Monumental Stone Structure Archaeology in Northwest Saudi Arabia: New Investigations from the Al Ha’it Oasis

Abstract

ABSTRACTIncreased archaeological fieldwork in Saudi Arabia is contributing toward a more precise general idea about ancient Arabia. Moreover, the history of Arabian archaeology demonstrates that major discoveries and advances have been achieved as a result of systematic field enterprises. However, several regions in Saudi Arabia remain unstudied. One such major area is Ha’il in the north. Our intensive desktop-archaeological survey using remote sensing revealed the region’s archaeological richness. Several monumental structures were observed in the al Ha’it oasis. Based on those findings, we conducted an archaeological survey and excavations, resulting in the discovery of eight new archaeological sites. Three major types of funerary stone structures identified in this area include pendants, tumuli, and tower tombs. In addition, we encountered mustatils and kites of the Neolithic and Bronze Age. This article presents the investigations carried out in these new sites and places them within the context of Arabian archaeology.