Curiosmos
  • Home
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Cosmic Phenomena
  • Alien Theories
  • Curious Lists
No Result
View All Result
Like us on Facebook
Curiosmos
  • Home
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Cosmic Phenomena
  • Alien Theories
  • Curious Lists
No Result
View All Result
Curiosmos
No Result
View All Result

Archaeologists Find Massive 8,000-Year-Old Triangle-Shaped Monument in Saudi Arabia

Justin GurkinicbyJustin Gurkinic
June 10, 2020 - Updated on January 21, 2024
in Ancient Civilizations
Aerial view of the ancient monument discovered in Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: MADAJ, Marianne Cotty, Olivia Munoz and Ronald Schwerdtner.

Aerial view of the ancient monument discovered in Saudi Arabia. Image Credit: MADAJ, Marianne Cotty, Olivia Munoz and Ronald Schwerdtner.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Archaeologists have discovered a massive monument. Excavations have revealed a triangle-shaped stone platform believed to date back around 8,000 years in Northern Saudi Arabia. Archaeologists have revealed that The ancient structure, consisting of a triangular-shaped platform measuring some 35 meters in length, was found during archeological excavations at a site in the Dûmat al-Jandal oasis in northern Saudi Arabia.

Built in various phases

Believed to have been built in various phases like many other ancient structures, experts believe an ancient civilization erected the structure starting around the sixth millennium BC. Although much of its history is shrouded in mystery, and further excavations will be needed to understand the monument fully, archaeologists believe the triangular-shaped construction was likely used for religious ceremonies and rituals. The ancient monument was discovered by an international collaboration of scientists from France, Saudi Arabia, and Italy, led by Olivia Muñoz, a researcher at the CNRS, the official French National Center for Scientific Research.

A massive structure and plenty of artifacts

In addition to the massive construction, the archeologists discovered many artifacts and human fossils, which helped experts date the construction and explain its purpose. Archaeologists discovered human burials surrounding these structures and ancient human remains on top of the platform, which remained largely buried. The discovery of the triangular-shaped structure and the study describing its purpose were published in the Journal of Antiquity. “Excavation of the platform has yielded bioarchaeological and cultural remains, along with evidence for several construction phases and intermittent use down to the first millennium BC. Analysis of the platform and nearby tombs highlights the persistent funerary and ritual use of this area over millennia, illuminating nomadic pastoralist lifeways in prehistoric Arabia,” the researchers wrote in the study.

An image of the stone platform during excavation. Image Credit: MADAJ.
An image of the stone platform during Excavation. Image Credit: MADAJ.

A religious society

The structure reaffirms that thousands of years ago, people in the region were a religious society based on rituals. The discoveries at the site offer an unprecedented view spanning back thousands of years into the past and are a symbolic imprint left by nomadic hunter-gatherers. Unlike the prehistoric remains of the Near East, the megalithic monuments of Arabia remain largely unknown to experts. According to the researchers, these monumental structures, made of dry stone walls, still hold many secrets regarding their construction, function, and chronology.

Related Posts

An image of the sword and an ancient background. Image Credit: Ca' Foscari University Venezia.

Here Are 5 Things You Should Know About The World’s Oldest Sword

December 19, 2022 - Updated on January 20, 2024
An ancient Egyptian illustration showing the worship of the sun disk Aten.

The Ancient Worship of the Sun; 5 Ancient Civilizations That Venerated It

September 15, 2020 - Updated on January 21, 2024

An advanced society

However, the discovery reaffirms that several thousands of years ago, advanced societies developed in the region and the Middle East. Evidence of that can be found in present-day Turkey, where supposed hunter-gatherers erected, over 12,000 years ago, a megalithic temple that is now considered the oldest on Earth. As we see with the discovery in Saudi Arabia, developed societies existed sooner than initially thought.

Some of the first megalithic monuments

The first megalithic monuments emerged much earlier than the first-recorded cities on Earth. This tells us that long-before people clustered into well-defined societies and built year-long settlements, we could build great construction projects built of lasting materials such as limestone and granite. The Saudi Arabian discovery tells us to dig deeper, for great things remain buried beneath the surface.

Have something to add? Visit Curiosmos on Facebook. Join the discussion in our mobile Telegram group

Share157Tweet98Share27ShareSend
Justin Gurkinic

Justin Gurkinic

Hey, my name is Justin, and my friends call me Gurk. Why? Becuase of my last name. It sounds like a vegetable. Kind of. I love sleeping and writing. History is my thing.

Related Posts

20 ancient engineering wonders that prove advanced skills existed long before modern history
Ancient Civilizations

20 ancient engineering wonders that prove advanced skills existed long before modern history

March 30, 2019 - Updated on May 3, 2025
A collage showing three deities and their similarities. Curiosmos.
Ancient Civilizations

Uncanny Similarities Between Ancient Deities In Unconnected Civilizations

August 6, 2020 - Updated on January 21, 2024
A view showing a part of the Cavustepe castle. Wikimedia Commons.
Ancient Civilizations

The Magnificent Çavuştepe Castle: An Ancient Urartian Wonder

March 13, 2023
The exterior of the Great Temple at Abu Simbel. Shutterstock.
Ancient Civilizations

5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Rock-Cut Temples of Abu Simbel

August 19, 2019 - Updated on January 21, 2024
Scary places in the ancient world
Ancient Civilizations

Scary Places From The Ancient World

January 16, 2023
An illustration of Hyperborea.
Ancient Civilizations

Hyperborea the mythical land of the gods and 30 things you should know

September 20, 2018 - Updated on April 15, 2025
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Fair Use Notice
  • DMCA / Removal
  • Impressum
  • Contact
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Ethics Policy
  • Ownership and Funding Information
  • Impressum
CURIOSMOS.COM

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Unsolved Mysteries
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Cosmic Phenomena
  • Alien Theories
  • Curious Lists