The development of archaeology in Saudi Arabia

Author(s): Saad A. al-Rashid

Source: Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies, Vol. 35, Papers from the thirtyeighth meeting of the Seminar for Arabian Studies held in London, 22-24 July 2004 (2005),
pp. 207-214
Published by: Archaeopress
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ProceedingsoftheSeminarforArabianStudies35 (2005): 207-214

inSaudiArabia
Thedevelopment
ofarchaeology
Saad A. al-Rashid

Abouta quarterof a centuryago, in 1976, hereat the

SeminarforArabianStudies,one of mycolleaguesDr.
of AntiqAbdullahHasan Masry,theDirector-General
uitiesand Museumsin theKingdomof Saudi Arabiaat
thattime,talkedabouttheambitiousplans of thegovernmentfor the developmentof archaeologyand the
ofmuseumsin theKingdom.He spokeof
establishment
thehistorical
andarchaeologicallegacyof Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Masrywas one of thepioneerresearchers,
planners,
of archaeologyin the Kingdom
and administrators
(Masry1977a).
In one of his publishedpapers,Dr. Masrywrote"it
is no secretthatwe do notpossess an adequateunderstandingof thedepthand breadthof Arabianantiquity
comparableto our knowledgeof the otherancientregionsin theMiddleEast" (Masry1977b).He presented
a chronologyof Saudi Arabian archaeologystarting
from200,000 years BP. Masry concludedwith the
will help us to
words "hopefullyfutureinvestigations
affordus a
thisthememorefullyand thereby
articulate
moreadequatechronologicaloutlinethanthe one that
here"(Masry1977b).
has beenoffered
standson the
of Antiquities
The presentDepartment
laid bytheSupremeCouncilforAntiquities
foundations
and Museums.I feelhonouredand privilegedto be the
and
of Antiquities
presentHead of theDeputyMinistry
Museums in the Kingdom.The legacy has changed
now,and we areproudof whatwe have achievedin the
lastthirty
yearsin all fieldsof archaeology.In 1975 the
consistedofonlya fewemployees,withDr.
Department
as
the
sole Saudi archaeologist.
Now, in 2004,
Masry
we have a largeteamof graduateSaudi archaeologists,
some of themwithMastersand Doctoraldegreesfrom
Saudi,European,andAmericanuniversities.
of thefirst
I shouldalso mentiontheestablishment
and
of
Museology at King
Department Archaeology
Saud Universityled by ProfessorAbdulrahmanalAnsary,who is consideredthe fatherof Saudi archaeology. Despite unexpected "unavoidable circumstances",Dr. Ansarymanagedto persuadetheUniversityto establishtheDepartment.
The initialarchaeologicalactivitiesin Arabiamostly

conductedby foreignparticipation
(notablyWinnett&
Reed 1970; Parr,Dayton& Harding1968-1969;1971)
the need fora controlledand systematic
demonstrated
approachto theKingdom'sarchaeology.It was to satisfythisneed thatthe DeputyMinistryof Antiquities
and Museumsinitiateda "Comprehensive
Archaeological Survey"in 1976 (see, for example,Adams et al
1977; Ingrahamet al 1981). The aim was to document
thearchaeologicalremainsof theentireKingdom.The
survey,thus far, has discovered about 4000 sites
the Kingdom.This is, however,an initial
throughout
detailedstudies
estimationand I am sure thatfurther
will increasethenumberof archaeoand investigations
logicalsitesknownto us.
In additionto the ComprehensiveArchaeological
SurveyoftheentireKingdom,otherspecializedsurveys
werealso carriedouton variousaspectsof thearchaeologicalheritage,suchas thesurveyof ancienttradeand
pilgrimageroutes,theancientminingsurvey(e.g. Hesteret al 1984), therockartand epigraphysurvey(e.g.
Kabawi et al 1989), the Palaeolithicsurvey,and the
palaeontologicalsurvey.Several othersmall-scaleregionalsurveyshave also been conductedduringthelast
two decades. As a result,we now have a wide knowledge of thearchaeologyof Saudi Arabia.The comprehensive and the specialized survey projects were
formoresystemplannedfromtheoutsetin preparation
atic large-scaleexcavations.Limitedtest excavations
and soundingswere also carriedout as part of the
sites
prehistoric
groundsurveywork.Severalimportant
in theeasternprovince,and in
in Dhahranand al-Jubayl
the newlydevelopedindustrialarea of Taym3in the
north-western
region, were excavated on a rescueoperationbasis.
of Saudi archaeology
Our presentunderstanding
based on theresultsof thesurveysand theinitialexcaof culturaland
vationsprovidesa generalframework
chronologicalsequences,fromearlyman to developed
cultures.Thus, Saudi Arabianarchaeology
prehistoric
revealsthecontinuous
presenceof manin thePeninsula
fromthe beginningof the Palaeolithicto the present
day,coveringa periodofaboutone millionyears.

