Saudi Heritage Commission Announces New Discovery in Umm Jirsan Cave

The Saudi Heritage Commission announced the discovery of new evidence of human settlement in Umm Jirsan cave in Madinah Region. SPA
The Saudi Heritage Commission announced the discovery of new evidence of human settlement in Umm Jirsan cave in Madinah Region. SPA
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Saudi Heritage Commission Announces New Discovery in Umm Jirsan Cave

The Saudi Heritage Commission announced the discovery of new evidence of human settlement in Umm Jirsan cave in Madinah Region. SPA
The Saudi Heritage Commission announced the discovery of new evidence of human settlement in Umm Jirsan cave in Madinah Region. SPA

The Saudi Heritage Commission has announced the discovery of new evidence of human settlement in Umm Jirsan cave "Harrat Khaybar", located in Madinah Region.

The research was conducted by the Heritage Commission of the Ministry of Culture with the participation of some archaeologists from the commission and in collaboration with King Saud University, the Max Planck Institute, and the Saudi Geological Survey through the "Green Arabian Peninsula project," which focuses on multidisciplinary field research, the Saudi Heritage Commission said in a statement.

According to the statement, the study was published in the journal "PLOS ONE," the first comprehensive study of archaeological research in caves in the Kingdom.

The study involved archaeological surveys and excavations in Umm Jirsan cave, revealing ancient evidence of human occupation dating back to the Neolithic period, around 10,000-7,000 years ago, encompassing the Copper Age and Bronze Age periods.

The cave was shown to have been utilized by pastoral groups, using Radiocarbon c14 that supported the discovery of animal remains such as bones dated back to 4100BC, as well as human skulls dated back to 6000BC, and other artifacts including wood, cloth fragments, and stone tools. In addition to rock art facades depicted scenes of grazing animals and hunting activities.
The discoveries provided evidence of human occupation within the cave, which remarkably preserved thousands of animal bones, including those of striped hyenas, camels, horses, deer, caribou, goats, cows, and wild and domestic donkeys, in good condition despite the passage of time. Furthermore, an analysis of human skeletal remains using radioactive isotopes indicated a dietary shift over time, with ancient human groups primarily relying on a meat-based diet and gradually incorporating plants, suggesting the emergence of agriculture.
The study also highlighted the feeding habits of animals such as cows and sheep, which primarily consumed wild grasses and shrubs, and the region exhibited significant animal diversity throughout different historical periods.
The scientific study underscored the importance of caves utilized by ancient human groups and the ancient volcanic magma paths within Saudi Arabia.



Amsterdam Honors its Own Golden Age Sculpture Master

Quellinus has been described as the Bernini of the North. Ramon van Flymen / ANP/AFP
Quellinus has been described as the Bernini of the North. Ramon van Flymen / ANP/AFP
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Amsterdam Honors its Own Golden Age Sculpture Master

Quellinus has been described as the Bernini of the North. Ramon van Flymen / ANP/AFP
Quellinus has been described as the Bernini of the North. Ramon van Flymen / ANP/AFP

Imposing but delicate marble sculptures of Graeco-Roman-style figures grace the vaulted corridors of a huge palace. But this isn't Florence or Rome. This is Amsterdam.

As part of celebrations to mark 750 years since the founding of the Dutch capital, the city is unveiling from Wednesday an exhibition dedicated to Artus Quellinus, the 17th century "sculptor of Amsterdam."

Virtually unknown outside Flanders in present-day Belgium where he made his name, the city has Quellinus to thank for the decorations on the Royal Palace that dominates the city's iconic Dam Square.

Quellinus "lifted our sculpture to a new level" with a fresh style, Dutch art historian Bieke van der Mark told AFP.

Born in Antwerp in 1606, Quellinus sculpted with marble, as well as ivory and clay.

His style, heavily influenced by Flemish baroque painter Reubens, was a complete novelty for the Protestant Netherlands, used to a more sober style at the time.

His subjects -- mythological figures, chubby angels, and animals -- are perhaps a nod to the great masters he would have seen while an apprentice in Rome.

"Like (17th century Italian master Gian Lorenzo) Bernini, he masters the way the flesh looks, and hands," said Van der Mark.

"It's really fantastic," said the 46-year-old, pointing to a statue of the Saturn devouring his son, whom he holds in his huge veiny hands.

Organized by the Amsterdam Royal Palace and the Rijksmuseum, this is the first-ever retrospective devoted to Quellinus, displaying more than 100 of his works from national and international collections.

"We spent quite some time to select and to collect, to bring together all these very special works... to show Quellinus at his best," said curator Liesbeth van Noortwijk.

"Because I think he's an artist that deserves that."

"We dare to call him the Bernini of the North... And I think this is no exaggeration," she told AFP.

The decorations of Amsterdam's Royal Palace, built as a town hall between 1648 and 1665, remains Quellinus's statement work, with an iconic figure on the roof of Atlas bearing the world on his shoulders.

Now, nearly 400 years on, the city hopes the show will raise awareness of the hitherto unrecognized "sculptor of Amsterdam."