Saudi authorities announce significant discoveries during latest excavations at Al-Abla

Significant new discoveries have been made at the Al-Abla site in Asir region during the seventh set of archaeological excavations in the area, according to Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission.

They include evidence of residential and industrial units with gypsum-coated walls and floors, along with the remnants of reservoirs used to store rainwater under buildings, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday. The discoveries are further evidence of the area’s status as one of the most important ancient archaeological sites in the south of the Kingdom, it added.

Some of the most noteworthy archaeological finds during the latest work at the site included small glass vials, pieces of metal, parts of bronze vessels, rings, and beads made of ivory and precious stones.

Other discoveries included oval-shaped, insulated water basins, pottery stoves, hammerstones (used in the process for making stone tools), pairs of quern stones (used for grinding) of various sizes and forms, pottery shards, glazed pottery, and parts of the bodies, rims and handles of vessels made of pottery and steatite stone.