Reconnaissance of Palaeolithic sites in the Faid area of Ha’il in northern Saudi Arabia. Ahmed Nassr, Ahmed Elhassan, Mohammed al-Hajj, Ali Tueaiman

The ongoing archaeological survey and excavations in the Faid area in northern Saudi Arabia led to the uncovering of remains of a large early Islamic settlement. Palaeolithic artefacts discovered in the building foundations during the excavation of season 2019 point to a Palaeolithic site buried partially by the settlement ruins. An archaeological exploration was carried out in the area around the site during March 2020, which documented three Palaeolithic sites (Faid 1 – Faid 3). In February 2021, the archaeological survey extended to the east and west, where four new Palaeolithic sites have been discovered (Faid 4 – Faid 7). The archaeological sites represented two main Palaeolithic traditions: Acheulean, identified from the bifaces, and Middle Palaeolithic, represented by prepared core production and bifacial point production, referable to the Levallois method. Faid 2 is a unique Acheulean site, where a systematic survey shows agglomeration of LCTs (Large cutting stone tools) covering an area of 15 hectares. Bifaces (handaxes and cleavers) are the most conspicuous artefacts. Thus, the archaeological sites’ localities and lithics technocomplex have direct relevance in assessing hominin dispersal routes through Arabia to the rest of Eurasia.