Culture

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Culture Discoveries included diverse fragments used in daily life, six pottery kilns, a water channel - SPA

Saudi Heritage Commission Uncovers Over 1,700 Artifacts at Ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat Site

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission completed the first season of its joint scientific mission with the University of Exeter at the ancient Al-Juhfah Miqat site…

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Culture The manuscript is distinguished by its precise script written in black ink with full diacritical marks - SPA

Makkah Museum Displays Rare Quran Manuscript Dating Back to 1843

The Holy Quran Museum in the Hira Cultural District in Makkah showcases a collection of rare Quranic artifacts and collectibles that document Muslims’ care for…

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Culture Tinuke Odunfa, the interior designer of the gallery, aimed to modernize the space and present Nigerian history in an an 'immersive' environment. OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT / AFP

Nigerian Museum Revamp Brings Treasures within Reach

Gazing at two large engraved 16th-century elephant tusks on display at Nigeria's National Museum Lagos, a guide surprised visitors by telling them: "You can…

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Culture The replicas include selected examples of historical artifacts discovered across various regions of the Kingdom. (SPA)

Archaeological Replicas Showcase Saudi Arabia's Rich History at Kuala Lumpur Int’l Book Fair

Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission, through the Kingdom's pavilion at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026, showcased a collection of rare…

Culture "Winter Hillside", circa 1955-56, is one of the works to be exhibited at the Jenna Burlingham Gallery. (Jenna Burlingham Gallery)

Elizabeth Blackadder Exhibition Reveals Wintry Tuscan Landscapes

She may be best known for accessible paintings of flowers and cats, but a new exhibition of Elizabeth Blackadder’s work focuses instead on chilly landscapes…

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Culture  Maiko (apprentice geisha) take part in a press interview ahead a rehearsal for the annual "Miyako Odori" -- which means "capital city dance" in Japanese, at the Gion Kobu Kaburenjo in Kyoto on March 31, 2026. (AFP)

Geisha Spectacle in Japan’s Kyoto Celebrates Arrival of Spring

Against a backdrop of blooming cherry blossoms, a group of geishas elegantly shuffle onto a stage in Japan's Kyoto city to begin a centuries-old performance…

Culture  Morten Johansen, head of maritime archaeology at Denmark's Viking Ship Museum, shows a metal insignia recovered from the wreck of Danish flagship "Dannebroge" that sank during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP)

Danish Warship Sunk by Nelson’s British Fleet Discovered After 225 Years

More than 200 years after being sunk by Adm. Horatio Nelson and the British fleet, a Danish warship has been discovered on the seabed of Copenhagen Harbor by…

Culture A police officer stands by a stolen artifact from Romania, the 2,500-year-old Cotofenesti helmet, recovered in Netherlands, is shown during a press conference in Assen, Netherlands, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Aleksandar Furtula)

Priceless Ancient Golden Helmet Stolen from Dutch Museum Is Recovered

A priceless ancient golden helmet from Romania stolen last year from a museum in the Netherlands has been recovered, Dutch authorities announced Thursday. …

Culture The Traditional Arts Festival 2026 is drawing strong crowds of visitors and tourists in Diriyah. (SPA)

Traditional Arts Festival Reinforces National Identity, Highlights Performance Traditions

The Traditional Arts Festival 2026, organized by the Ministry of Culture, is drawing strong crowds of visitors and tourists in Diriyah amid pleasant spring…

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Culture An Iraqi worker excavates a rock-carving relief recently found at the Mashki Gate, one of the monumental gates to the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, on the outskirts of what is today the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on October 19, 2022. (AFP)

Archaeologists Forced by Middle East War to Cut Short Iraq Digs

Iraq is home to ruins from some of the world's earliest civilizations, but teams led by international archaeologists have been forced by drone and rocket…

Culture A visitor looks at works by Auguste Renoir during the press review of the exhibition 'Renoir the draughtsman at 'the Orsay museum, Monday, March 16, 2026, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva)

Thieves Steal Paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse from Italian Private Museum

Thieves made off with three paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse worth millions of euros (dollars) from a museum near the city of Parma in northern Italy,…

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Culture  First responders inspect a residential building hit in an earlier US-Israeli strike in Tehran, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP)

Iran Says US, Israeli Strikes Damage 120 Museums, Historic Buildings

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least 120 culturally or historically significant sites across the country since the start of the war, the head…

Culture The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Saudi Culture Ministry Launches UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships

The Ministry of Culture has launched the UK-KSA Arabian Peninsula Cultural Research Fellowships in partnership with Effat University and the National Archives…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture Culture Ministry Signs Partnership with Guildhall School of Music & Drama for Riyadh University of Arts

Culture Ministry Signs Partnership with Guildhall School of Music & Drama for Riyadh University of Arts

The Ministry of Culture signed on Thursday a partnership with Guildhall School of Music & Drama for Riyadh University of Arts (RUA)’s College of Music. The…

