Finding the 'missing link': Royal Commission for Al Ula announces excavation of newly uncovered tombs and structures

The planned excavations are expected to explain the fate of the site's kingdoms

Madain Saleh is one of the must-visit sites in Al Ula. Reem Mohammed / The National

The ruins of the ancient Dadanian kingdom’s metropolis. Reem Mohammed / The National

A date harvest in Al Ula. Reem Mohammed / The National

Al Ula's dates farms bring greenery to the mountainous region. Reem Mohammed / The National

Tombs at Madain Saleh. Reem Mohammed / The National

Al Farid at Madain Saleh. Reem Mohammed / The National

Madain Saleh is carved into large rocky outcrops strewn throughout a sparse desert. Reem Mohammed / The National

Madain Saleh, the Unesco-listed southernmost settlement of the Nabatean kingdom, is also known as Hegra. Reem Mohammed / The National

The railway station at Madain Saleh. Reem Mohammed / The National

A date farm in Al Ula - the location is known for its fruit. Reem Mohammed / The National

Suleiman Aljuwayhal, a tour guide in Al Ula. Reem Mohammed / The National

The railway station at Madain Saleh in Al Ula. Reem Mohammed / The National

Ghadeer works as the reception office supervisor at Shaden Desert Resort in Al Ula. Reem Mohammed / The National

The resort is undergoing expansion to accommodate more tourists. Reem Mohammed / The National

New rooms and suites are being built. Reem Mohammed / The National

Ghadeer started working at Shaden Desert Resort in Al Ula in 2018. Reem Mohammed / The National

Ghadeer inside the Shaden Desert Resort in Al Ula. Reem Mohammed / The National

When the Shaden Desert Resort is completed, it will comprise 120 rooms. Reem Mohammed / The National

The mountains provide a breathtaking backdrop at Shaden Desert Resort. Reem Mohammed / The National

The resort is still under construction and isn’t fully functional. Reem Mohammed / The National

A huge multinational archaeological team has assembled in Saudi Arabia to uncover a "missing link" in the region's history.

The Royal Commission for Al Ula (RCU) has announced an excavation project that will explore newly uncovered tombs and structures from pre-Nabataean Dadan.

Al Ula, known as Hegra or Madain Saleh to locals, is a vast heritage site in north-western Saudi Arabia. It comprises the spectacular tombs that the Nabataeans built in the first century BC, when they travelled down the peninsula to move away from Roman power in the north, and established Al Ula as their second city.

But there is much beyond that. As it sits on a natural oasis, Al Ula was home to many civilisations over the years, including the Lihyanite dynasty, which made the site its capital, then called Dadan, which grew rich from the frankincense trade with Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The ruins of the ancient kingdom of Dadan have guarded its secrets for millennia, with its fate a mystery to archaeologists – until now.

A partnership between the RCU, King Saud University, the French Agency for Al Ula development and the French National Centre for Scientific Research, aims to determine why the kingdom came to an end.

“We traditionally date the end of that kingdom to about the end of the sixth century BC, but we don’t yet have strong evidence for that and can only guess about what caused its population to move on from the area," says Abdulrahman Alsuhaibaini of the RCU’s museum and exhibitions team.

"We’re also hoping to uncover more about the relationship between the Dadanites and the Lihyanites, another Arabian kingdom centred at Dadan, and how the Lihyan Kingdom in turn relates to the Nabataeans arriving later from the north.”

The excavations, which will take place across five years, are expected to explain the fate of the kingdoms, as well as shed light on their role at the heart of the ancient inland trading route.

The excavations will continue until 2024, with annual two-month digging seasons followed by analysis of new findings.

Building on the excavations completed by King Saud University in seasons conducted since 2004, the new digs will focus on four key areas: the so-called “Islamic Fortress”, apparently built when Dadan was reoccupied, to ascertain its true purpose and dates of occupancy; the already revealed Dadanite temple, to establish its chronology and layers of construction; a large, recently discovered building south of the Dadanite temple, to establish its purpose; and lastly, broader excavations of Dadan’s tombs to help archaeologists better understand Dadanite funerary practices.

Twenty four students from King Saud University will work alongside international students.

Artefacts from Dadan and Lihyan were recently part of the Al Ula – Wonder of Arabia exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris and will also take centre stage in the museums planned for Al Ula.