she said.  

Masahat is funded by the municipality of Oslo. “They pay our salaries and we get funding from other public bodies in Norway and have allies across cultural institutions and think tanks,” Issa explained.  

For those attending the festival, which runs from Sept. 21-24, the draw, says Issa, is the outstanding talent. 

‘The thing I love about Arab culture is how sophisticated it is. The reason why Masahat has been so successful in Norway is because the quality of our artists is really special,’ she said.  


Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  
Updated 21 September 2023
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Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

Saudi Arabia’s Hia Hub lifestyle conference returns for third edition  

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s fashion and lifestyle conference Hia Hub is set to return for its third edition taking place from Nov. 3-7 in Riyadh’s JAX District.  

Hia Hub will host discussions, masterclasses, workshops, interactive exhibitions and live performances. 

Last year’s edition featured a lineup of 13 talks and panels along with three masterclasses led by leaders in fashion and beauty such as image architect Law Roach, celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips, supermodel and actress Amber Valetta, fashion designer Zac Posen and entrepreneur and digital influencer Karen Wazen.  

For the third edition, Hia Hub is joining forces with the Saudi Fashion Commission’s annual event Fashion Futures to expand the conference’s program.  

“It’s bigger and bolder this year, bringing together some of the regional and global fashion industry’s most accomplished business leaders, designers, celebrities, and icons, alongside leading fashion houses and brands,” said Mike Fairburn, managing director of SRMGx, the creators and organizers of Hia Hub and the experiential arm of SRMG.  

“It is a truly unique 5-day event – a dynamic programme of seminars, talks, workshops, masterclasses, and live performances – that blends the latest trends and perspectives in fashion, art, design, music and contemporary culture,” he added.  

Meanwhile, Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, said: “With the return of Fashion Futures, we are taking another step towards driving the development of Saudi’s fast-emerging fashion industry, unlocking opportunities and supporting our most promising creative talents. We look forward to welcoming some of the best and brightest minds to join us at Hia Hub this November.” 


Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic

Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic
Updated 21 September 2023
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Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic

Review: ‘No One Prayed Over Their Graves’ by Khaled Khalifa is a complex epic

CHICAGO: This epic work from award-winning Syrian novelist Khaled Khalifa, translated into English by Leri Price, spans several decades — from the late 19th century to the 1950s — and explores both friendship and tragedy. 

In 1907, a flood wipes out the village of Hosh Hanna near Aleppo, Syria. The lives of those who survive forever change, especially those of close friends Hanna Gregoros (a Christian) and Zakariya Bayazid (a Muslim whose family took Hanna in as a boy when he fled a massacre). Both young men — until this moment — have lived as if they were invincible. They are now forced to spend the rest of their lives reflecting on a past that has been swept away in one morning.  

Khaled Khalifa is a Syrian novelist. (Supplied)

We are introduced to Hanna and Zakariya at their lowest point: the flood has destroyed their homes, taken their families, and everything of their past, including the generation-long ties they have always relied on. Once wealthy — with land, horses, and a close-knit community of family and friends — Hanna and Zakariya took for granted an Aleppo that was religiously tolerant and thriving. United in their love for each other and their homes, the residents of Hosh Hanna had always helped one another. But the familiar routes are no longer familiar, and life dwindles for the two survivors.  

The narrative shifts timelines regularly, giving us a clear portrait of Hanna and Zakariya’s carefree past and a present beset by challenges, which they attempt to navigate while surviving on memories. They recollect joyous moments, but also lament the times when they were only interested in themselves and their own desires, ignoring all the good things that were in front of them. The flood opens their eyes to their shortcomings, their losses, and to the love they never fully appreciated before it was too late. The lives of Khalifa’s characters are riddled with loss and coping mechanisms.  

The novel delves into the complex layers of Aleppo’s history through stories that are born of revenge, friendship, oppression, love and loyalty. The pair’s relationship, and their adoration for their land, their neighbors and their villages cannot be erased by a flood, by war or by extremism. A similar love for his country comes through in Khalifa’s writing. 