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Culture A photo taken in Prague's National Museum shows a 3D scanner in the Archa III (Ark Project) truck on March 24, 2026 in Prague, Czech Republic. (AFP)

Czech ‘Arks’ Help Preserve Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage

The National Museum in Prague on Tuesday unveiled a van containing a 3D scanning device that will soon travel to war-ravaged Ukraine to help preserve its…

Culture This photograph taken on March 23, 2026, shows smoke as it rises from the site of an Israeli air strike at the background of the archaeological site of the ruins of the Phoenician Port in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre. (AFP)

In Lebanon’s Tyre, Ancient Site Threatened by Israeli Bombs

At an archaeological site in southern Lebanon's Tyre, small signs bearing a blue and white emblem provide a symbolic shield, meant to protect the ancient ruins…

Culture  This photograph taken on February 2, 2026 shows a hospitality staff arranging tableware at the Dharampura Haveli, an 18th-century haveli-turned-heritage hotel in the old quarters of Delhi. (AFP)

India’s Historic Haveli Homes Caught Between Revival and Ruin

Once the grand residences of Mughal-era nobility, the Indian capital's haveli homes now stand at a fragile crossroads -- a handful lovingly restored but many…

Culture Charcoal irons were once a common household tool in village homes over six decades ago - SPA

Charcoal Irons Illustrate Traditional Ironing Practices in Saudi Arabia’s Old Villages

Charcoal irons were once a common household tool in village homes over six decades ago, serving as the only way to iron clothes before they gradually fell out…

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Culture The activities will run through March 27 to revitalize the palace - SPA

Cultural and Heritage Events Launched at King Abdulaziz Palace in Qibah, Qassim

The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve Development Authority, in collaboration with the Heritage Commission, has launched a series of cultural and heritage…

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Culture  The event featured booths showcasing local artisans, food, and a photography corner - SPA

Heritage, Arts, and Entertainment Mark Sakaka's Eid Al-Fitr Celebrations

Eid Al-Fitr celebrations organized by Al-Jouf Municipality wrapped up after three days of events at Sakaka Public Park. The festivities drew large crowds…

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Culture Mors Imperator (Death is the Ruler) is seen as a powerful allegory of death and power, and was misinterpreted in the late 19th century (the Alte Nationalgalerie museum)

Painting that Shocked German Society Finally Returns to Berlin

More than 100 years after Mors Imperator caused a scandal in 1887 amid fears it mocked the German kaiser, the painting is being displayed in a state museum in…

Asharq Al Awsat (London)
Culture Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) held a three-day festive program. SPA

Saudi Arabia: DGDA Held Eid Cultural Program Across Diriyah

The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) held a three-day festive program celebrating Eid Al-Fitr from Friday to Sunday for residents and visitors of all…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Culture Artwork entitled "Autoportrait au chapeau de paille" by French artist Henri Matisse on display during the exhibition "Matisse 1941-1954" at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, 19 March 2026. (EPA)

Matisse’s Last Years Cut Out -- But Not Pasted -- At Paris Expo

The final years of Henri Matisse's artistic life, marked by the Nazi occupation of France and a brush with death and surgery, will light up a twilight…

Culture Türkiye's is waging an increasingly assertive campaign to recover antiquities illegally taken abroad. Ozan KOSE / AFP

Türkiye in Cultural Diplomacy Push to Bring History Home

When an ancient bronze statue of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius landed back on Turkish soil after decades abroad, it was more than a symbolic homecoming. It…

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Culture An aerial view of the of the Monte Verde archaeological site in southern Peru, in this 2023 photograph released on March 18, 2026. Todd Surovell/via REUTERS

Study Suggests Younger Age for Chile's Important Monte Verde Archaeological Site

The Monte Verde archaeological site in Chile, discovered in the 1970s, revolutionized the thinking about when humans entered the Americas, with scientists…

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Culture The renovation uses traditional Al-Jouf mud-brick techniques and natural materials - SPA

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project Restores Historical Al-Saidan Mosque in Al-Jouf Region

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques has commenced the restoration of Al-Saidan Mosque in Dumat Al-Jandal, Al-Jouf…

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Culture The inauguration of the new layout and archaeological area of the southern ambulacra of the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, 17 March 2026. (EPA)

Rome’s Colosseum Gets a Fresh Look That Recreates the Footprints of Long-Gone Columns

The Colosseum has a bright new look following a restoration using the same travertine marble of ancient Rome to recreate parts of columns from 2,000 years ago…

Culture The study documented human settlement at the site dating back about 13,500 years. (Saudi Ministry of Culture)

Northern Arabia Archaeological Site Reveals 13,500-Year-Old Human Settlement

The Saudi Heritage Commission, one of 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture, announced findings documenting archaeological evidence of…

Culture The Qasr Al-Shariah Mosque in Al-Haytham, Al-Kharj Governorate.(SPA)

Qasr Al-Shariah Mosque: An Architectural and Cultural Landmark

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Project for Development of Historical Mosques focuses on preserving and restoring historical mosques across Saudi Arabia while…

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