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208

Saad A. al-Rashid

nearMecca on theDarb Zubaydah.

on theDarb Zubaydah;(b) A reservoir
FIGURE1. (a) A reservoir
and its
Thanksto theSaudi Government's
generosity
ofthiscountry,
towardsthearchaeology
seriousattitude
millionsof Saudi riyalshavebeenspenton archaeologiThiscal researchunderthe country's
five-year-plans.
in
has
been
maintained
generosity
subsequent
budgetary
is thus
yearsto thepresent.The successof theseefforts
which
of theGovernment,
due mainlyto thegenerosity
of Antiquities
and Museumsto
enabledtheDepartment
of research,restoralaunchand maintaina programme
of monuments
and preservation
and
tion,conservation,
theestablishment
ofa network
ofnational,regional,and
local museumsin theKingdom.It also made possible
and intertheparticipation
of prominent
archaeologists
fromdifferent
of
the
such
estedinstitutions
world,
parts
as HarvardUniversity,
SouthwestTexas University,
the
of California,
ofMissouri,theUniversity
the
University
Institute
of Archaeology,
London,and the CentreNational de la RechercheScientifique(CNRS), France.
Thesearejust a fewinstitutions
amongthemanywhich
in our comprehensive
have activelyparticipated
survey
andexcavationprogrammes.
I wouldliketo detailsomeofthemajorprojectsthat
in Saudi Arabia:
reflect
thedevelopment
ofarchaeology
1. The Comprehensive
ArchaeologicalSurveyofthe
entireKingdomconductedfrom1976 to 1994,during whichover 4000 archaeologicalsites were recordedin thenorthern,
southern,
western,and easternprovincesoftheKingdom.
2. Specialized subjectsurveyssuch as thatof the
Darb Zubaydah - the early Islamic pilgrimage
routefromKufa in Iraq to Makkah- on whicha
numberof water-and camp-stations
have been recorded.(Fig. 1)
3. Several stations,along with stretchesof fairly

stoneroad,and campsiteshave been

well-preserved
between
recordedon theancienttraderouterunning
YemenandMakkah.
4. Several campsiteshave been recordedon the
coastalpilgrimageand traderoutes
Egyptian/Syrian
to al-Madinahal-Munawwarah.
5. An ancientminingsurveywas conductedin the
northernand south-western
highlandsand large
numbersof ancientgold-,silver-and copper-mining
sites,as well as quarriesforsemi-precious
stones,
havebeenrecordedso far.SpecialistsfromtheColorado School of Mines in theUSA wereinvolvedin
theinvestigation
and documentation,
workingalongside local Saudi archaeologists.
6. Anotherspecializedsurvey,focusingon rockart
and epigraphy
was initiatedin 1985,and in thelast
ten years over 1200 rock art and epigraphicsites
have been documentedin mostpartsof thecountry
(Fig. 2). Saudi Arabianow standsamongtherichest
rockartregionsin theworld.Hundredsofthousands
ofhumanand animalfiguresand thousandsof Lihyanite,Dedanite,Nabataean,and South and North
Arabianmusnadinscriptions
have been recorded,in
additionto severalhundredsof theso-called"ThaI am happy to say thatover
mudic" inscriptions.
in different
3000 early Arabic inscriptions,
forms
and styles,havebeendiscoveredwhichshedlighton
thedifferent
of
stagesof evolutionand development
the Arabic script.The oldestdated Islamic Arabic
foundso far(24 AH/AD644) was on the
inscription
ancienttraderoutelinkingMadDinSlih withalcUl. It has been registeredby UNESCO in the
MemoryoftheWorld.
7. Palaeontologicalsurveysand excavationswere

