Archaeologists have unearthed a 4,000-year-old fortified town, al-Natah, in northwest Saudi Arabia’s Khaybar Oasis. This discovery reveals early urban life in Arabia, offering insights into how nomadic herders transitioned to urban dwellers.

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Discovery at Khaybar Oasis in northwest Saudi Arabia; site named al-Natah.
Town dates back to around 2400 BCE, with walls spanning 14.5 kilometers.
Population estimated at 500; town occupied till about 1500-1300 BCE.
Archaeologists led by Guillaume Charloux used satellite imagery to locate structures.
Evidence of planned urban layout with house foundations and pathways.
Pottery fragments hint at an ordered, egalitarian society.
Metal artefacts indicate knowledge of metalworking and trade links.
Stepped tower tombs suggest complex burial traditions.
Fortified wall implies defense needs; society adapted to desert life.
Highlights gradual shift to urbanization, unlike rapid growth in Egypt, Mesopotami