RIYADH: The Heritage Commission has registered 1,173 new archeological sites in the National Antiquities Register, bringing the total number of registered sites across Saudi Arabia to 14,164.
The commission said registering archeological sites is a key part of the Kingdom’s cultural heritage management system.
Listing sites in the National Antiquities Register provides legal protection, regulates research, excavation and scientific studies, and supports efforts to showcase the Kingdom’s rich cultural heritage.
The commission urged citizens and residents to report archaeological sites or activities that threaten their preservation by visiting its branches across the Kingdom, contacting it through its official social media accounts, or calling the Unified Security Operations Center at 911.
Saudi Arabia is home to several internationally recognized archeological sites, including Hegra in AlUla, which became the Kingdom's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
At-Turaif District in Diriyah was added in 2010, Historic Jeddah in 2014, Rock Art in the Hail region in 2015, Al-Ahsa Oasis in 2018, and the Hima Cultural Area in Najran in 2021.
