JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has concluded the past Hijri (Islamic calendar) year with unprecedented archaeological findings, as well as achievements in archaeological protection, rehabilitation of sites and restoration of national antiquities.
The recent discovery of the 85,000-year-old remains of an ancient man in the Nefud Desert on the outskirts of Tabuk was considered among the most important discoveries announced by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH) this year. This astonishing and very rare discovery of a fossilized finger bone is the oldest human fossil on record unearthed outside of Africa and the Levant.
It may shed light on the route early humans took out of Africa as part of early migrations.
The commission also recently announced that it has discovered in Ukhdud, Najran province, a pottery jar filled with more than a thousand coins, metallic stamps, and engraved stones that date back to the first century AD. This modern archaeological discovery is of great scientific value as it indicates the cultural, social and political prosperity of the site.
Other discoveries were made in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ablaa, a site of archaeological treasures in Asir province. The foundations of a mosque dating back to the first Islamic era had been found with an area estimated at 616 m².
The commission’s team of archaeologists have also found a number of interconnected architectural units in the area that contain many archaeological phenomena. The most important of which are walls, circular basins and water reservoirs, as well as a large pottery tractor used to store grains and agricultural crops produced by the residents of Al-Ablaa.
Also, the discovery of a 2,000 year-old carved drawing of a number of camels in a mountain in Al-Jouf region, has garnered great interest in international archaeological arenas.
According to a collaboration between the French National Center for Scientific Research and SCTH reported earlier this year in the Cambridge journal of Antiquity , the so called “Camel Site” has life-size carved camels into rocks that date back to more than 2,000 years ago but were somewhat eroded because of the weather.
Moreover, archaeological finds at the site of Halit, in the province of Dawadmi in Riyadh, have discovered the foundations of a mosque that was built with in the style as mosques in the first Islamic era.
At the mining settlement of Asham, in Al-Baha region, foundations of another mosque were discovered, dating back 1,000 years ago. This mosque is considered one of the earliest in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, as it includes a foundation stone that indicates that it was founded during 1023 AD.
The commission also announced earlier the discovery of 15 archaeological sites in several locations across the Kingdom during 32 joint Saudi-international expeditions.
Among the discoveries was an elephant’s carpal bone in Tayma, one of the oldest settlements in the Kingdom, during the 15th century.
Those important findings indicate the prominent historical status of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom being a cradle for human civilizations.
Prince Sultan bin Salman, head of the commission, previously said in a press conference that Saudi Arabia has become one of the most advanced countries in the field of research and archaeological discoveries in recent years.
A year of unprecedented archaeological findings in Saudi Arabia
A year of unprecedented archaeological findings in Saudi Arabia
Saudi center maps 246 areas to fight desertification
RIYADH: The National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification has completed a significant step in its fight against desertification: the first phase of a project to assess the state of land degradation across the Kingdom, resulting in the creation of 246 detailed maps.
These maps provide valuable insight into desertification trends and the current state of land degradation in different regions, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The center’s teams conducted extensive studies to better understand the processes of desertification and land degradation and to identify effective strategies to combat them.
The project combined cutting-edge technologies and traditional methods to gather data, including geographic information systems, remote sensing techniques, and field surveys.
Fieldwork included collecting soil samples for analysis, studying plant life at designated sites, and analyzing satellite imagery.
The center has launched the second phase of the project, starting in the Riyadh region. During this phase, it will focus on identifying areas most vulnerable to desertification, classifying the causes and types of land degradation, and conducting further field surveys to gather more detailed data.
Arab innovators shine in space exploration contest
- Saudi Space Agency awards 10 winners in arts, botany, engineering
RIYADH: The Saudi Space Agency wrapped up its Space Madak competition on Tuesday by awarding 10 winning contestants prizes for their arts, botany and engineering projects.
Hailing from seven Arab countries, the winners were revealed at a ceremony hosted by the agency at the Communications, Space and Technology Commission headquarters in Riyadh.
The event marked the first anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s “Journey to Space” mission and was attended by the agency’s CEO Mohammed Al-Tamimi, officials, experts, and ambassadors from the winning students’ countries.
The competition, engaging ambitious Arab students, showcased their enthusiasm for space exploration and skills development.
The panel of judges comprised scientists, experts and space enthusiasts.
Following rigorous evaluation rounds, the top 10 contenders were chosen for their exceptional contributions.
In the arts category, winners included Yamen Al-Zaabi from Jordan, Preeti Sami from Egypt, Jawaher Farhan from Bahrain, Rafqa Mansour from Lebanon, and Aline Al-Issa from Saudi Arabia.
Sadan Al-Dosari from Saudi Arabia, Hooriya Basheikh from Morocco, and Fatima Al-Khabouriah from Oman won in the botany category.
Engineering-category winners were Abdulrahman Qattan from Saudi Arabia and Yara Reda from Syria.
The ceremony celebrated the winners and acknowledged the creative endeavors of more than 50 finalists, chosen from a pool of 80,000 submissions vying for prizes totaling SR500,000 ($133,320).
The winning projects will be showcased on the International Space Station, offering an opportunity to advance research, development, and innovation in space exploration while enriching Arab contributions in this field.
The competition represents a significant milestone in the Saudi Space Agency’s mission to support research, development, and innovation within the domain of space exploration.
