The annual report of the center for research at SCTA said the new archaeological sites in Taima were discovered by a joint Saudi-German team, adding that they included inscriptions in Aramic, metallic ornaments and earthen wares with decorations dating back to 2,000 BC.
In Jersh near Uhd Rafeeda in the Asir province, a Saudi team from SCTA’s antiquities and museum sector discovered a fort made of stones. They also found a variety of earthen wares in different forms in addition to other antiquities, it said.
“We have also found a number of drawings and writings. The most important among them is a drawing of a lion killing a bull. Some of these drawings and writings date back to pre-Islamic period, while some to the early Islamic period,” a statement from the center said.
Other archaeological sites and antiquities were found in Alghat in the Riyadh province, Dadan and Mabiyat, near Al-Ula in the Madinah province, Faid in Hail, Fursan and Amlaj in the Jazan province and Kalwa in the Tabuk province.
“In Ukhdud in the Najran province, Saudi archaeologists found an earthen jar containing a treasure of coins, metallic impressions and stones with engravings,” the center said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
Saudi Arabia is replete with archaeological and historical sites and the SCTA wants to develop them as major tourist centers. A large group of stone tools made of peridotite (dark coarse-grained volcanic rock consisting mainly of olivine) have been excavated in Thumamah. This site exhibits the considerable industrial skills of its primitive population.
The Burmah cave is located 66 km northeast of Riyadh. The interface shows many cave paintings and rock carvings of intricate designs. Archaeologists from SCTA have reproduced about 15 of these rock designs. Some of these are as old as 2,400 years.
Al-Aerib Castle in the Wadi Alzerib, 20 km east of Wajeh, was built as a rest house for pilgrim caravans during the time of Sultan Ahmed in 1026H. It is a rectangular castle with four towers and two halls inside, a mosque and some residential units.
