Saudi experts discover and document 58 archaeological sites at Kingdom’s royal reserves

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve Development Authority has completed a research and documentation project designed to help protect and restore historical and archaeological sites and develop the Kingdom’s heritage, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

During the month-long project at King Khalid Royal Reserve and parts of Imam Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Royal Reserve, 58 historical and archaeological sites were discovered and documented.

The research at the sites was part of the work the authority carries out to protect, preserve, develop and raise awareness of national heritage, in cooperation with the Heritage Commission.

The joint efforts of the organizations, which have signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation, included the monitoring of archaeological sites in the royal reserves by satellite and the use of other technologies, which revealed 58 archaeological sites, including the remains of stone settlements that had been covered by sand, workshops in which stone tools were made, water installations, ancient inscriptions dating back to the late Thamudic era more than 1,500 years ago, and rock art.

The teams also visited King Khalid Palace, which is considered one of the jewels of contemporary Saudi architectural heritage. Built during the reign of King Khalid between 1936 and 1938 outside of Riyadh, the two-story palace is made of reinforced concrete, covers an area of 2,700 square meters, stands 12.58 meters tall, and has a 180-square-meter swimming pool.

The palace is included in the National Architectural Heritage Register, and most of the available information about its history and architecture has been collected and preserved. The Heritage Commission and the reserve are working together on the restoration and development of the site.