Evidence reveals ancient Saudi Arabia flourished with complex communities, challenging established notions

New research conducted in north-western Saudi Arabia is challenging traditional ideas about the Neolithic period in the region. A team of Australian researchers has studied 431 standing stone circles, shedding light on the communities that thrived between 6,500 and 8,000 years ago. Contrary to previous assumptions about struggling, nomadic groups, the evidence suggests people had developed intricate and strategic ways to flourish in the region for millennia, SSP reported.

The project, sponsored by the Royal Commission for AlUla, focused on the AlUla and Khaybar areas. Detailed surveys and excavations were conducted on 52 of the 431 structures found, with particular attention given to those on the volcanic plateau of Harrat 'Uwayrid. The clusters of standing stone circles on the harrat provide a glimpse into the complexity of these mobile pastoralist communities, with artifacts from their 1,000-year occupation revealing insights into their lives.

In order to overcome the challenges of working in such a remote and rugged landscape, the researchers employed a combination of modern and traditional techniques. Aerial surveys by helicopter covered a vast area of basalt and sandy desert, while drones were used to map the sites, some of which encompassed three hectares.

These monuments, which we refer to as shelters rather than houses, were between 4 and 8 meters wide and comprised two concentric rows of large stones forming a circular shape. The space between the rows likely supported timber posts, which provided the foundation for the roof. The dwellings have provided the first evidence of domestic architecture from the Neolithic period in the area.

The structures served many purposes and exhibited signs of various activities within. Stone tool-making, cooking, eating, and processing animal hides were observed. Analysis of animal remains showed that domesticated species such as goats, sheep, and a smaller number of cattle constituted the primary source of sustenance. However, their diet also included wild species like gazelles and birds. This dietary flexibility allowed them to adapt to changes in the environment, proving resilient in the face of potential water and vegetation scarcity due to climate change.

While mobility was a characteristic of their lifestyle, indicated by the ability to partially dismantle and relocate the structures, these populations spent significant periods at each site. The effort put into sourcing and manipulating large basalt blocks weighing up to 1 ton suggests that they continuously returned to these locations over hundreds, if not more than 1,200 years.

These communities exhibited a diverse range of skills and resourcefulness. They utilized local and imported materials to create their tools and decorative items. Fine arrowheads, drills, and scrapers were fashioned out of chert, a sedimentary rock sourced from the vicinity, while red stone was crushed to produce pigment, likely used for rock art or body and hide painting. Beads, bracelets, and pendants carved from exotic stone were also discovered, indicating trade and interaction with neighboring regions in the Levant.

The findings further reinforce the idea that these communities were culturally distinct, distinguishing themselves from their neighbors in the northern Levant region, encompassing areas like Jordan, Palestine, and Syria. The similarities between tools found in Saudi Arabia and those from Jordan suggest exchanges or the dissemination of knowledge concerning tool manufacturing.