Today, the Heritage Commission announced the discovery and documentation of the first two inscriptions in the Al-Qassim region in the center of the Kingdom, written in the Dadani script, during the archaeological survey it conducted in the region. In order to reach more archaeological discoveries that prove the historical depth of the Kingdom, and the civilizations that succeeded it over many centuries, as the commission came out with a plan for the archaeological survey in the Qassim region for the fourth and fifth seasons of the year 2023-2024 AD.
The two inscriptions highlight the importance of the central region of the Arabian Peninsula as a passage for trade convoys, and their discovery indicates the road connecting the kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan in the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula, and the Kingdom of Kinda in Al-Faw, passing through the center of the Arabian Peninsula. Their discovery in the Qassim region also reflects the civilizational and commercial communication between the ancient Arab kingdoms for a period Pre-Islam.
The two inscriptions come as two commemorative inscriptions, one written in the early Dadani script and the other in the late Dadani script, on the facade of two rocks in an archaeological site in the Qassim region called the Dulaimiyya site, which has a number of rock art in the forms of camels, ostriches and ibex, which go back initially to the Iron Age, on the facades of its southeastern rocks. In addition to the presence of modern rock art of chariots and figures of the Arabic dial, and ancient Arabic writings, including commemorative Thamudic inscriptions, and the two Dadanian inscriptions.
The Heritage Authority monitored a number of other discoveries in addition to the Dadanian inscriptions, represented in the documentation of a new archaeological site, which was named Dulaimiyya 3, which is a small sandy mountain, in one of its rocks from the southeastern side a short Thamudic inscription was found, in addition to an initial monitoring of 33 sites Stone installations in the area will be documented later.
Based on these discoveries, the Commission prepared the plan for the archaeological survey of the Qassim region for the fourth and fifth seasons. The fourth season will cover the southern part of the Qassim-Hail road, its western border with the Hail region, the southern border with the Petra-Sumaira road, and the eastern border from north to south, Al-Qara’a, Al-Dula’a , wormwood, musk. While the fifth season covers the northern part of the Qassim-Madinah road and its northern boundary from west to east, Al-Aithama, Al-Nahitiyyah, Al-Baath, Wada, and even Al-Khawah and its eastern boundary is the Petra-Sumaira road.
Through the archaeological survey plan, the Heritage Authority aims to document all evidence and archaeological monuments in the western and southwestern regions of the Qassim region, register them in the National Antiquities Registry, and uncover civilizational and cultural significances that reflect the richness of the region during past time periods, in addition to strengthening the role of the local community through Activating volunteer work in the field of archaeological survey.
The Heritage Authority continues its efforts to track and discover antiquities and national heritage in various regions of the Kingdom, manage the components of cultural heritage, protect it, preserve it, and publicize it, in addition to benefiting from it as an important cultural and economic resource within the national strategy for culture emanating from Saudi Vision 2030.
Okaz (Qassim)
