Ancient stone structures reveal neolithic rituals in Saudi Arabia

Archaeologists from the University of Sydney and the Heritage Commission investigated 28 mustatils, ancient stone structures, in the Harrat Khaybar region of Saudi Arabia.

The team worked at a large site southeast of Al-Thamad, documenting all the mustatils and excavating three of them in 2023. They also collected dateable materials from several other structures at the site.

The research provides new information about the mustatil tradition, which appears to be a widespread ritual practice across Saudi Arabia dating back to the Neolithic period. The team found over 400 mustatils in the Harrat Khaybar, marking the first investigation of these structures in that region. Evidence suggests this ritual concept may be one of the earliest widespread practices of its kind.

The archaeologists based their conclusions on data from this site and comparisons with similar structures found in AlUla County, indicating a cohesive ritual practice across a large geographic area.