Anthropology

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Deep within the Umm Jirsan Cave system. Credit: Green Arabia Project, supplied

April 18, 2024

Matthew Ward Agius

A major archaeological investigation has, for the first time, excavated a lava tube in Saudi Arabia that was inhabited by humans up to 10,000 years ago.

The site at Umm Jirsan shows evidence of human activity spanning several thousand years from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age.

Supported by Saudi authorities, it continues decades of research undertaken in the region to piece together the ancient history of human activity in the Middle East.

The excavation confirms the presence of humans within the unique geological formation, effectively created by lava flows that harden on the surface but hollow out to create a long, inhabitable conduit made from hardened rock.

Animal remains, human-made earthenware and rock art are among the evidence of human occupation retrieved.

More:
https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/ancient-saudi-lava-tubes-inhabited-thousands-of-years-ago-uncovered/