A scientific study conducted by the Heritage Authority concerned with the exact record of the old climate on the land of Saudi Arabia by analyzing 22 caves known locally as “Dahl Al -Qaman”, that Saudi Arabia was a green oasis 8 million years ago.
The results of the study show the importance of the Arabian Peninsula as a region of a vital intersection of the spread of living organisms. The results of the study show the importance of the Arabian Peninsula as a vital intersection area for the spread of living organisms
In addition, the Director General of the Antiquities Sector of the Authority, Dr. Al -Otaibi – at a press conference held today at the Authority’s headquarters in Riyadh – that the study revealed the longest climatic record in the Arabian Peninsula that depends on the cavernous deposits, which is also one of the longest climatic records in the world, as it covers a very long period of time of eight million years.
And that the results of the study highlighted the importance of the Arabian Peninsula as a vital intersection area for the spread of living organisms between Africa, Asia and Europe; Which contributes to understanding the history of the biological diversity of living organisms and its transmission between the continents across the Arabian Peninsula, noting that this study supports the results of explanations on how climate changes affect the movement and spread of human groups throughout the ages.
The Heritage Authority published a scientific article in the scientific journal Nature (Nature) under the title “Recurent Humid PHases in Arabia Over the Past 8 Million Years), in cooperation with several local and international bodies under the umbrella of the” Green Arabia Project “; Which aims to explore the natural and environmental history of the region.
30 researchers from 27 different local and international parties participated in this study, most notably the Heritage Authority, the Saudi Geological Survey Authority, King Saud University, the German Max Planck Institute, the Australian University of Griffiths, and several universities and research centers from different countries that included Germany, Italy, Britain, and the United States of America.
The scientific study revealed an accurate record of the old climate on the land of the Kingdom, through an analysis of 22 cavernously known scientifically as “bonds and stalactors”, extracted from seven dates located northeast of the Riyadh region near the Shuiyah Center in Ramah Governorate, and these caves are known locally as “Dahoul Al -Qaman”.
This record refers to the succession of multiple wet stages that led to the Kingdom’s lands fertile and valid for life, unlike its current dry nature, and according to the results, the desert of the Kingdom, which today is one of the largest dry geographical barriers on Earth, was a natural link for animal and human migrations between continents Africa, Asia, and Europe.
The researchers used various scientific methods to determine the periods, through an accurate analysis of chemical deposits in the cavernous components, which included the analysis of oxygen and carbon analogues to explain the indicators of rain rate changes and vegetation over time, which helped to detect rain periods and wet fluctuations over millions of years.
The researchers conducted an analysis of calcium carbonate deposits using uranium-U-Th and uranium-lead (U-PB) to determine the history of these components and detect wet periods accurately, and through it it identified several wet stages that were characterized by abundance of rainfall; Its oldest dates back to the end of the Misin era about 8 million years ago, through the Age of Bliosen, until the end of the Pesoistine era.
The study showed that these wet stages played a fundamental role in facilitating the movement and spread of living organisms and mammals across the neighboring continents; As a result of this study (the guide to the existence of successive wet periods over the past 8 million years) supports the results of previous fossil studies in the Arab desert barrier that indicate the existence of animal types that depend on water in the region, including: crocodiles, horses, and river mares, they were flourishing in environments rich in rivers and lakes, which are environments that are no longer present in the current dry context of the desert.
The Heritage Authority explained that this study comes within the outcomes of the “Green Arabian Peninsula” project; Which represents one of the leading projects to enhance scientific research, document the natural and cultural history of the island, and the project aims to reveal environmental dimensions and climate changes that affected the region throughout the ages, and its role in shaping geography and the natural environment, which enhances our understanding of the natural history of the Kingdom.
The authority affirmed its commitment to support scientific research and expand the scope of international cooperation in this field, with a highlight of the importance of sustaining natural and cultural heritage, and being under exploration, with new studies to come that will contribute to enriching our knowledge on these issues; Despite these important discoveries, caves in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia still need more studies and scientific exploration, as these results are just a start to a deeper understanding of their natural history and their environmental richness.
