Al-Natah : Ancient Town Uncovered By Archaeologists
Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,000-year-old fortified town in Saudi Arabia, illustrating the gradual shift from nomadic to urban lifestyles.
- French archaeologist Guillaume Charloux and his crew led the discovery.
- Excavation at the Khaybar oasis has found that a sophisticated Bronze Age town existed between 2400 and 1500 BCE.
- The town reveals- The presence of an organised settlement in an era previously believed to be dominated by nomadic pastoral societies.
- It is enclosed by a 14.5-kilometre wall and occupies a 2.6-hectare area.
- It housed up to 500 residents who lived in multi-story dwellings.
- The town was likely a centre for agricultural production and trade, sustaining a cooperative society in the otherwise arid environment.
- Residents of Al-Natah lived in rectangular dwellings, constructed from materials such as stone and mudbrick, with narrow paths connecting the various structures.
- The town’s layout included burial sites, with some graves and tiered towers marking higher social status.
- A similar town in southern Saudi Arabia, Al Faw, was given UNESCO World Heritage Site status this year.