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Thedevelopment
ofarchaeologyinSaudi Arabia

Figure 2. (a) and (b) Rockartat Shuwaymis;

at Jabal Yfib,nearH3il;() RockartnearNajrn.
Rock
art
and
(c)
inscriptions

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209

210

Saad A. al-Rashid
surveyprojectswereplannedfromtheoutsetinpreparationforfuturesystematic
large-scaleexcavations.Limitedtestexcavationswerealso carriedoutas partof the
groundsurveywork.Based on theresultsof thesesurveys, potentialsites were identified,and large-scale
excavationsbegun at MadDinSlih, Taym3(Fig. 3),
Dumatal-Jandalin thenorthern
province;Thj (Fig. 4)
and theDhahrantombfieldsin theeasternprovince;the
Neolithicsite of Thummahin the centralregion;and
Ukhdd(Fig. 5) and Sihi in the southern
province.In
the
Palaeolithic
sites
Dawadm
in thecenof
addition,
in the northern
tralregionand Shuwayhitiyyah
region
provideevidence of man's presencein the Peninsula
overone millionyearsago.
Figure 3. ObjectsfromtheSaudi excavations
at Taym3.

FIGURE5. Saudi excavationsat Ukhdud.

FIGURE4. Objectsfromthegraveofa girlat Thj.

conductedin the easternprovincein collaboration
withFrenchpalaeontologists.
FossilsoftheMiocene
to
18
million
perioddating
years were excavated
fromvarioussites.The discoveryof fossilbones of
animalssuch as giraffe,
mastodon,gazelle,rhinoceros,and severalotheranimalssuggesta grassland
and lightforesttypeof environment
duringtheMiocene,whichlaterdevelopedintodesert.
The comprehensive
and the specializedarchaeological

Manyof theresultsof thesurveys,excavations,and

otherresearcharepublishedinAtlal,thebilingual(Arabic/English)annualjournal of Saudi Arabianarchaeology,as well as in severalotherpublicationsof the
Department(e.g. al-Ansaryet al. 2002). Recentlywe
have publisheda seriesof archaeologicalbooks on the
thirteen
administrative
districts
of Saudi Arabiacoverall
of
the
cultural
ing aspects
heritageof theseregions.
These are themostup-to-date
archaeologicalbooks on
Saudi Arabia.
On the basis of surveyand initialexcavations,we
can now postulatea generalframework
of Saudi Arabianculturaland chronological
sequences.The evidence
fortheearliestpresenceof manhas been establishedby
the locationand excavationof the Acheuleansite at
in northern
Saudi Arabia,datedabout
Shuwayhitiyyah,
1,200,000yearsBP, in additionto hundredsof Middle
Palaeolithicsitesfoundin variouspartsof thenorthern,
We
central,western,and southern
partsof thecountry.
also now have an excellentrecordof well-developed

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Thedevelopment
ofarchaeologyinSaudi Arabia

