Dadan Archaeological Project
@dadanarchaeo.bsky.social
Dadan (Saudi Arabia): stratigraphy, urbanism, and craft production from the Bronze Age to Early Islam.
with key contributions from Dr Chloé Girardi, Dr Fabien Lesguer, Dr Shadi Shabo, Dr Irene Rossi, Dr Fokelien Kootstra, Josselin Pinot, and Xavier Desormeau.
December 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
with key contributions from Dr Chloé Girardi, Dr Fabien Lesguer, Dr Shadi Shabo, Dr Irene Rossi, Dr Fokelien Kootstra, Josselin Pinot, and Xavier Desormeau.
Under the co-direction of Dr Jérôme Rohmer (CNRS) and Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani (RCU), the DAP team brought together a broad range of expertise to shape the exhibition,
December 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Under the co-direction of Dr Jérôme Rohmer (CNRS) and Dr Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani (RCU), the DAP team brought together a broad range of expertise to shape the exhibition,
These three millennia of history are now presented to the public in the new permanent exhibition at the Dadan Visitor Center: “Illuminating Discoveries: Uncovering the Layers of Dadan’s History”, curated by AFALULA and RCU to highlight the project’s results.
December 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
These three millennia of history are now presented to the public in the new permanent exhibition at the Dadan Visitor Center: “Illuminating Discoveries: Uncovering the Layers of Dadan’s History”, curated by AFALULA and RCU to highlight the project’s results.
Building on the results of earlier investigations by King Saud University, the project’s large-scale excavations and surveys have revealed an unexpectedly long history spanning more than three millennia, contributing to reshaping our understanding of ancient Northwest Arabia.
December 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Building on the results of earlier investigations by King Saud University, the project’s large-scale excavations and surveys have revealed an unexpectedly long history spanning more than three millennia, contributing to reshaping our understanding of ancient Northwest Arabia.
Since 2020, the Dadan Archaeological Project (DAP) – carried out by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in collaboration with RCU and AFALULA – has shed new and critical light on the history of ancient Dadan, one of the major oasis cities of ancient Northwest Arabia.
December 8, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Since 2020, the Dadan Archaeological Project (DAP) – carried out by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in collaboration with RCU and AFALULA – has shed new and critical light on the history of ancient Dadan, one of the major oasis cities of ancient Northwest Arabia.
@AF_ALULA
November 27, 2025 at 1:25 PM
@AF_ALULA
Jérôme Rohmer, Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, Charlène Bouchaud, Elora Chambraud, Vladimir Dabrowski, Hatem Djerbi, Fabien Lesguer, Hervé Monchot, Paul Picavet, Louise Purdue, Bertrand Riba, Shadi Shabo
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Jérôme Rohmer, Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, Charlène Bouchaud, Elora Chambraud, Vladimir Dabrowski, Hatem Djerbi, Fabien Lesguer, Hervé Monchot, Paul Picavet, Louise Purdue, Bertrand Riba, Shadi Shabo
This interdisciplinary work combines archaeology, ceramic studies, macrolithic tools, archaeobotany, archaeozoology and geoarchaeology to reassess the long-term occupation of Wādī al-Qurā.
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
This interdisciplinary work combines archaeology, ceramic studies, macrolithic tools, archaeobotany, archaeozoology and geoarchaeology to reassess the long-term occupation of Wādī al-Qurā.
The results offer the first archaeological evidence for the last two centuries before Islam in northwest Arabia, shedding new light on:
-material culture and daily life
-agricultural practices and resource management
-diet and animal use
-material culture and daily life
-agricultural practices and resource management
-diet and animal use
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
The results offer the first archaeological evidence for the last two centuries before Islam in northwest Arabia, shedding new light on:
-material culture and daily life
-agricultural practices and resource management
-diet and animal use
-material culture and daily life
-agricultural practices and resource management
-diet and animal use
Based on three excavation seasons (2021–2023) south of ancient Dadan, this study reveals a large Late Antique building, probably built over a Minaean settlement, and occupied from the late 3rd / early 4th to the early 7th century CE.
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Based on three excavation seasons (2021–2023) south of ancient Dadan, this study reveals a large Late Antique building, probably built over a Minaean settlement, and occupied from the late 3rd / early 4th to the early 7th century CE.
