Saudi Arabia unveils oldest human settlement, dating back over 10,000 years

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has announced the discovery of the oldest known human settlement in Masiyon, Wadi Damm, northwest of Tabuk City—an extraordinary find that opens a window onto the deep history of the Arabian Peninsula and its ancient civilisations.

The Saudi Heritage Commission unveiled the landmark archaeological discovery at a press conference on Thursday, describing it as one of the most important in the Kingdom’s recent history.

Archaeologists confirmed that the site dates to the Neolithic period (Pre-Pottery), around 10,300–11,000 years ago, marking the beginnings of human settlement in the northwest of the Kingdom.

Officials said the Masiyon settlement stands as powerful evidence that the Arabian Peninsula was an ancient cradle of civilisation, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s role in humanity’s earliest chapters.

Masiyon proves that the Kingdom’s land was home to human communities thousands of years ago, rich with cultural secrets that remain worthy of exploration, discovery, and pride.

The site contains evidence of human activity, including:

• Semi-circular architectural units constructed from local granite stones.

• Residential buildings, storage facilities, passageways, and hearths, reflecting a lifestyle based on hunting and grain cultivation of the period.

• A large collection of stone tools, including arrowheads, knives, and grinders, likely used for processing grains.

• Personal ornaments made from amazonite, quartz, and shells.

• Raw materials indicating production activities within the settlement.

• Rare remains of human and animal skeletal structures.

• Stone artifacts decorated with geometric patterns.