Archaeological sites dating back thousands of years are discovered south of the Saudi capital Riyadh. (SPA)

Asharq Al-Awsat

A joint Saudi-French archaeological mission discovered sites dating back hundreds of thousands of years in a number of mountains south of the Saudi capital Riyadh, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The mission had carried out its field survey of the mountains surrounding al-Kharj region and others overlooking the Wadi Nisah area under the supervision of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage.

The sites date some 100,000 years to the Paleolithic period.

This is the first time that sites from this period are discovered in al-Kharj.

The mission includes 18 Saudi and French scientists and specialists in the field of archaeological excavations.

The mission is operating as part of an agreement on archaeological excavation in al-Kharj region signed between the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and France on September 21, 2011,

President of the Commission Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz had received in Riyadh the Saudi-French mission team, hailing its efforts.

He also stressed the importance of developing the archaeological sites in order to attract locals to help them learn about the Kingdom’s history.