Amazing stuff!
"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. ...
Excavating the site enabled an understanding of the tube’s use. They speculate that it served as a key checkpoint between two oases, where pastoralists would have moved with their livestock, most of which were grazing along such routes. ...
In addition, these long routes were likely used for burials. ‘Pendant tombs’ were identified radiating out from the oases, suggesting these routes were important social, economic and cultural “lifeways” for Saudi’s ancient pastoralist societies. ..."
"... “Our findings at Umm Jirsan provide a rare glimpse into the lives of ancient peoples in Arabia, revealing repeated phases of human occupation and shedding light on the pastoralist activities that once thrived in this landscape,” ..."
From the abstract:
"Recent advances in interdisciplinary archaeological research in Arabia have focused on the evolution and historical development of regional human populations as well as the diverse patterns of cultural change, migration, and adaptations to environmental fluctuations. Obtaining a comprehensive understanding of cultural developments such as the emergence and lifeways of Neolithic groups has been hindered by the limited preservation of stratified archaeological assemblages and organic remains, a common challenge in arid environments. Underground settings like caves and lava tubes, which are prevalent in Arabia but which have seen limited scientific exploration, offer promising opportunities for addressing these issues. Here, we report on an archaeological excavation and a related survey at and around Umm Jirsan lava tube in the Harrat Khaybar, north-western Saudi Arabia. Our results reveal repeated phases of human occupation of the site ranging from at least the Neolithic through to the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age. Pastoralist use of the lava tube and surrounding landscape is attested in rock art and faunal records, suggesting that Umm Jirsan was situated along a pastoral route linking key oases. Isotopic data indicates that herbivores primarily grazed on wild grasses and shrubs rather than being provided with fodder, while humans had a diet consistently high in protein but with increasing consumption of C3 plants through-time, perhaps related to the emergence of oasis agriculture. While underground and naturally sheltered localities are globally prominent in archaeology and Quaternary science, our work represents the first such combined records for Saudi Arabia and highlight the potential for interdisciplinary studies in caves and lava tubes."
First evidence of human occupation in lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia (original news release)
First evidence for human occupation of a lava tube in Arabia: The archaeology of Umm Jirsan Cave and its surroundings, northern Saudi Arabia (open access)
Fig 1. Map of northern Arabia and key sites.
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Fig 2. Photographs of the Umm Jirsan Cave and interior sections of the lava tube.
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