JEDDAH: The Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of twenty-five thousand fragments of artifacts dating from the first two centuries AH (from the 7th to 8th centuries AD), the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The Jeddah Historic District Program said in a statement that the project started in January 2020 with exploratory studies and a geophysical survey. The goal was to unveil the historical importance of four key locations: Othman bin Affan mosque, a segment of the Northern Wall, Al-Shona, and Al-Kidwah. This archaeological initiative falls within the purview of the Jeddah Historic District Program, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The archaeological discoveries were announced as part of the Historic Jeddah Revival Project, launched by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman.
The project aims to preserve archaeological sites and national antiquities, uncover the rich history of Saudi Arabia, and promote historic Jeddah as a tourist and cultural destination, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.
Jeddah Historic District Program’s Discoveries
The statement said that in November 2020, the archaeological survey and excavations yielded considerable findings, including 11,405 pottery shards weighing 293 kilograms, 11,360 animal bones weighing 107 kilograms, 1,730 shells weighing 32 kilograms, 685 building materials weighing 87 kilograms, 187 glass artifacts weighing 5 kilograms, and 71 metal artifacts weighing 7 kilograms.
The combined weight of these archaeological finds is 531 kilograms; they are a valuable contribution to the Kingdom’s archaeological discoveries.
Archaeological investigation at Othman bin Affan Mosque revealed artifacts dating back to the first two centuries AH (seventh to eighth centuries AD) and spanning different historical periods, notably, ebony pillars found near the Mihrab, analyzed and traced back to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) Island in the Indian Ocean, which spotlight the extensive trade connections of historic Jeddah.
The statement added that excavations at the same site also unveiled a collection of ceramic boats and fragments, including high-quality porcelain. Some of the pieces are manufactured in the Chinese province of Jiangxi and date back to the 16th-19th centuries AD, while older pottery fragments are from the Abbasid era.
The archaeological site at Al-Shona, dating back at least to the nineteenth century AD, has yielded numerous pottery shards, including ceramic and porcelain from Japan, Europe, and China, dating from the 19th to 20th centuries AD.
Excavations at Al-Kidwah (“Bab Makkah” – Makkah gate) revealed parts of the Eastern Moat, which most is possibly date back to the late 18th century AD.
Tombstones made of Mangabi marble, stone, and granite were found at different locations within historic Jeddah. These tombstones contain inscriptions of epitaphs, names, and Quranic verses, dating back possibly to the second and third centuries AH (8th and 9th centuries AD). Specialists are currently studying them carefully.
