Qaryat Al-Faw, the first capital of the Kindite kingdom, witnessed the establishment of several ancient civilizations, with its plethora of tombs depicting their presence and passing.
There are three types of cemeteries that can be distinguished in Al-Faw. The first is located on the western edge of the city and consists of the collective family cemeteries that belonged to those of heightened political and social status in the city.
The tomb is 5 meters deep, 1 meter wide, and 6 meters long from north to south. There are holes on the eastern and western walls in which a person could put his legs to go into or out of the tomb.
In addition, there are four doors on the four sides. Three of these doors lead to caves carved in round shapes, while the western door leads to a built room tiled with white plaster and a lower room at the northern end which contains a pit containing valuable things belonging to the deceased.
The second type consists of the cemeteries of the noblemen, where the tomb consists of eastern and western rooms with a ditch in the middle that is three-and-a-half meters deep, with holes in the eastern and western sides for people to enter and exit the tomb.
The third type of cemeteries belonged to the common people of the various kingdoms. They are located to the northeast of the city, on the edge of the western valley in the plaster area that lies to the north of the market. The cemeteries are strikingly similar to Islamic cemeteries. These tombs are composed of an irregular and un-plastered ditch between 1 and 5 meters long and ends with a tomb closed with a small clay board, which is similar to those used in the village buildings. Excavators found several jars among the dead upon opening them.
Al-Faw is considered as one of the most important archeological sites in the Arabian Peninsula. It boasts special importance due to its geographic location as a commercial center and a crossroads for caravans loaded with minerals, grains and weavings.
It was a major transit point for the caravans coming from the kingdoms of Sheba, Ma’in, Qataban, Hadhramout and Himyar on their way to Najran, Al-Faw then to Al-Aflaj and Yamamah before heading east to the gulf and north to Mesopotamia and Syria.
The tombs can be found about 150 km from the headquarters of Wadi Al-Dawasir governorate from the southeast, specifically in the area where Wadi Al-Dawasir overlaps with the Tuwaiq Mountains in an area called “Al-Faw.”
ThePlace: Qaryat Al-Faw, the first capital of the kingdom of central Arabia
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ThePlace: Qaryat Al-Faw, the first capital of the kingdom of central Arabia
Saudi foreign minister discusses ties with American counterpart ahead of Trump’s visit
- Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Marco Rubio held a phone call on Wednesday
- Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji spoke with his American counterpart Christopher Landau
RIYADH: Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan reviewed ties and strategic partnership with the US during a phone call with Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, on Wednesday.
The officials discussed the latest regional and international developments, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In a separate phone call, Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji discussed issues of common interest with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
Saudi Arabia is set to receive President Donald Trump on his trip to the Middle East next week.
Saudi Arabia welcomes US-Houthi ceasefire deal
- The Kingdom reiterated its support for all efforts toward a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia welcomed the statement from the Sultanate of Oman announcing a ceasefire agreement in Yemen aimed at safeguarding international navigation and trade.
The Kingdom reiterated its support for all efforts toward a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis that ensures security and stability for Yemen and the wider region.
The US and the Houthis agreed a ceasefire, mediators announced, saying the deal would ensure "freedom of navigation" in the Red Sea where the Houthis have attacked shipping for months.
The agreement comes after President Donald Trump announced that the US would end attacks against the Houthis after they agreed to stop harassing ships, though he made no direct mention of recent attacks on ally Israel.
Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi on Tuesday said that "following recent discussions and contacts... with the aim of de-escalation, efforts have resulted in a ceasefire agreement between the two sides".
Grand Mosque Library launches new Hajj initiatives
MAKKAH: The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has launched initiatives to enhance the pilgrim experience during Hajj at the Grand Mosque Library, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The library, one of the most significant in the Islamic world, houses a vast collection of religious texts, rare manuscripts, and resources in multiple languages across various fields of knowledge.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the presidency, highlighted that the library was a cultural and educational platform for spreading religious knowledge, promoting Islamic culture, and fostering moderate thought globally.