We are pleased to announce the publication of:
“Bridging the Late Antique Gap in Northwest Arabia: New Archaeological Evidence on the Occupation of Wādī al-Qurā (al-ʿUlā [AlUla], Saudi Arabia) Between the Third and Seventh Centuries CE” (Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy).
“Bridging the Late Antique Gap in Northwest Arabia: New Archaeological Evidence on the Occupation of Wādī al-Qurā (al-ʿUlā [AlUla], Saudi Arabia) Between the Third and Seventh Centuries CE” (Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy).
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
We are pleased to announce the publication of:
“Bridging the Late Antique Gap in Northwest Arabia: New Archaeological Evidence on the Occupation of Wādī al-Qurā (al-ʿUlā [AlUla], Saudi Arabia) Between the Third and Seventh Centuries CE” (Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy).
“Bridging the Late Antique Gap in Northwest Arabia: New Archaeological Evidence on the Occupation of Wādī al-Qurā (al-ʿUlā [AlUla], Saudi Arabia) Between the Third and Seventh Centuries CE” (Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy).
The architectural documentation of the sanctuary is being developed in close collaboration with architect F. Larché, CNRS.
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The architectural documentation of the sanctuary is being developed in close collaboration with architect F. Larché, CNRS.
investigates the sanctuary’s architecture, religious practices, and the cultural connections linking north-western Arabia with neighbouring regions during the 2nd and 1st millennia BCE.
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
investigates the sanctuary’s architecture, religious practices, and the cultural connections linking north-western Arabia with neighbouring regions during the 2nd and 1st millennia BCE.
Her thesis, “Le sanctuaire urbain de Dhū Ghābat (Dadan, al-‘Ulā) aux IIe et Ier millénaires av. n.è. : architecture, religion et contacts culturels entre la péninsule arabique et les régions voisines”,
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Her thesis, “Le sanctuaire urbain de Dhū Ghābat (Dadan, al-‘Ulā) aux IIe et Ier millénaires av. n.è. : architecture, religion et contacts culturels entre la péninsule arabique et les régions voisines”,
📷 The second sequence offers a glimpse of the famous Lion Tombs in the necropolis of Dadan, one of the site’s most iconic monuments.
#DadanArchaeologicalProject #AssassinsCreedMirage #AlUla @ubisoft.com @RCU_SA
#DadanArchaeologicalProject #AssassinsCreedMirage #AlUla @ubisoft.com @RCU_SA
November 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
📷 The second sequence offers a glimpse of the famous Lion Tombs in the necropolis of Dadan, one of the site’s most iconic monuments.
#DadanArchaeologicalProject #AssassinsCreedMirage #AlUla @ubisoft.com @RCU_SA
#DadanArchaeologicalProject #AssassinsCreedMirage #AlUla @ubisoft.com @RCU_SA
Extensively excavated by King Saud University (2003–2018) and, more recently, by S. Lora within the Dadan Archaeological Project
@cnrs.fr .
@cnrs.fr .
November 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Extensively excavated by King Saud University (2003–2018) and, more recently, by S. Lora within the Dadan Archaeological Project
@cnrs.fr .
@cnrs.fr .
This new phase of fieldwork is also an opportunity for first-aid and evacuation training provided by Cordata.
November 18, 2025 at 3:13 PM
This new phase of fieldwork is also an opportunity for first-aid and evacuation training provided by Cordata.
This new phase of fieldwork is also an opportunity for first-aid and evacuation training provided by Cordata.
November 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
This new phase of fieldwork is also an opportunity for first-aid and evacuation training provided by Cordata.
Grateful for this collaboration between KAUST teams and Dadan Archaeological Project at the intersection of archaeology, heritage science, and advanced imaging.
November 13, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Grateful for this collaboration between KAUST teams and Dadan Archaeological Project at the intersection of archaeology, heritage science, and advanced imaging.
This 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 allows us to explore the internal structure of skeletal remains in remarkable detail — identifying traces of disease, trauma, or taphonomic alteration without damaging the specimens.
November 13, 2025 at 8:41 AM
This 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 allows us to explore the internal structure of skeletal remains in remarkable detail — identifying traces of disease, trauma, or taphonomic alteration without damaging the specimens.