Archaeologists discover 7,000 year old 'standing stone circles' near Saudi Arabia's Al-Ula
Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia say they have found 345 standing stone circles in Saudi Arabia dating back to the 6th and 5th millennia BC
MENA
2 min read
The New Arab Staff
The ancient stone circles were believed to have been used as homes [Getty]
Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have discovered around 345 "standing stone circles" near the ancient city of Al-Ula, estimated to be around 7,000 years old.
Using aerial surveys, the structures were found across Harrat al-Uwairidh, a lava field in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The research team's findings were reported earlier this month in the academic journal Levant.
Eight of these circles have been excavated and are believed to have been left behind by the Neolithic populations from the 6th and 5th millennia BC.
The stones are believed to have been used in homes with stone walls and at least one doorway, with roofs likely constructed from either stone or organic materials.
The circles range from four to eight metres high with one standing stone firm at the centre.
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https://www.newarab.com/news/ancient-stone-circles-discovered-near-saudi-arabias-al-ula
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Archaeologists have excavated eight ancient “standing stone circles” in Saudi Arabia that they say were used as houses.
Eight of the 345 stone circles identified by aerial surveys in the Harrat ‘Uwayrid lava field in Saudi Arabia have been analyzed by researchers from the University of Western Australia and the University of Sydney, who suggest that the structures may have been roofed and served as dwellings.
These findings were published in the scientific journal “Levant” by a research team led by archaeologist Jane McMahon from the University of Sydney. The study examined 431 standing stone circles at various sites in Harrat Uwayrid in AlUla, with 52 undergoing field surveys and 11 being excavated.
This study, supervised by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), reveals that the region’s inhabitants were more stable and advanced than previously believed.
The circles date back around 7,000 years and have the remains of stone walls and at least one doorway.
An aerial view of some standing stone circles. Image credit: RCU/University of Western Australia/University of Sydney.
These dwellings consisted of vertically erected stone slabs with diameters ranging from four to eight meters. The outer circumference had two rows of stone slabs, likely used as foundations for wooden columns, possibly made of Acacia, supporting the roof
More:
https://arkeonews.net/experts-believe-the-7000-year-old-circular-stone-structures-were-once-houses-complete-with-doorways-and-roofs-in-saudi-arabia/