In AlUla, archaeologists uncover earliest evidence of a domesticated dog in Arabia

- Pioneering research dates canine bones found in north-west Saudi Arabia burial site to between circa 4200 and 4000 BCE

- Fieldwork shows region's ancient inhabitants were more complex than previously believed, with multiple interments over hundreds of years in prominently placed monuments marking the landscape

ALULA, Saudi Arabia, March 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of archaeologists in north-west Saudi Arabia has uncovered the earliest evidence of dog domestication by the region's ancient inhabitants.

This burial site in a badlands area of AlUla in north-west Saudi Arabia is currently rare for Neolithic-Chalcolithic Arabia in being built above-ground and meant to be visually prominent.

The discovery came from one of the projects in the large-scale archaeological surveys and excavations of the region commissioned by the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU).

The researchers found the dog's bones in a burial site that is one of the earliest monumental tombs identified in Arabia, roughly contemporary with such tombs already dated further north in the Levant.

Evidence shows the earliest use of the tomb was circa 4300 BCE and received burials for at least 600 years during the Neolithic-Chalcolithic era – an indication that the inhabitants may have had a shared memory of people, places and the connection between them.

"What we are finding will revolutionize how we view periods like the Neolithic in the Middle East. To have that kind of memory, that people may have known for hundreds of years where their kin were buried – that's unheard of in this period in this region," said Melissa Kennedy, assistant director of the Aerial Archaeology in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (AAKSAU) – AlUla project.

"AlUla is at a point where we're going to begin to realize how important it was to the development of mankind across the Middle East," said the AAKSAU director, Hugh Thomas.

This is the earliest evidence of a domesticated dog in Arabia by a margin of circa 1,000 years.

The findings are being published in the Journal of Field Archaeology.

The project team, with Saudi and international members, focused its efforts on two above-ground burial sites dating to the 5th and 4th millennia BCE and located 130 kilometres apart, one in volcanic uplands and the other in arid badlands. The sites were above ground, which is unique for that period of Arabian history, and were positioned for maximum visibility.

The research team detected the sites by using satellite imagery and then by aerial photography from a helicopter. Ground fieldwork began in late 2018.

It was in the volcanic uplands site that 26 fragments of a single dog's bones were found, alongside with bones from 11 humans – six adults, an adolescent and four children.

The dog's bones showed signs of arthritis, which suggests the animal lived with the humans into its middle or old age.

After assembling the bones, the team then had to determine that they were from a dog and not from a similar animal such as a desert wolf.

The team's zooarchaeologist, Laura Strolin, was able to show it was indeed a dog by analysing one bone in particular, from the animal's left front leg. The breadth of this bone was 21.0 mm, which is in the range of other ancient Middle Eastern dogs. In comparison, the wolves of that time and place had a breadth of 24.7 to 26 mm for the same bone.

The dog's bones were dated to between circa 4200 and 4000 BCE.

Rock art found in the region indicates that the Neolithic inhabitants used dogs when hunting ibex, wild asses and other animals.

The fieldwork uncovered other noteworthy artefacts, including a leaf-shaped mother-of-pearl pendant at the volcanic uplands site and a carnelian bead found at the arid badlands site.

The researchers expect more findings in future as a result of the massive survey from the air and on the ground, and multiple targeted excavations in the AlUla region undertaken by the AAKSAU and other teams, which are operating under the auspices of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU). The AAKSAU team is led by researchers from the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia.

The researchers note that AlUla is a largely unexplored area located in a part of the world that has a fertile archaeological heritage of recognized global value.

"This article from RCU's work at AlUla establishes benchmarks. There is much more to come as we reveal the depth and breadth of the area's archaeological heritage," said Rebecca Foote, Director of Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Research for RCU.

Other aspects of the intensive archaeological activity at AlUla will be revealed in the new Discovery Channel show Architects of Ancient Arabia, which debuts on March 31.

This reflects the commitment of the Royal Commission for AlUla to highlight the history and heritage of the county, and to transform AlUla into the largest living museum in the world, aligning with the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030.

About AlUlaLocated 1,100km from Riyadh in north-west Saudi Arabia, AlUla is a place of extraordinary natural and human heritage. The vast area, covering 22,561km², includes a lush oasis valley, towering sandstone mountains and ancient cultural heritage sites dating back thousands of years.

The most well-known and recognised site in AlUla is Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. A 52-hectare ancient city, Hegra was the principal southern city of the Nabataean Kingdom and comprises nearly 100 well-preserved tombs with elaborate facades cut into sandstone outcrops. Current research suggests Hegra was the most southern outpost of the Romans after conquering the Nabataeans in 106 CE.

In addition to Hegra, AlUla is home to a series of fascinating historical and archaeological sites such as: Ancient Dadan, the capital of the Dadan and Lihyan Kingdoms, which is considered one of the most developed 1st-millennium BCE cities of the Arabian Peninsula; thousands of ancient rock art sites and inscriptions; and Hijaz Railway stations.

About the Royal Commission for AlUlaThe Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) was established by royal decree in July 2017 to preserve and develop AlUla, a region of outstanding natural and cultural significance in North-West Saudi Arabia. RCU's long-term plan outlines a responsible, sustainable, and sensitive approach to urban and economic development, that preserves the area's natural and historic heritage, while establishing AlUla as a desirable location to live, work, and visit. This encompasses a broad range of initiatives across archaeology, tourism, culture, education and the arts, reflecting a commitment to meeting the economic diversification, local community empowerment, and heritage preservation priorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme.

Other RCU development workOver the past three years, RCU has conducted other development work with multiple partners around the world. This has included expanding capacity at AlUla airport by 300 percent and building Maraya, the award-winning multi-purpose conference and entertainment venue. The 500-seat Maraya, the world's largest mirrored building, has hosted global signature events, such as the Hegra Conference of Nobel Laureates and the Winter at Tantora cultural festival, which featured artists including Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang. Additionally, previously announced signature hospitality projects include the development of luxury resorts in partnership with Accor, Habitas, Aman and Jean Nouvel.

Twenty-six fragments of a dog’s bones were found at a burial site in the basalt volcanic uplands of AlUla in north-west Saudi Arabia, along with bones from 11 humans. Dated at circa 4200 to 4000 BCE, this is the earliest known domesticated dog in Arabia.

An AlUla rock art panel shows two dogs hunting an ibex, surrounded by cattle. The weathering patterns and superimpositions visible on this panel indicate a late Neolithic age for the engravings, within the date range of the burials at the recently excavated burial sites.

An AlUla rock art panel shows two dogs hunting an ibex, surrounded by cattle. The weathering patterns and superimpositions visible on this panel indicate a late Neolithic age for the engravings, within the date range of the burials at the recently excavated burial sites.

This mother-of-pearl pendant, found at a Neolithic-Chalcolithic burial site in the basalt volcanic uplands of AlUla in north-west Saudi Arabia, is leaf-shaped with a single pierced hole and incised decoration. As yet, no direct parallels of that era have been identified for the pendant in north-west Arabia.