Saudi Arabia discovers 9,000 year-old civilization

trubble76 · #1 by **trubble76** » Aug 25, 2011 2:26 pm

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is excavating a new archaeological site that will show horses were domesticated 9,000 years ago in the Arabian peninsula, the country's antiquities expert said on Wednesday.
The discovery of the civilization, named al-Maqar after the site's location, will challenge the theory that the domestication of animals took place 5,500 years ago in Central Asia, said Ali al-Ghabban, Vice-President of Antiquities and Museums at the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities.
"This discovery will change our knowledge concerning the domestication of horses and the evolution of culture in the late Neolithic period," Ghabban told a news conference in the Red Sea port of Jeddah.
"The Maqar Civilization is a very advanced civilization of the Neolithic period. This site shows us clearly, the roots of the domestication of horses 9,000 years ago."
The site also includes remains of mummified skeletons, arrowheads, scrapers, grain grinders, tools for spinning and weaving, and other tools that are evidence of a civilization that is skilled in handicrafts.

Continues here

mattwilson · #2 by **mattwilson** » Aug 25, 2011 2:41 pm

Funnily, the muslims will probably have no issue with this as I've never heard a muslim state a 6000 year old earth based on usher. While the christians will be frothing at the mouth to say they are wrong. It's amusing.

byofrcs · #3 by **byofrcs** » Aug 25, 2011 2:53 pm

You would have thought that 9000 years ago would be quite a good time for the angel Gabriel to visit with the revelation from Allah rather than leaving it for 7,600 years.

Berthold · #4 by **Berthold** » Aug 28, 2011 4:06 pm

The discovery of the civilization, named al-Maqar after the site's location, will challenge the theory that the domestication of animals took place 5,500 years ago in Central Asia, said Ali al-Ghabban, Vice-President of Antiquities and Museums at the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities.

As far as I'm informed, domestication of (farm*) animals is thought to have started in Iran, Anatolia and Mesopotamia, the horse as a latecomer then from the Ukraine.

To find such old domesticated horses is a sensation anyway, but how about the previous theory?

*Dogs were somewhat earlier.

chairman bill · #5 by **chairman bill** » Aug 28, 2011 4:26 pm

Now just wait for the Saudi authorities to suppress the findings because they suggest a pre-islamic society in the area

katja z · #6 by **katja z** » Aug 28, 2011 7:04 pm

Cool.

chairman bill wrote:Now just wait for the Saudi authorities to suppress the findings because they suggest a pre-islamic society in the area

Or not.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah on Tuesday expressed his satisfaction over the discovery of rare antiques during recent excavations that revealed that people in the Arabian Peninsula were interested in horses 9,000 years ago.
link

chairman bill · #7 by **chairman bill** » Aug 28, 2011 9:58 pm

Good. Glad to be wrong. Now just wait 'til findings indicate that they worshipped a horse deity. Or not.

Shrunk · #8 by **Shrunk** » Aug 28, 2011 11:44 pm

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter, is trying to diversify its economy away from oil and hopes to increase its tourism.

I'm not sure how they plan to do that. Their primary sites of historic or cultural interest are barred to non-Muslims, and women can't drive, dress as they like, and must observe other restrictions. Plus no booze. That sounds like a hard sell to me.

NineBerry · #9 by **NineBerry** » Aug 28, 2011 11:54 pm

chairman bill wrote:Good. Glad to be wrong. Now just wait 'til findings indicate that they worshipped a horse deity. Or not.

I don't see a problem. It is part of standard muslim interpretation that Allah constantly had to send to new messengers to all the peoples because they always strayed from the "true religion"(tm).