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Diriyah Biennale Foundation Launches ‘Biennale Nights’ Ramadan Program

Diriyah Biennale Foundation Launches ‘Biennale Nights’ Ramadan Program
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Diriyah Biennale Foundation Launches ‘Biennale Nights’ Ramadan Program

Diriyah Biennale Foundation Launches ‘Biennale Nights’ Ramadan Program

The Diriyah Biennale Foundation announced the launch of the "Biennale Nights" Ramadan program as part of the second edition of the Islamic Arts Biennale, currently held at the Western Hajj Terminal of King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah until May 25.
The program seeks to offer a cultural and spiritual experience celebrating the beauty of the holy month and highlighting the rich Islamic heritage. It presents a unique opportunity that brings together experts and creatives from the Kingdom and worldwide to celebrate the diversity of Islamic arts and cultures, fostering creative dialogue across different communities, SPA reported.
The program also features art workshops inspired by Islamic traditions, highlighting Arabic calligraphy, traditional crafts, and rich cultural heritage. Interactive experiences allow visitors to explore creative Ramadan rituals and artistic expressions associated with the holy month.
The events include film screenings narrating stories of resilience, faith, and identity, offering inspiring artistic perspectives from the Islamic world. The Ramadan Market presents popular dishes with rich, unique flavors of the traditional Ramadan table. It features iftar and suhoor meals that combine innovative culinary experiences, blending traditional flavors with modern touches to reflect the diversity and richness of Islamic cuisine.

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Ancient DNA Shows Genetic Link Between Egypt and Mesopotamia

This photo provided by researchers shows rock-cut tombs in Nuwayrat, Egypt where a pottery vessel in which the remains of a man, radiocarbon dated to around 2855–2570 cal BCE, was discovered. (John Garstang, Mahmoud Abd El Gelel/Garstang Museum of Archaeology/University of Liverpool via AP)
This photo provided by researchers shows rock-cut tombs in Nuwayrat, Egypt where a pottery vessel in which the remains of a man, radiocarbon dated to around 2855–2570 cal BCE, was discovered. (John Garstang, Mahmoud Abd El Gelel/Garstang Museum of Archaeology/University of Liverpool via AP)
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Ancient DNA Shows Genetic Link Between Egypt and Mesopotamia

This photo provided by researchers shows rock-cut tombs in Nuwayrat, Egypt where a pottery vessel in which the remains of a man, radiocarbon dated to around 2855–2570 cal BCE, was discovered. (John Garstang, Mahmoud Abd El Gelel/Garstang Museum of Archaeology/University of Liverpool via AP)
This photo provided by researchers shows rock-cut tombs in Nuwayrat, Egypt where a pottery vessel in which the remains of a man, radiocarbon dated to around 2855–2570 cal BCE, was discovered. (John Garstang, Mahmoud Abd El Gelel/Garstang Museum of Archaeology/University of Liverpool via AP)

Ancient DNA has revealed a genetic link between the cultures of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

Researchers sequenced whole genomes from the teeth of a remarkably well-preserved skeleton found in a sealed funeral pot in an Egyptian tomb site dating to between 4,495 and 4,880 years ago.

Four-fifths of the genome showed links to North Africa and the region around Egypt. But a fifth of the genome showed links to the area in the Middle East between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, known as the Fertile Crescent, where Mesopotamian civilization flourished.

"The finding is highly significant" because it "is the first direct evidence of what has been hinted at" in prior work," said Daniel Antoine, curator of Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum.

Earlier archeological evidence has shown trade links between Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as similarities in pottery-making techniques and pictorial writing systems. While resemblances in dental structures suggested possible ancestral links, the new study clarifies the genetic ties.

The Nile River is "likely to have acted as an ancient superhighway, facilitating the movement of not only cultures and ideas, but people," said Antoine, who was not involved in the study.

The skeleton was found in an Egyptian tomb complex at the archaeological site of Nuwayrat, inside a chamber carved out from a rocky hillside. An analysis of wear and tear on the skeleton - and the presence of arthritis in specific joints - indicates the man was likely in his 60s and may have worked as a potter, said co-author and bioarchaeologist Joel Irish of Liverpool John Moores University.

The man lived just before or near the start of ancient Egypt's Old Kingdom, when Upper and Lower Egypt were unified as one state, leading to a period of relative political stability and cultural innovation, including the construction of the Giza pyramids.

"This is the time that centralized power allowed the formation of ancient Egypt as we know it," said co-author Linus Girdland-Flink, a paleogeneticist at the University of Aberdeen.

At approximately the same time, Sumerian city-states took root in Mesopotamia and cuneiform emerged as a writing system.

Researchers said analysis of other ancient DNA samples is needed to obtain a clearer picture of the extent and timing of movements between the two cultural centers.