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25,000 Fragments of Artifacts from Islamic Era Discovered through Jeddah Historic District Program

The Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating back to the first two centuries. (SPA)
The Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating back to the first two centuries. (SPA)
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25,000 Fragments of Artifacts from Islamic Era Discovered through Jeddah Historic District Program

The Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating back to the first two centuries. (SPA)
The Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating back to the first two centuries. (SPA)

The Jeddah Historic District Program, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, announced the discovery of 25,000 fragments of artifacts dating back to the first two centuries AH (the 7th and 8th centuries AD), SPA said on Sunday.
According to a press release from the program, the project started in January 2020 with exploratory studies and a geophysical survey. The goal was to unveil the historical significance of four key locations: Othman bin Affan mosque, Al-Shona, a segment of the Northern Wall, and Al-Kidwah. This archaeological endeavor falls within the purview of the Jeddah Historic District Program.
The archaeological discoveries were announced as part of the Historic Jeddah Revival Project, initiated by His Royal Highness Crown Prince.
The project aims to preserve national antiquities and archaeological sites, uncover the rich history of the Kingdom, and promote historic Jeddah as a cultural and tourist destination, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.
According to the release, in November 2020, the archaeological survey and excavations yielded significant findings, including 11,405 pottery shards weighing 293 kg, 11,360 animal bones weighing 107 kg, 1,730 shells weighing 32 kg, 685 building materials weighing 87 kg, 187 glass artifacts weighing 5 kg, and 71 metal artifacts weighing 7 kg. The combined weight of these archaeological finds is 531 kg; they are a valuable contribution to Saudi Arabia's archaeological discoveries.
Archaeological investigation at Othman bin Affan Mosque revealed artifacts dating back to the first two centuries AH (7th to 8th 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 highlight the extensive trade connections of historic Jeddah.
According to the release, excavations at the same site also unveiled a collection of ceramic vessels and fragments, including high-quality porcelain. Some of the pieces are made 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 19th century AD, has yielded numerous pottery shards, including porcelain and ceramic from Europe, Japan, 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 likely date back to the late 18th century AD.
Tombstones made of Mangabi stone, marble, and granite were found at different locations within historic Jeddah. These tombstones contain inscriptions of names, epitaphs, and Quranic verses, dating back possibly to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AH (8th and 9th centuries AD). Specialists are currently studying them carefully.
The archaeological studies at the four historical sites involved excavations, radiocarbon analysis, soil analyses, geophysical surveys and scientific examination of artifacts. Samples of wood from 52 buildings were sent to international laboratories for identification and dating. Moreover, extensive international archival research led to the collection of over 984 historical documents, including maps and drawings of historic Jeddah. They are currently undergoing detailed study.
The Jeddah Historic District Program and the Heritage Commission collaborated to oversee the documentation, registration and preservation of archaeological artifacts found in historic Jeddah. These discoveries were listed in the National Archaeological Register, and scientific databases were created to preserve the information related to the discovered artifacts.

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Syria's Aleppo Set for Revival Despite War Scars to its Heritage

During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP
During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP
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Syria's Aleppo Set for Revival Despite War Scars to its Heritage

During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP
During the four years of fighting before Assad's forces recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied - AFP

The historic Baron Hotel in Syria's Aleppo is dilapidated and damaged by years of war but still standing and ready for a revival, much like the city itself.

Aleppo's old city, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, was ravaged by the conflict that erupted after a government crackdown on protests in 2011.

Between 2012 and 2016, it became a battleground between Syria's military and opposition factions.

The army of now-ousted president Bashar al-Assad shelled opposition fighters from the ground and struck them from the air, supported by Russian firepower.
Opposition groups, meanwhile, used mortars and artisanal rockets, as the fighting turned ancient streets into sniper alleys.

During the four years of fighting before the government recaptured Aleppo following a devastating siege, the city was virtually emptied.

Now, after Assad's fall following a lightning opposition offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, residents are looking forward to reconstruction.

"Unfortunately, more than 60 percent of the edifices in the old city, monuments of the old city of Aleppo, were devastated to ground zero," said Georges Edleby, a tour guide in the city for 35 years.

"Hopefully there will be a day that we see them again restored."

The ancient souks where Aleppo's famed olive oil soap is piled up in stacks for sale has been reduced in many places to little more than rubble.

- 'Hope for a better life' -

Aleppo's medieval citadel, however, remains relatively intact.

Opposition fighters, one with a rose slipped into the barrel of his gun, stood guard outside the ancient ramparts, which Syria's army turned into a stronghold during the war.

Most of the damage in the citadel was caused by a 2023 earthquake, locals say.

Below in the old city, a few alleys of the souk -- once the largest in the world with 4,000 stalls -- have reopened after being restored, including with Saudi financial aid.

Jamal Habbal, 66, has spent all his life under the stone vaults of the old city and reopened his macrame and rope shop there a year ago.

"We have so many memories here. It was a big market that was vibrant and lively. Girls used to come to buy items for their trousseaus. They could find everything," he told AFP.

"And then suddenly, the crisis," he said, reluctant to even say the word war.

"We had to leave. I returned in 2018, but it's still difficult," he added, speaking in a dark and largely deserted alley.

Fadel Fadel has also reopened his shop offering souvenirs, soap and mother-of-pearl inlaid boxes.

"It was completely destroyed here," said the 51-year-old.

He is hoping to see Aleppo returned to its status as a "center of commerce, industry and tourism."

"We hope for a better life."

- Museum ready to reopen -

Outside, dusty streets wind between ruins that await reconstruction and revival.

The Baron Hotel once welcomed Agatha Christie, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser and France's Charles de Gaulle.

Visitors flocked to see the somewhat faded glory of its rooms, as well as its terrace and the unpaid bar bill belonging to one Lawrence of Arabia.

But now, several broken windows adorned with shutters hanging from a single hinge offer a view into a deserted building covered in dust.

The hotel's future is uncertain.

Its last owner, Armen Mazloumian, has passed away. He told AFP back in 2014 that he felt the hotel's glory days were behind it and it would "never be what it once was again".

Nearby, however, the National Museum of Aleppo is readying to reopen. Its courtyard was hit in shelling but its building and collection were spared.

Director Ahmed Othman said the museum "took lessons from the experience of our neighbours," including institutions in Iraq and Lebanon.

"We took the necessary measures to protect our collections," he said.

"The statues that were too heavy to move were encased in concrete and the smaller pieces were moved to safe places."

Treasures that trace nine millennia of history and the birth of writing in nearby Mesopotamia have been preserved unharmed as a result.

"We did many things in order to protect the museum as a whole," said Othman