RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission has announced that it has discovered and documented the first two inscriptions written in Dadanitic script in Al-Qassim. The Commission's discovery came during carrying out an archaeological survey in the region. The 2 inscriptions highlight the importance of the central region of the Arabian Peninsula as a passage for trade caravans. The Commission's discovery also indicate to the road linking the two Kingdoms of Lihyan and Dadan, which is located in the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula, and the Kingdom of Kinda in Al-Faw, passing through the center of the Arabian Peninsula. It also reflects the civil and commercial communication between the ancient Arab kingdoms of the period before Islam. The two inscriptions come as two commemorative inscriptions, one of which is written by the earlier Dadanitic script, and the other in the late Dadanitic script. The Dadanitic script was found written on the facade of two rocks in an archaeological site called the Al Dulaymiyah site, which is spread in the facade of its southeastern rocks that has several artistic rocks with the forms of many animals such as camels, ostriches and ibex. In addition to the presence of a number of modern artistic rocks of chariots and Arabic Dallah for coffee, as well as ancient Arabic writings including commemorative Thamudic inscriptions, and the two Dadanitic inscriptions. The Commission has found several other discoveries alongside the Dadanitic inscriptions, such as documenting a new archaeological site, which has been named Al Dulaymiyah 3. Al Dulaymiyah 3 is a small sandy mountain, and it has been found in one of its rocks from the southeastern side, a short Thamudic inscription. The Commission has also made preliminary monitoring of 33 stone installation sites in the region, which will be documented later. It is worth mentioning that the Commission aims through the archaeological survey plan in Al-Qassim for the fourth and fifth seasons of 2023-2024 to document all the archaeological monuments in the western and southwestern regions of Al-Qassim, and register them in the National Register of Antiquities. Additionally, the Commission aims to reveal civilizational and cultural implications that reflect the region's richness during the past time periods, as well as to strengthen the role of the local community.
