The oldest human presence in Asia dates back to the Arabian Peninsula, specifically to the settlement of Safakah located southeast of the town of Dawadmi, 27 kilometers northwest of the Saudi capital Riyadh.

This human settlement is said to be 300,000 years old dating back to the Acholi age. Scrapers and chippers were found as a testimony to the life of the ancient residents, who were living on a diet based on grains, fruits and hunting.

Al Arabiya News Channel’s Eid al-Yahya and In the Arab’s footsteps program’s crew visited the Safakah settlement and studied the site. The settlement was based on a location that usually receives annual rain, making it a water-rich area.

Because of the rain and the water, the place became very suitable for humans to live in due to the ability to grow their own food.

Despite the climatic and demographic changes, which deeply affected the area, one could clearly see the remains of the human settlement as witnessed by history. The stones that were used in construction of old rooms that were covered by tree leaves, as well as the rocks used by the residents as tools for hunting and war.

The archeological heritage of Safakah remains unknown till this day. Nevertheless, 10,000 archeological artifacts and pieces were found in the region and are currently being studied for further information.

*This article also appears on AlArabiya.net.

Last Update: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 KSA 13:59 - GMT 10:59