The Heritage Authority announced evidence of human settlement in Umm Jarsan Cave, “Bahrat Khaybar,” in the Medina region, which was found by a group of archaeologists at the Authority, in cooperation with King Saud University, the German Max Planck Institute, and the Survey Authority. Saudi Geological Survey, as part of the work of the “Green Arabia Project”, which is based on multidisciplinary field research.
This scientific study, which was published in the magazine “plos one” as part of the project’s work under the umbrella of the Heritage Authority, is considered the first in the field of archaeological research in caves in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which included archaeological surveys and excavations in multiple parts of the cave, which showed that the oldest archaeological evidence at the site dates back to The Neolithic Age, where the oldest of them ranges between 7 and 10 thousand years from now, and continues until the Copper Age and Bronze Age, while the archaeological study of the cave has proven its use by pastoral groups, as their traces were represented in a group of animal skeletal remains that were dated by Radiocarbon C14, the oldest of which dates back to 4100 years BC. M. And also human skulls, the oldest of which date back to 6000 years BC. M.
Some finds were also uncovered, such as wood, cloth, and some stone tools, in addition to a number of rock art facades, which include scenes of grazing goats, sheep, and cows using dogs, and others of hunting, which show different types of wild animals.
The Authority explained that scientific discoveries resulted in indications of the presence of human settlement in the cave, in addition to the cave’s richness in tens of thousands of animal bones, including the striped hyena, camels, horses, deer, ibex, goats, and cows, in addition to wild asses, both wild and domesticated, all of which are in good condition despite the passage of time.
Analysis of human skeletal remains using radioactive isotopes showed that human groups relied primarily on eating meat, and over time, evidence was found that they ate plants, which gives indications of the emergence of agriculture, while the study showed that animals such as cows and sheep fed on wild herbs and shrubs, in addition to the presence of animal diversity. Great in the region throughout the ages.
The study concluded the importance of caves used by human groups and ancient volcanic magma paths in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
-SPA