4000-year-old fortified town discovered in Saudi Arabia
As per the latest development, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old fortified town in northwest Saudi Arabia, known as al-Natah, hidden within the lush, walled Khaybar Oasis in the desert. This discovery offers a glimpse on the ancient shift from nomadic to urban lifestyles.
Led by French archaeologist Guillaume Charloux, the team uncovered a 14.5-kilometer wall encircling the settlement. Published in the journal PLOS One, the research estimated that the town was established around 2400 BCE, and the population there might have been up to 500 residents. According to the study, “Preliminary archaeological survey and soundings have revealed a fortified 2.6-hectare town built around 2400-2000 BCE that lasted until at least 1500 BCE and possibly 1300 BCE, though it may have experienced interruptions.”
Reports add that the said settlement, dating back over 4,000 years, showcased a unique path to urbanisation, and also offered insights into how early Arabian societies shifted from nomadic herding to organised urban life.
Unlike the large urban centres of those regions, al-Natah reflects a process of "slow urbanism," where small, organised communities gradually adapted to desert life.