211

culturesin theearlyagricultural
and littoral
The Departmentof Antiquitieswas establishedin
prehistoric
thatappearto dateto about6500-5500 .
settlements
1962 undertheumbrellaof theMinistryof Education,
The earlyNeolithicphasein Arabiais abundantly
repre- but as theKingdomof Saudi Arabiahas been working
sentedbya vastnumberof sitesfoundon thebordersof on majordevelopmental
changes,a Royal Decree was
ofAntiquithegreatArabiandesertssuchas theRubcal-KMl,the issuedin 2003 to annextheDeputyMinistry
Nafud,and the Dhanah. This clearlysuggestsa very tiesand Museumsto theSupremeCommissionof Tourdifferent
environment
and climate fromtoday's ex- ism.The aim is to enhancetheactivitiesof archaeology
hotanddryconditions.
and developsomeofthearchaeologicalsitesforcultural
tremely
Duringthe period between3,500 and 3,000 , tourism,thusbringingarchaeologyand tourismunder
Arabia saw the emergenceof the peculiarpatternof thesameumbrella.
The SupremeCommissionforTourismhas prepared
and nomadiclifethathas been an enduring
pastoralist
a strategy
and actionplan fortheantiquitiesand museof theArabianPeninsula.From2,500
characteristic
on
onwardsto 2,000 we findwell-developedurban ums sectorforthenexttwentyyears,concentrating
centresthroughoutgreaterArabia, exhibitingfully- the developmentof culturalheritage,enhancingrenew museums,and developinghudeveloped literary,religious,and political structures search,establishing
man
resources.
Dumat
MadDin
al-Jandal,
al-cUl,
Slih,
Special
emphasiswill be givento the
Taym3,
(e.g.
developmentof nationallaboratoriesforconservation
Thj,Qaryatal-Fw,andUkhdd).
arin additionto nominating
The currentrapid developmentand expansionof and restoration
important
to disturb chaeological sites and monumentsfor the UNESCO
townsand cities in the Kingdomthreatens
manyarchaeologicalsites.To protectthemtheDeputy WorldHeritagelist.
A programme
has been devisedto updateand preMinistryof Antiquitiesand Museumshas launcheda
of
the
located
near
those
sites
that
are
of
pare
corpus Saudi Archaeologicalsiteson comprogramme fencing
townsand cities.Duringthelastdecade,200 siteshave puterand prepareit fora GIS database.Some priority
Islamic
areas for inventoriesare ancientinscriptions,
beenprotected
by300,000m of fencing.
rock art,prehistoric
In recentyears the conceptand role of museums inscriptions,
sites,ancientmining
radicalchanges,and thepopularimage sites,dams and watersystems,and island sites in the
have undergone
withpresentations
of littleinterest Red Sea and theGulf.
of dustyinstitutions
of the
Underthenextfive-year
to thepublichas becomemeaningless.
plan thepublications
Today,museums
will be increasedby employinga varietyof
and the department
mustbe a consciouspart of the community
CDs
mustbe consciousthatthemuseumis a part mediaand approaches,including
paperpublication,
community
use
of
the
Web.
and
effective
continuand
on
a
and
of it.Publicco-operation participation
videos,digitalmedia,
and develThe nextsteptowardstheestablishment
museumservices
ingbasis can onlybe assuredthrough
in
will
include:
museums
the
of
the
needs
of
all
or
to
meet
and programmes
Kingdom
opment
designed
- The strengthening
oftheNationalMuseum.
Keepingthisin mind,theDeppartof thecommunity.
- The enhancement
and developmentof existing
andMuseumshas developed
ofAntiquities
utyMinistry
a network
ofmuseumsin severallargecitiesthroughout
regionalmuseums.
- The development
ofprovincialmuseums.
Local museumsare locatedin thebig cities
thecountry.
- The construction
of museumsin each of thethirsuch as Taym3,al-cUl,Dumat al-Jandal,Hofuf,NaoftheKingdom.
districts
teenadministrative
jrn,and Jzn,whileregionalmuseumshave been es- The construction
of specialistmuseumssuchas a
tablishedin Jiddah,TDif,HDil,and Dammm(Fig 6).
Camel Museum,an ArabianCoffeeMuseum,an
culturalmuseumswillbe opened
In thecomingmonths,
AviationMuseumetc.
in Makkah and al-Madinah.Each local and regional
- The construction
Museum.
of an Ethnographic
museumis fullyequippedwithmodernresearchfacili- The construction
ofa MuseumofHistoricCities.
reties fordocumentation,
conservation,
preservation,
- The construction
of a MuseumfortheHistoryof
ofthearea.
theantiquities
cording,andcontrolling
Education.
A NationalMuseumfortheKingdomhas been es- The holdingof international
and local exhibitablishedin thecapital,Riyadh.Locatedin thecentreof
tions.
thecity,it spreadsoveran area of about 18 ha. It conIn the nextfive-year-plan
all thechronological
sistsof ninegalleriesrepresenting
special emphasiswill be
of archaeoand
the
restoration
on
Palaeofrom
the
Lower
of
Saudi
development
placed
archaeology
epochs
lithicthrough
theIslamicPeriodandtheSaudi dynasties logical, historical,and traditionalculturalsites. Arto themodernage ofArabia.
chaeologicaland historicalsites will be developedfor

