The remains of a town dating back to the early Bronze Age were recently uncovered in a Saudi Arabian oasis. The discovery offers a new perspective on the region’s shift from a nomadic to urban existence.
The discovery was laid out in a new study published in the journal PLOS One, sharing that the 4,000-year-old hidden town, named al-Natah, was uncovered by a French-Saudi research team in the walled oasis of Khaybar.
The town dates back to 2400 BC and is believed to have been a 2.6-hectare settlement with around 50 multi-story homes occupied by approximately 500 residents, according to French archaeologist and lead author of the study Guillaume Charloux, who spoke with AFP about the findings.
The researchers believe the town was home to a powerful leader because of the ramparts that are around 16 feet high, AFP reported.
The community was surrounded by the protective ramparts, which also had a probable decision-making zone and a necropolis with metal and stone weapons.
The town has been empty for some time, believed by researchers to have been abandoned between 1500 and 1300 BC. Researchers shared they don’t know exactly why the town was left and forgotten but theorize it had something to do with the town’s deterioration caused by environmental shifts.
Still, the discovery has unlocked new clues to the “slow urbanism” process within the region.