In Saudi Arabia, archaeologists are uncovering lost kingdoms.

 


Archaeologists are excavating the relics of the ancient and long-forgotten kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan in the parched desert and mountains of AlUla in northwest Saudi Arabia.
The spectacular tombs of Madain Saleh, a 2,000-year-old city carved into rocks by the Nabateans, the pre-Islamic Arab people who also constructed Petra in neighboring Jordan, have made AlUla a major tourist attraction since it opened in 2019.
Five nearby sites associated to the Dadanite and Lihyanite civilisations, key regional powers that flourished 2,000 years ago, are currently being excavated by a team of French and Saudi archaeologists.
Abdulrahman al-Sohaibani, who is co-directing the Dadan archaeological mission, said, "It's a project that genuinely aims to unveil the mysteries of (these) civilisations."

According to the Royal Commission for the project, Dadan is referenced in the Old Testament, and the Lihyanite kingdom was one of the greatest of its time, ranging from Medina in the south to Aqaba in the north in modern-day Jordan.

The kingdoms controlled crucial trade routes for nearly 900 years until 100 CE, although nothing is known about them. The team is interested in learning more about their religious practices, social life, and economy.

According to Jerome Rohmer, a researcher with the French National Center for Scientific Research, previous excavations had been limited to the main sanctuary area.

"All we want is a full analysis of the site's chronology, layout, material culture, and economy," Rohmer remarked.
"It's a large endeavor in which we're attempting to answer all of these questions." AlUla has risen to prominence in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's efforts to restructure Saudi Arabia's economy and society.
As it strives to open up to the world and diversify its economy away from oil, the monarchy is betting on tourism.
The development of AlUla is part of a larger effort to preserve pre-Islamic heritage sites in order to attract non-Muslim visitors and promote national identity.








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