Discover Saudi Arabia’s new UNESCO World Heritage Site
Al-Faw in Riyadh is the eighth UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is filled with spectacular sights. Now, it has welcomed a new UNESCO World Heritage Site, Al-Faw. Located in Riyadh, this marks the eighth destination in the Kingdom to get the UNESCO seal of approval.
Al-Faw can be found in Wadi Ad-Dawasir, which is between the Empty Quarter and Tuwaiq mountain range. The area was a strategic point for ancient trading routes. Archaeologists have found that it was abandoned around the fifth century CE. Plus, it has been occupied by three different populations.
Archaeologists have found approximately 12,000 remains. The items include the Palaeolithic and Neolithic tools. Plus, there are signs of rock carvings and an ancient water management system.
Saudi Arabia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites include Al Alhsa Oasis, Hufuf; Hegra in AlUla; Hima Cultural Area in Hima; Historic Jeddah; rock art in Hail; Turaif in Riyadh; and Uruq Bani Ma’arid Reserve.
UNESCO aims to identify, protect and preserve cultural and natural heritage sites around the world. In 1972, the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was created. The 46th UNESCO World Heritage Site meeting took place in New Dehli, India. The committee announced that four new Middle Eastern sites would be added to the list. The new additions include Umm Al-Jimal village, Jordan; Hegmataneh, Iran; and Tell Umm Amer in Gaza, Palestine.
Umm Al-Jimal village dates back to the Nabataean period between the 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE. Hegmataneh is also known as Ecbatana, and it was the capital of the ancient Median Empire. Tell Umm Amer received an emergency nomination, due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
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GO: Visit https://whc.unesco.org for more information.
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