Reconnaissance a new Palaeolithic site at Al-Huwaidy in Ha’il region, northwest Saudi Arabia

A new Palaeolithic site, discovered at Al-Huwaidy village in the Ha’il region of northwest Saudi Arabia, extends our understanding of early hominin dispersal across Arabia. This unique site, located on a basaltic lava field near a palaeo-oasis and volcanic mountain, reveals a dense concentration of lithics, including handaxes, foliate handaxes, Acheulean cores, and flakes. The discovery challenges the previously held notion that such sites were confined to northern regions like the Nefud desert, demonstrating their presence in diverse landscapes across northwest Arabia. Conducted through ground archaeological surveys by the Paleodeserts and Disperse projects, this finding provides critical insights into the distribution and characteristics of Palaeolithic occupation in the region.

Nassr, A. H., Al-Hajj, M., Tueaiman, A., & Elhassan, A. (2022). Reconnaissance a new Palaeolithic site at Al-Huwaidy in Ha’il region, northwest Saudi Arabia. Journal of Lithic Studies, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.6550