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Minted Narratives Exhibition in Riyadh Traces 1,300 Years of Saudi Coinage, Culture

The exhibition concludes with "The Coin That Was Never Minted", provoking reflection on symbolism and concept before coins exist in physical form. - SPA
The exhibition concludes with "The Coin That Was Never Minted", provoking reflection on symbolism and concept before coins exist in physical form. - SPA
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Minted Narratives Exhibition in Riyadh Traces 1,300 Years of Saudi Coinage, Culture

The exhibition concludes with "The Coin That Was Never Minted", provoking reflection on symbolism and concept before coins exist in physical form. - SPA
The exhibition concludes with "The Coin That Was Never Minted", provoking reflection on symbolism and concept before coins exist in physical form. - SPA

The Museums Commission has inaugurated the “Minted Narratives: Saudi Arabia’s Legacy in Coins” exhibition at the National Museum in Riyadh, drawing a distinguished audience of cultural, historical, and economic figures.

Running until December 16, the exhibition presents a rich journey spanning more than 1,300 years of history, art, and economic transformation traced through the evolution of coins from the pre-Islamic era to the modern Saudi riyal, SPA reported.

Advisor to the Ministry of Culture at the Museums Commission Mona Khazindar described the exhibition as a visual and chronological documentation of the Kingdom’s and the Islamic world’s story through the lens of coinage and minting.

She emphasized that coins carry more than monetary value; they reflect historical, religious, cultural, and social narratives, bearing witness to the rise of civilizations, the unity of nations, and the Saudi state’s own journey of establishment, unification, and development.

Khazindar noted the exhibition offers the public a rare opportunity to read history through coins—a cultural artifact as significant as manuscripts or antiquities.

The exhibition features an exceptional collection of rare coins from the personal collection of Dr. Alain Baron, one of the most prominent collectors of historical coins, alongside unique selections from the Ministry of Culture’s holdings. It also includes contemporary artworks by Swiss artist Zimoun, inspired by the symbolism and visual language of money.

Spanning seven main themes, the exhibition begins with "Pre-Islamic Coins", highlighting symbols and meanings related to trade and authority, followed by "The Birth of Islamic Coins and Coins in the Islamic Dynasties", illustrating the unity and diversity of Islamic civilization over the centuries.

The section "Women in Coins" showcases the presence of women in numismatic memory, while "Artisanal Coins – Minting Art and Culture" explores the intersection of aesthetic value and the economic function of currency. Visitors can also explore "Treasures and Coins of Saudi Arabia", telling the story of unification and the building of the modern state, and "Coins and Contemporary Art", where currency becomes a source of creative inspiration.

The exhibition concludes with "The Coin That Was Never Minted", provoking reflection on symbolism and concept before coins exist in physical form.

To enrich the visitor experience, the exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive cultural program featuring seminars, workshops, expert-led discussions, and interactive activities for children and families. Dedicated programs for people with disabilities are also offered, in partnership with the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities (APD) and the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, ensuring a fully inclusive and engaging environment.

This exhibition is part of the Museums Commission's broader mission to preserve and present national heritage through a contemporary lens, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s presence on the global cultural stage. It also aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to build a knowledge-based society deeply rooted in its heritage while embracing cultural and human dialogue on an international level.

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Culture

Archaeologists Find Huge Viking Textile Production Site in Denmark

Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)
Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)
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Archaeologists Find Huge Viking Textile Production Site in Denmark

Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)
Moesgaard Museum archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg holds a Viking Age weight loom unearthed in Aarhus, Denmark, on June 22, 2026. (AP)

Archaeologists have discovered a huge Viking Age textile production site in Denmark that dates back more than 1,000 years and underlines the sophistication of Viking society.

Experts from the Moesgaard Museum said this week that the sprawling 100,000-square-meter (more than 1 million-square-foot) site features an area for processing flax as well as more than 80 pit houses — semi-submerged huts that were used as workshops and dwellings in Viking times.

It's located in Søften, 10 kilometers (6 miles) north of Denmark’s second-largest city, Aarhus, on the Jutland peninsula. The site dates back to the late Iron Age and early Viking Age, sometime between A.D. 600 and 950.

Archaeologist Liv Stidsing Reher-Langberg, who led the 10-month dig, said that “we have a clear focus on textile production, which makes this settlement different from other kinds of settlements of this period.”

