Saudi Arabia Unearths Bronze Age Secrets in Al-Natah

02/11/2024

RIYADH, Nov 2: Saudi Arabia's Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU) recently announced a groundbreaking archaeological discovery in the Khayber oasis, located in the town of Al-Natah. This finding is challenging long-held beliefs about pastoral life in the Arabian Peninsula during the Bronze Age, offering new insights into the social and economic conditions of the era.

According to the Saudi Heritage Commission, the site in Al-Natah reveals a complex settlement structure with distinct areas for residential and funerary purposes. Dating back between 2400–2000 BCE and 1500–1300 BCE, the area spans 2.6 hectares and was likely home to around 500 individuals. The fortifications suggest an organized community with delineated spaces for living and ceremonial practices, indicating a sophisticated level of social organization previously unknown in the region from this period.

The discovery marks a pivotal moment for Middle Eastern archaeology, as the structural divisions within Al-Natah’s fortifications provide rare, concrete evidence of settlement planning in ancient Arabia. This find could reshape academic perspectives on life in the Bronze Age, underscoring Saudi Arabia's growing role in uncovering and preserving early cultural heritage across the Arabian Peninsula.