عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Culture

Abu Al-Waul: Saudi Arabia's Longest Cave Beckons Adventure Seekers

Abu Al-Waul, the Kingdom's longest cave beckons adventure seekers. (SPA)
Abu Al-Waul, the Kingdom's longest cave beckons adventure seekers. (SPA)
TT
TT

Abu Al-Waul: Saudi Arabia's Longest Cave Beckons Adventure Seekers

Abu Al-Waul, the Kingdom's longest cave beckons adventure seekers. (SPA)
Abu Al-Waul, the Kingdom's longest cave beckons adventure seekers. (SPA)

Situated in the Harrat Khaybar volcanic field, in the Khaybar Governorate of the Madinah region, Abu Al-Waul Cave has become a popular destination for caving enthusiasts, researchers, and adventurers. It is the longest basalt cave in Saudi Arabia, stretching some 5 kilometers, the Saudi Press Agency said.
The Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) is working on projects to improve caves and other tourist sites, focusing on their geological and tourism potential. Cave tourism is attracting visitors to the Kingdom.
An SPA reporter's tour with cave exploration enthusiast Hassan Al-Rashidi revealed that Harrat Khaybar is home to many caves formed thousands of years ago. Recently uncovered by the SGS, Abu Al-Waul Cave derives its name from the abundance of ibex skeletons discovered within (waul being the Arabic plural for ibex).
Al-Rashidi highlighted the tourism potential of Harrat Khaybar, due to its many caves and volcanoes, which offer the opportunity to study their geological formations and rock structure.
Al-Rashidi documents his explorations to provide valuable information for researchers, enthusiasts, and adventurers. This includes detailing cave locations, types, access routes, preservation methods, and organizing trips to these sites.

Most Viewed

 
 
Culture

Stonehenge’s ‘Altar Stone’ Originally Came from Scotland, Not Wales, New Research Shows

The world heritage site of Stonehenge is seen in Wiltshire, England on Dec. 17, 2013. (AP)
The world heritage site of Stonehenge is seen in Wiltshire, England on Dec. 17, 2013. (AP)
TT
TT

Stonehenge’s ‘Altar Stone’ Originally Came from Scotland, Not Wales, New Research Shows

The world heritage site of Stonehenge is seen in Wiltshire, England on Dec. 17, 2013. (AP)
The world heritage site of Stonehenge is seen in Wiltshire, England on Dec. 17, 2013. (AP)

The ancient ritual meaning of Stonehenge is still a mystery, but researchers are one step closer to understanding how the famous stone circle was created.

The unique stone lying flat at the center of the monument was brought to the site in southern England from near the tip of northeast Scotland, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Nature. It’s not clear whether the 16-foot (5-meter) stone was carried by boat or through land — a journey of more than 460 miles (740 kilometers).

“It’s a surprise that it’s come from so far away,” said University of Exeter archaeologist Susan Greaney, who was not involved in the study.

For more than a hundred years, scientists believed that Stonehenge’s central sandstone slab — long called the “altar stone” — came from much closer Wales. But a study last year by some of the same researchers showed that the stone didn’t match the geology of Wales’ sandstone formations. The actual source of the stone remained unknown until now.

For the study, the team was not permitted to chip away rocks at the site, but instead analyzed minerals in bits of rock that had been collected in previous digs, some dating back to the 1840s. They found a match in the sandstone formations of Orcadian Basin in northeast Scotland, a region that includes parts of the tip of the Scottish peninsula as well as the Orkney Islands.

“That geological ‘fingerprint’ isn’t repeated in any other area of sediment in the UK,” said Aberystwyth University geologist Nick Pearce, a study co-author.

Greaney said the difficult logistics of moving the stone such a long distance show a high level of coordination and cultural connection between these two regions of ancient Britain.

Stonehenge was constructed around 5,000 years ago, with stones forming different circles brought to the site at different times. The placement of stones allows for the sun to rise through a stone “window” during summer solstice. The ancient purpose of the altar stone — which lies flat at the heart of Stonehenge, now beneath other rocks — remains a mystery.

“Stonehenge isn’t a settlement site, but a place of ceremony or ritual,” said Heather Sebire, senior curator at English Heritage, who was not involved in the study. She said that past archaeological excavations had not uncovered evidence of feasting or daily living at the site.

Previous research has shown cultural connections — such as similarities in pottery styles — between the area around Stonehenge and Scotland’s Orkney Islands. Other stones at Stonehenge came from western Wales.

While Britain is dotted with other Neolithic stone circles, “the thing that’s unique about Stonehenge is the distance from which the stones have been sourced,” said Aberystwyth University’s Richard Bevins, a study co-author.