Archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula

Arabian archaeology, or the archaeology of the Arabian Peninsula, is the study of past societies on the Arabian Peninsula through surviving artefacts of human material culture. It is the only source of information for the period of Prehistoric Arabia, before written documentation of the region began, and one of the main sources of information for pre-Islamic Arabia, especially through the study of epigraphy and use of pre-Islamic Arabian inscriptions.

Many archaeological sites from the Arabian Peninsula have considerable cultural importance. In 2008, the Hegra Archaeological Site in Al-Ula became the first place in Saudi Arabia to be recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. On 25 January 2023, seven sites from Yemen, called the Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib, were designated as World Heritage Sites. These are the two ancient cities of Marib and Sirwah, the Temple of Awwam, the Barran Temple, and three locations of the Marib Dam site (its Northern Bank, the Southern Bank, and the Dam of Jufaynah).

In recent years, many major new findings have been made by the field of Arabian archaeology. This includes the discovery of monumental stone structures at the Al Ha'it Oasis and thousands of years of rock art at the Al-Ula region. An extensive Hellenistic and Mediterranean repertoire of objects and artistry has been found at Qaryat al-Faw in Central Arabia, and fortified towns dating back four thousand years in the Khaybar Oasis.