“Saudi Culture” celebrates the French partnership in protecting antiquities

The Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Royal Commission for Al-Ula Governorate celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Saudi-French partnerships, and the qualitative results they achieved in the fields of antiquities, cooperation and heritage preservation.

The Ministry, represented by the Heritage Authority, organized, over two days, a symposium at the National Museum in Riyadh, in which the history of the Saudi-French archaeological missions in Al-Ula Governorate and some other cities was discussed, in addition to highlighting the latest developments on projects currently being implemented in the Kingdom, with the participation of experts from Saudi institutions. And French.

The first Saudi-French archaeological mission launched from the historic city of Al-Hijr in Al-Ula in 2002 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The first modern Saudi-French archaeological mission was launched from the historic city of Al-Hijr in Al-Ula, in 2002, to pave the way for more than 15 archaeological missions around the Kingdom, in addition to implementing conservation projects and field work, such as survey and excavation work and conducting specialized research in which dozens of scientists and experts participate. Antiquities from the two countries.

The Saudi-French partnership in the field of heritage protection contributed to their commitment to preserving the human heritage, and was a key factor in continuing the success of the archaeological excavations in Al-Ula.

Among the important artifacts discovered by the Saudi-French antiquities teams in Al-Ula is a head made of flint stone that was found in a tomb, and dates back to the Neolithic period. The teams also discovered a preserved skeleton of a 40-year-old woman, who is likely to have lived In the Nabataean period, and in the Kingdom of Dadan, a variety of full and half statues of sandstone were found, dating back to the period from the seventh to the first century BC.

Saudi-French achievements in cultural cooperation have reached new heights (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi-French achievements in the field of antiquities and cultural cooperation have reached new heights recently, as the Royal Commission for Al-Ula Governorate signed an agreement with the Louvre Museum in the French capital, Paris, and this includes displaying a statue dating back to the Lihyanian period, which highlights what Saudi Arabia has in general and the Al-Ula Governorate Specifically, from a historical and cultural heritage, at a time when the work of archaeological missions continues in accordance with the strategy of Al-Ula, which emphasizes highlighting historical sites and human civilizations, and cooperation with the most prominent experiences around the world.

Joint work teams from the two countries, under the supervision of the Royal Commission for Al-Ula Governorate, are conducting archaeological surveys and excavations, in addition to restoration work, in Al-Hajar north of Al-Ula, the Kingdom of Dadan, the cultural oasis and the old town in Al-Ula, and in several locations in the Khyber Governorate.

The work of the excavation team is taking place in the Kingdom of Dadan, to discover information about its cultural history that spanned more than 2,500 years, and which was subject to the rule of the Lahyan civilization for several centuries, and Al-Ula is still today one of the most important sites for historical exploration due to the antiquities it contains, in partnership with the French Agency. For the development of Al-Ula, which was established in 2018, and aims to provide support in the fields of economic, tourism and cultural development of the Al-Ula Governorate, as a focus of archaeological and cultural cooperation between the two countries.