UNESCO adds Saudi Arabia’s Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve to World Heritage List  

UNESCO adds Saudi Arabia’s Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve to World Heritage List  
Updated 21 September 2023
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UNESCO adds Saudi Arabia’s Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve to World Heritage List  

UNESCO adds Saudi Arabia’s Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve to World Heritage List  
  • Marks Kingdom’s first location on UNESCO Natural Heritage Site list

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve has officially been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, it was announced on Wednesday.  

This marks the Kingdom’s first UNESCO Natural Heritage Site on the list. 

The decision was taken during the extended 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh. (Supplied)

The decision – announced by Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud, the Saudi minister of culture – was taken during the extended 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh between Sept. 10-25. 

“The inscription of the Reserve on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the first Natural Heritage Site in the Kingdom contributes to highlighting the importance of natural heritage on a global scale and reflects the outstanding value of the Reserve,” the minister of culture said in a released statement.  

It occupies an area of over 12,750 km2. (SPA)

The Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve is situated along the western edge of Ar-Rub al-Khali, The Empty Quarter. It is making a name for itself with its unique vistas, diverse wildlife and eco-tourism offerings.  

It occupies an area of over 12,750 km2 and is the only major sand desert in tropical Asia and the largest continuous sand sea on Earth.  

It is a showcase of the environmental and biological evolution of flora and fauna in Saudi Arabia and provides vital natural habitats for the survival of more than 120 indigenous plant species, as well as endangered animals living in harsh environments, including gazelles and the only free-ranging herd of Arabian Oryx in the world.  

The inscription of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve adds to the six other Saudi UNESCO sites, which are Al-Ahsa Oasis, Al-Hijr Archaeological Site, At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah, Ḥimā Cultural Area, Historic Jeddah, and Rock Art in the Hail Region.

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The five historic sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List tell a story of universal importance
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Oscar-nominated filmmaker Farah Nablusi discusses feature debut ‘The Teacher’ 

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Farah Nablusi discusses feature debut ‘The Teacher’ 
Updated 20 September 2023
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Oscar-nominated filmmaker Farah Nablusi discusses feature debut ‘The Teacher’ 

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Farah Nablusi discusses feature debut ‘The Teacher’ 

TORONTO: Palestinian director Farah Nabulsi’s feature debut “The Teacher” wowed audiences at the recent Toronto International Film Festival.   

The story revolves around the parallel struggles of a Palestinian schoolteacher grieving the loss of his son and an American couple fighting to reclaim their son from kidnappers.  

“This is a story about characters that represent a severely marginalized and underrepresented people,” Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning Nablusi told Arab News.  

“It’s a story that challenges stereotypes and lends some kind of insight into the lives and struggles of those people whose voices are often excluded or misrepresented,” she added.  

“The Teacher” stars renowned Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, who starred in the Oscar-nominated short “The Present,” also directed by Nabulsi.  

Bakri plays the role of a teacher struggling to reconcile his life-threatening commitment to political resistance with his emotional support for one of his students, Adam.  

“I think Saleh Bakri is one of the best actors in the Arab world,” Nabulsi said. “I think he’s the Daniel Day-Lewis of the Arab world. He has an intensity; he has an emotional intelligence that is fantastic. Whereas Mohamed Abdel Rahman, who’s our Adam, who’s a wonderful newcomer that I will say I’ve discovered, I feel like I have … it’s just that raw talent that you rarely come across.” 

Shot with difficulty in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, the film is based on a true story that offers a tragic yet hopeful insight on the struggles that Palestinians face. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Saleh Bakri (@salehbakriart)

“The story of ‘The Teacher’ is the sort of amalgamation of all these different real-life events that I’ve come across during my travels and trips to Palestine, where I have been talking with numerous Palestinians about so many real-life events that they have experienced firsthand, that take place and inspired the screenplay,” Nabulsi said.  

“There’s always this thing, this reluctance, this idea that if a film is to do with Palestine that maybe, maybe it won’t sit well so well with Western audiences, for example. And on the contrary, the audience seemed to have loved the film,” she added. “I’ve had a lot of reactions and feedback. Some of the critics have written some wonderful stuff.”