25,000 fragments of artefacts from early Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia

25,000 fragments of artefacts from early Islamic era discovered in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: The Jeddah Historic District Programme, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of 25,000 fragments of artefacts dating from the first two centuries A.H. (from the 7th to 8th centuries AD), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

According to a press release from the programme, the project started in January 2020 with exploratory studies and a geophysical survey. The goal was to unveil the historical significance of four key locations: Othman bin Affan mosque, Al-Shona, a segment of the Northern Wall, and Al-Kidwah. This archaeological endeavour falls within the purview of the Jeddah Historic District Programme.

The archaeological discoveries were announced as part of the Historic Jeddah Revival Project.

The project aims to preserve national antiquities and archaeological sites, uncover the rich history of the Kingdom, and promote historic Jeddah as a cultural and tourist destination, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

According to the release, in November 2020, the archaeological survey and excavations yielded significant findings, including 11,405 pottery shards weighing 293 kg, 11,360 animal bones weighing 107 kg, 1,730 shells weighing 32 kg, 685 building materials weighing 87 kg, 187 glass artefacts weighing 5 kg, and 71 metal artefacts weighing 7 kg. The combined weight of these