An Australian helps Arabs find 2,000 archaeological sites

An archaeologist has identified an area of ​​nearly 2,000 sites with important archaeological potential in Saudi Arabia using Google Earth without having to go to the field.

David Kennedy, a professor of the history of the classic and ancient school at the University of Western Australia, used the Google Earth satellite map to identify 1977 sites of archaeological potential including 1,082 stone tombs. teardrop-shaped.

" I've never been to Saudi Arabia, " said Dr. Kennedy. " This is not an easily accessible country ."

Arabic images taken from satellites

Dr. Kennedy told " New Scientist " magazine that he confirmed the images he found with Google Earth with the actual images of those locations by asking a British friend to take photos of the locations. that to compare.

Saudi missionaries feared the discovery and discovery by archaeologists, focusing their attention on civilizations that existed, flourished here before Islam, could weaken their religion. Therefore, it is not easy for archaeologists to have access to archaeological sites in the country.

In 1994, an Arab clergyman issued an affirmative decree, preserving historical relics " that could lead to polytheism and idolatry " and would be punished with images. death penalty.

However, in recent times, Arabs have also allowed archaeologists to excavate a number of archaeological sites including great monuments but little known as Maidan Saleh, a 2,000-year-old city of The evidence of Nabataean civilization was flourishing.

The majority of other relics are restricted to foreigners coming to study.