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212

Saad A. al-Rashid

FIGURE6. (a) TheNationalMuseum,Riyadh;(b) Al-MasmakMuseum,Riyadh;(c) HofiifMuseum;

(d) Taym3Museum;(e) Qasr ShubrMuseum,Ta4f; (f) Mecca Museum.

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Thedevelopment
ofarchaeologyinSaudi Arabia

213

will shed further

forts,towers,and tiousefforts
tourism,while ancientmonuments,
lighton thehiddentreasuresof ourpast.We welcomenewresearchand excavaas tourist
attractions.
castleswillbe renovated
in coming
As a follow-upto mypredecessorwho,twenty-eight tionproposalsfromthosewho are interested
is not a
Saudi
Arabia
arfor
this
of
to
our
about
the
talked
to
country
purpose.
development
you
yearsago,
interto
all
have
our
doors
we
this
brief
closed
I
have
in
Saudi
Arabia,
country,
opened
presented
chaeology
are
interscholars
who
and
individual
institutions
of
ested
in
the
the
new
on
archaeology
developments
report
withus in ourprojectsor in subtheKingdom.I am surethatafteranothertenor twenty estedin participating
theirown proposalsforexcavationsor fieldinpersonwhowilltakemyplace willtellthe mitting
yearsanother
annual gatheringof the Seminarfor Arabian Studies vestigations.We are already workingwith French,
and arin the culturalheritageof German,Japanese,and Americaninstitutions
achievements
about further
Saudi Arabia.I can assureyou thatthesewill be even chaeologistsin additionto otherinternational
organizaCouncil of Museums
because the General tions such as the International
and outstanding
moretremendous
Centre
forthe Studyof the
International
the
for
Commission
the
of
Tourism, (ICOM),
Secretary
Supreme
and the Restorationof CulturalProperty
PrinceSultanbin Salmanbin Abdulaziz,thefirstMus- Preservation
lim astronautand a highlyenergetic,motivated,and (ICCROM), InternationalCommitteeon Rock Art
in devel- [ICOR], and theArab League, accordingto theregulaambitiousyoungman,is takinga keeninterest
and
tionsapprovedby theHigh Councilof Antiquities
Arabia.
of
Saudi
the
oping archaeology
The foregoingaccountis a generaloutlineof the Museums.
As a finalwordI extendmy sincereand mostgrain Saudi
past and presentarchaeologicaldevelopments
Arabia.The purposeof thispaperis to offera meaning- cious thanksto theorganizersof the SeminarforArato the
and bian Studies,who are enhancingand contributing
and to give an idea to archaeologists
fulsynthesis
Peninsula.
Arabian
of
the
rethat
future
We
in
fields.
researchers related
archaeology
hope
and the fruitsof our ambisearchand investigations,

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214

Saad A. al-Rashid

Winnett
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Author'saddress
Prof.Dr. Saad A. al-Rashid,DeputyMinisterofAntiquities
andMuseums,P.O. Box 3734,Riyadh11481,Kingdom
of SaudiArabia.
e-mailsalrashid@yahoo.com

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