Archaeologists Unearth 1,200-Year-Old Gold Treasure Along Ancient Hajj Route
Archaeologists have unearthed an extraordinary treasure consisting of clay jars filled with gold, silver, and gemstone-adorned jewellery in Saudi Arabia. The luxurious items were buried along the route of an ancient medieval Hajj pilgrimage path. Researchers have named the remarkable find the ‘Diriyah Treasure’ after the archaeological site where it was discovered.
Located on the outskirts of Riyadh, Diriyah was once a crucial stop on the Hajj route for Muslims travelling from Basra, Iraq, to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. During the sixth excavation season, archaeologists were initially studying gypsum water basins and remnants of ancient residential structures. They first found ceramic and glass fragments within the structures, but the discovery of a buried ceramic jug containing over 100 gold jewellery pieces came as a major surprise.
“One of the most significant finds of the sixth season is the ‘Diriyah Treasure’, comprising gold pieces, gemstones, and oxidised copper fragments,” stated a laboratory expert from the Saudi Heritage Commission in a Live Science-cited video explanation.
Locally, Diriyah is better known as the first capital of Saudi Arabia and the origin of the House of Saud royal dynasty since the 18th century. However, this discovery proves the region’s history extends much further back. Dating from the early Abbasid Caliphate era (750-1258 CE), the treasure likely dates to this period when Islamic civilisation flourished during the Islamic Golden Age, marked by rapid cultural, artistic, and scientific advancements.
Experts remain uncertain why the exquisite jewellery was buried, or whether the original owner was a pilgrim passing through. What is clear is that the jewellery, adorned with plant motifs and geometric patterns, was crafted by highly skilled metalworkers of the time, who shaped gold sheets, embossed them, and inlaid semi-precious stones.
Given the vast historical potential yet to be uncovered, the Saudi Heritage Commission has planned further archaeological excavations at the Diriyah site in the future.