“We have spindle whorls, we have weight looms; that tells us about what has been going on in the pit houses,” said Reher-Langberg, adding that archaeologists had also discovered silver coins, glass beads and pottery.

Experts found separate areas for production and crafts, plus a single residential home, which suggests work was overseen by a powerful individual with control over resources and production.

Reher-Langberg said that, over the last three decades, people with metal detectors had unearthed several silver coins in the area. A trial excavation 1½ years ago, before the start of construction work on a new road and industrial area, then piqued archaeologists’ interest.

“We could see in the trenches that it just keeps on going, with these houses and pit houses and textile production features,” Reher-Langberg said.

Moesgaard Museum historian Kasper Andersen said that the discovery at Søften is “another piece in the puzzle” to understanding the local economic, cultural and political structure at the time.

During the Viking era, Aarhus — then known as Aros — functioned as a center for royalty and international trade. And last year, archaeologists discovered another Viking site in Lisbjerg, just 4 kilometers (2½ miles) away, that was likely home to members of the nobility.

Goods and resources were likely brought from the countryside and settlements like Søften, before entering an extensive international trade network, Andersen said.

“When you have a production site of this scale, it cannot be only because of the local area. It needs to be understood as part of a greater network, a much bigger international perspective,” Andersen said.

Reher-Langberg hopes future carbon dating and pollen analysis might answer some lingering questions, for instance about what kind of textile production went on at the site.

During the Viking Age, considered to run from A.D. 793 to 1066, Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raids, colonization, conquest and trade throughout Europe, even reaching North America.

Andersen said that the discovery at Søften shows that Vikings were “not just simple, uncivilized, barbaric hordes, rambling about Europe.”

“To have a place like Søften, you need a very well-organized society with a production line, and you also need a market to have the production,” he said. “The textiles from Søften go into a market that’s much bigger than just the local area.”

Culture

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Visits Ameen Rihani Museum

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)
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Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Visits Ameen Rihani Museum

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)
Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari is seen during his visit to the museum. (SPA)

Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Fahd Al-Dosari visited on Monday the Ameen Rihani Museum in the town of Freike in Matn District, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

The ambassador was received by members of the Rihani family, led by the museum's curator, Ameen Albert Rihani, who welcomed him and praised the historic relations between Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

They recalled the historic meeting between King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud and Lebanese writer and historian Ameen Rihani in 1922.

During the visit, Al-Dosari toured the museum's historical and literary sections and viewed the exhibition marking the centenary of the book “Rihaniyyat”.

Culture

On World Camel Day, Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Celebrates Camel Heritage and Reinforces Its Cultural Identity

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)
In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)
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On World Camel Day, Saudi Arabia’s AlUla Celebrates Camel Heritage and Reinforces Its Cultural Identity

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)
In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. (SPA)

World Camel Day, observed annually on June 22, serves as a global occasion to reflect on the enduring relationship between humans and camels throughout history.

The day highlights camels' economic contributions, their role in supporting food security and sustainable development, and their cultural significance, which extends beyond geographical boundaries and has made them a deeply rooted symbol in the collective memory of peoples worldwide, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Monday.

In Saudi Arabia, the relationship with camels extends beyond traditional heritage to form an integral part of national identity and collective memory. This is reflected in the significant attention devoted to the sector through specialized initiatives and events, support for camel owners, and efforts to preserve and sustain this heritage as one of the Kingdom's most prominent cultural assets.

Across AlUla, rock art and inscriptions dating back thousands of years tell the story of the close relationship between humans and camels. (SPA)

Across AlUla, rock art and inscriptions dating back thousands of years tell the story of the close relationship between humans and camels. These animals contributed to the prosperity of trade routes, facilitated mobility, and supported the stability of successive communities.

Camels remain an essential part of AlUla's heritage and a testament to the deep connection between people and their environment since ancient times.

Today, camels in AlUla are more than witnesses to history. They are an integral part of the region's cultural and sporting landscape and a key element of the tourism experience offered by the land of civilizations.

Through a contemporary vision that combines the authenticity of history with the aspirations of the future, AlUla continues to showcase this rich heritage, ensuring that camels remain among the most enduring symbols in the story of people and place across generations.