It remains a valuable resource for both students of knowledge and visitors to the two holy mosques, Al-Sudais said.
“The presidency is committed to advancing the library’s scientific and intellectual mission during Hajj and sharing it worldwide,” he added.
The presidency has begun expanding the library’s role in scientific, intellectual and cultural areas during Hajj, with specialized programs and initiatives designed to serve visitors and researchers.
New land restoration guide to unify afforestation efforts
- National Center for Vegetation Cover publishes official Land Restoration Guide for Non-Agricultural Areas
- It supports goal of planting 10 billion trees, the equivalent of rehabilitating 40m hectares of degraded land
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has taken another step toward its ambitious afforestation goals with the publication of the official Land Restoration Guide for Non-Agricultural Areas.
The guide is a comprehensive manual that will serve as a unified reference to direct environmental restoration projects across the Kingdom.
It aims to ensure sustainable land management practices and support the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative, one of which is to plant 10 billion trees — the equivalent of rehabilitating 40 million hectares of degraded land.
The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification announced its publication on Wednesday with an event titled “The Road to Restoring 40 Million Hectares.”
Organized under the national afforestation program, the event brought together a range of experts to align on best practices and scientific approaches to land rehabilitation.
Sameer Maleakah, director of the center’s afforestation department, highlighted the Kingdom’s ambitious environmental restoration goals.
“So far, we’ve restored over 313,000 hectares across various regions of the Kingdom,” Maleakah told Arab News. “But it’s not just about planting. Restoration begins with protecting the degraded areas — those affected by overgrazing, illegal logging, or desertification caused by human activities.
“We return these areas to their natural state, and once restored, they foster biodiversity, richer vegetation and denser tree cover. These sites then serve as natural parks or forests — whether mountainous or valley-based,” he added.
Maleakah also highlighted the importance of inclusive action. “It’s crucial to involve local communities, civil society organizations and take full advantage of existing legislation, rainfall and cloud-seeding technologies to ensure success.”
The center’s CEO, Dr. Khalid Al-Abdulkader, echoed the importance of the program in his opening remarks, saying that land restoration is not only vital for environmental sustainability, but also plays a major role in food security, combating climate change and supporting rural livelihoods.
With more than 141 million trees planted to date and restoration efforts underway using rainfall and treated water, the center continues to position the afforestation program as a long-term investment in Saudi Arabia’s ecological and developmental future.
Saudi Museums Commission, German Heritage Foundation launch program to deepen collaboration
RIYADH: The Saudi Museums Commission, one of 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture, and the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation of Germany have taken a step forward in their cultural partnership by activating an executive program focused on long-term collaboration in the museum sector.
Central to this initiative is the development of a loan index, outlining a selection of artworks and artefacts from the foundation’s various Berlin-based museums to be shared with the Museums Commission over a five-year period.
This loan program forms part of the broader executive program signed by both parties.
The agreement outlines key areas of cooperation, including joint exhibitions in art and archaeology, long-term loans, strategic cultural projects, and capacity-building through training and residencies.
Two dedicated training programs have been agreed upon as part of this collaboration, said the Ministry of Culture in a press release.
One of the flagship initiatives, Museums in Motion, will bring together up to 80 cultural and museum professionals from both countries over five years through four interdisciplinary training sessions.
Participants will engage in joint learning activities in both countries, fostering sustained dialogue, professional exchange, deeper cross-cultural understanding, and long-term institutional partnerships.
In a parallel initiative with the Hamburger Bahnhof — Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart (National Gallery of Contemporary Art) in Berlin, a professional program will support talent development in the museum field.
Over the next five years, experts from Hamburger Bahnhof will contribute to training and mentorship, fostering the exchange of knowledge and best practices in museum management and curation.
This executive program reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening international cultural dialogue and advancing professional exchange in the global museum community.