With a focus on nurturing creative thinking among Arab students, the initiative aims to ignite curiosity about space and inspire breakthroughs in this burgeoning field.
The space mission, carried out by astronauts Rayyanah Barnawi and Ali Al-Qarni, included 14 pioneering scientific experiments.
According to a press release issued by the agency, the mission was a part of the “Saudi Toward Space” program, aligning with the Kingdom’s focus on research, development and innovation driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Al-Tamimi praised the achievements of the SSA-HSF1, or Saudi Space Agency-Human Space Flight 1, mission. This was a major milestone in the Kingdom’s journey toward leadership in the space sector.
He said there were 14 research experiments conducted in microgravity, yielding valuable contributions to research, development and innovation.
Al-Tamimi said the mission helped foster national expertise and enhance cooperation with leading international institutions.
He added that the agency remained committed to supporting innovative projects.
Manga International launches in Tokyo to showcase Saudi creativity on global stage
RIYADH: In a move to bolster its international presence, Manga Arabia, a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group, announced the launch of Manga International at a ceremony in Tokyo, Japan.
The event drew in prominent officials and media representatives from Saudi Arabia and Japan, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
This expansion follows a series of successful partnerships and agreements with major Japanese manga publishers, such as Kodansha, Shueisha, Kadokawa, Shogakukan, and Hakusensha.
Manga Arabia has a strong track record in the Arab world, having launched two manga magazines — one for children and another for young adults — in both print and digital formats.
The company reaches over 8 million users in 195 countries, with a print distribution network of 220 points in the Arab world, selling over 400,000 copies monthly.
SRMG CEO Jomana Al-Rashid highlighted the significance of this international foray.
“We are strategically expanding through partnerships with leading manga companies and establishing a legal framework equipped with cutting-edge technologies,” she said.
“This will not only generate financial returns but also nurture an educational environment catering to the immense global demand for this content,” Al-Rashid added, emphasizing how this geographic and cultural expansion will help combat content piracy and intellectual property theft.
Manga Arabia and Manga International CEO Essam Bukhary said: “Through the art of manga and creative industries, we have achieved remarkable success in the Arab world, earning the trust of our Japanese and international partners. Now, under the umbrella of SRMG, Manga International seeks to leverage our pioneering experience and development in global markets.”
Bukhary elaborated on plans to translate and produce a range of comic stories targeting international audiences.
He added that the expansion signifies a qualitative leap for Saudi and Arab creativity on the world stage, aligning with Manga Arabia’s vision of empowering imagination, nurturing and developing Arabic content, and delivering it to a global audience across all demographics and generations.
Building on this commitment, Manga Arabia has already translated several of its comic stories into English, Chinese, and Malay for international markets.
Collaborating with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, it has also adapted a selection of Saudi novels into manga format, aiming to reach diverse audiences and present Saudi literature and culture through the lens of manga.
Saudi Arabia, Japan to collaborate on original anime, gaming content
- Officials in Tokyo discuss localizing Japanese media through translation
- Kingdom will host this year’s Esports World Cup in July
TOKYO: Saudi and Japanese officials are exploring plans to localize gaming and digital entertainment offerings in the Kingdom.
The Saudi Arabia-Japan Vision 2030 Business Forum’s digital entertainment roundtable discussed Saudi efforts to build a local gaming industry, which includes localizing Japanese games for the Saudi market, collaborating with esports tournament organizers and investing in digital entertainment.
Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Abdullah Al-Swaha and Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih attended the event in Tokyo, with the former giving a short speech during the opening.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al-Saud, vice chairman of Savvy Games Group, was also part of a panel discussion at the event.
The forum focused on promoting cultural exchange by creating content that appeals to both Japanese and Saudi audiences.
Officials discussed how to localize Japanese manga and anime by translating content through Saudi publishers, who will in turn distribute the content throughout the Middle East.
They also agreed to explore co-publishing agreements to create new and original content.
Saudi Arabia’s gaming sector is expected to grow to $1.3 billion in value over the next two years, with 58 gaming companies operating in the Kingdom. About 67 percent of Saudi Arabia’s population (about 24.8 million people) are active video game players.
The Kingdom will host this year’s Esports World Cup in July, which features about $60 million in prize money.
Saudi Arabia has previously collaborated with Japanese companies on entertainment, providing the Kingdom with expertise and cutting-edge technologies to improve the digital entertainment industry.
Saudi Cabinet: Crown prince reassures council of King’s health
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman assured Ministers of King Salman’s good health during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, state news agency (SPA) reported.
The king underwent medical tests at royal clinics at the palace earlier on Sunday after he suffered from a high temperature and joint pain, SPA said.
He was diagnosed with lung inflammation and prescribed a course of antibiotics as treatement at Al-Salam Palace in Jeddah.
The crown prince also briefed the council on the outcomes of the Council of the League of Arab States session, emphasizing the Kingdom's commitment to Arab issues, joint action development, regional security enhancement, and defending Arab interests.
Minister of Information Salman bin Youssef Al-Dosari stated after the session that the council discussed recent state activities, particularly efforts to strengthen regional and international cooperation.
The council affirmed the Kingdom's commitment to international cooperation in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and corruption.
The Saudi cabinet also granted authority to the Minister of Energy, Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman, to finalize a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan on energy cooperation.
The Saudi also cabinet approved of the Kingdom's accession to an international agreement on wetlands of international importance, particularly as habitats for waterbirds.
