RIYADH: The Saudi Heritage Commission announced the discovery of new evidence of human settlement in Umm Jirsan cave “Harrat Khaybar”, located in Madinah Region.
The research was conducted by the Heritage Commission of the Ministry of Culture with the participation of some archaeologists of the commission and in collaboration with King Saud University, the Max Planck Institute, and the Saudi Geological Survey.
The discoveries provided evidence of human occupation within the cave, which remarkably preserved thousands of animal bones, including those of striped hyenas, camels, horses, deer, caribou, goats, cows, and wild and domestic donkeys, in good condition despite the passage of time, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Furthermore, an analysis of human skeletal remains using radioactive isotopes indicated a dietary shift over time, with ancient human groups primarily relying on a meat-based diet and gradually incorporating plants, suggesting the emergence of agriculture.
The scientific study und
erscored the importance of caves utilised by ancient human groups and the ancient volcanic magma paths within Saudi Arabia.
Source: Emirates News Agency