AlUla, Saudi Arabia- In line with its long-term archaeology programme, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has launched its 2026–2027 archaeological fieldwork season, advancing research across AlUla and Khaybar and continuing work to study, document, conserve and interpret one of north-west Arabia’s most significant archaeological landscapes.
Building on previous work, this year’s season continues RCU’s programme of excavation, survey, specialist research, digital documentation, conservation, community engagement and capability-building. It reflects the growing maturity of RCU’s archaeology and conservation work, moving from individual discoveries towards deeper scientific analysis and a richer, more integrated understanding of how people lived in, moved through and shaped the landscapes of AlUla and Khaybar over millennia.
Research is organised around themes that span the region’s human history, including early human presence and prehistory; ancient kingdoms and oasis societies; routes of movement and pilgrimage; environmental history and water management; inscriptions and written heritage; material culture and subsistence; and digital documentation.
Together, these themes connect evidence from the Paleolithic and Neolithic periods through the Bronze Age, the ancient kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan, the Nabataean and Roman periods, and Islamic-period routes and urban development, offering new ways to understand north-west Arabia’s role in the ancient world and later history.
At Hegra, archaeological research spans several areas, with a major current focus on the settlement centre and ancient oasis, including specialist studies linked to flora, fauna and small finds. This work supports a deeper understanding of life at the site across multiple periods and informs the wider interpretation of Hegra’s archaeological landscape.
In Dadan, the second phase of the Dadan Archaeological Project builds on the results of the preceding five-year project. Work focuses on funerary and residential areas, including occupation dating to the first millennium BCE and later phases of reoccupation and reuse, helping to clarify the development and changing use of one of AlUla’s most important ancient centres.
In Khaybar, research examines the relationship between people and the oasis across different periods. This includes studies linked to Neolithic activity, Islamic-period Khaybar, sedimentary archives, past environments and the natural resources that shaped human presence and cultural change in one of the region’s most important oasis landscapes.
Research into routes of movement and pilgrimage in South AlUla is also helping trace how people, goods and ideas moved across the region. This work examines the historic Hajj route landscape, including forts, railway stations and associated archaeological remains across Islamic and earlier periods.
AlUla’s written heritage remains a major research focus. The region is home to more than 25,000 recorded inscriptions, forming one of the most important bodies of written heritage documented in north-west Arabia. Continued study of this corpus supports future research, contextual understanding and wider access to AlUla’s archaeological record.
Specialist studies are expanding understanding of daily life, subsistence and environmental history. Research into animal remains, ceramics, qanat water systems and material culture is helping archaeologists move from field discovery into deeper analysis of diet, production, exchange, ritual practice, oasis water management and daily life.
RCU’s commitment to developing Saudi capability in archaeology and heritage research is demonstrated through knowledge-sharing with Saudi researchers during the season. University students actively participate in fieldwork, laboratory work, specialist studies and digital documentation, mentored by national and international experts from collaborating institutions.
Community engagement is also part of this work, helping connect archaeological research with local knowledge and creating opportunities for participants, including teachers, students, Rawis and rangers, to engage with AlUla’s heritage through practical activities, museum and laboratory experiences, and site visits.
Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, Vice President of Culture at RCU, said: “AlUla and Khaybar continue to reveal the depth and diversity of north-west Arabia’s human history. Through sustained archaeological research, RCU is advancing knowledge of the region’s ancient landscapes, routes, oases and kingdoms, while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s contribution to global archaeological understanding. This season is also an important opportunity to build national capability, support Saudi talent, and ensure that the knowledge generated through research informs how AlUla’s heritage is conserved, interpreted and shared with the world.”
Dr Rebecca Foote, Director of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Research at RCU, said: “One of the greatest strengths of our archaeology programme lies in the continuity of research and the questions it enables us to explore. Each season builds on the last, allowing us to refine our understanding of how people lived, adapted and interacted across these landscapes over thousands of years. The evidence emerging from AlUla and Khaybar is developing a much richer understanding of north-west Arabia’s place in the ancient world and later, revealing a region shaped by human ingenuity, environmental change and connections with the wider world.”
The research programme also supports how AlUla’s heritage is interpreted and shared with the public. Findings from archaeological missions inform exhibitions, site interpretation, Rawi storytelling, cultural programming and public-facing heritage experiences, helping visitors engage with AlUla’s heritage through evidence-based narratives.
RCU’s long-term archaeology programme forms part of its wider commitment to preserving AlUla’s cultural heritage, investing in knowledge, strengthening national capabilities and positioning north-west Arabia as a major centre for archaeological research, cultural exchange and heritage-led development.
SOURCE: MEDIA RELEASE / SUPPLIED CONTENT WITH IMAGES
