RIYADH: Densely scattered across the volcanic fields (harrats) in western Saudi Arabia, the mysterious stone structures known as “desert kites” were once used as mass animal traps and attest to ancient environmental adaptation and engineering prowess.
According to the Saudi Geological Survey, these structures are located in Harrat Khaybar and date back over 5,000 years to the Early Bronze Age, making them among the oldest and largest stone monuments in the Arabian Peninsula.
Their primary purpose was likely to funnel wild animals, such as gazelles and ibexes, toward the center of a trap for mass hunting, demonstrating the advanced environmental and behavioral knowledge possessed by early humans, Saudi Press Agency said in its report.
When viewed through aerial photography, the unique design of these monuments clearly reveals a shape resembling a traditional paper kite.
They consist of two long guiding arms stretching for hundreds of meters that converge into an enclosed or semi-enclosed central corral.
This architectural layout highlights the ability of ancient humans to organize highly effective mass hunting operations.
Recent field surveys, particularly in the Jabal Qidr area, north of Madinah region, reveal that lava flows from a volcanic eruption occurring less than 1,000 years ago have covered some of these structures, proving their construction is vastly older.
Accordingly, these desert kites serve as a crucial chronological reference point for archeologists and geologists, as they contain distinct layers that document the sequence of natural and human events in the region.
Jabal Qidr is recognized as one of the First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites by the International Union of Geological Sciences, due to its scientific, aesthetic, and cultural value.
