Um extraordinário achado arqueológico veio à luz nos arredores de Riade. Arqueólogos da Comissão do Patrimônio Saudita unearthed during excavations in Diriyah a clay jar filled with gold jewelry, silver pieces and precious stones. The discovery, called "Treasure of Diriyah", is considered one of the most significant of the sixth season of work at the site. Inside the vessel, researchers found more than a hundred ornaments featuring floral and geometric motifs, crafted using advanced Goldsmithing techniques – lamination, relief and gem inlay.
Diriyah: berço histórico da Arábia Saudita
Diriyah holds worldwide recognition as the birthplace of the first Saudi state and the original seat of the Saud dynasty in the 18th century. However, its occupation dates back much further. Radiocarbon analysis of organic remains places the main settlement between 743 and 753 AD, at the very beginning of the Islamic Golden Age. During that period, Diriyah served as an essential stop along the pilgrimage route (Hajj) connecting Basra, in southern Iraq, to Mecca, on the western coast of Saudi Arabia.
A descoberta do tesouro e seus detalhes
Besides the jar containing jewelry, archaeologists uncovered gypsum basins for water storage, walls of residential buildings, and fragments of pottery and glass. However, the treasure discovery was the great surprise of the season. According to specialists from the Saudi Heritage Commission laboratory, the treasure includes gold items, precious stones and oxidized copper fragments.
Artesania de alto valor histórico
The jewelry was created by skilled metallurgists who used beaten gold sheets, applied relief work and inlaid semi-precious gems. It remains unclear whether the owner was a pilgrim, a merchant or a local resident. The intentional burial of the vessel suggests the owner wanted to protect the contents during a moment of danger – possibly conflicts or instability in the region. Researchers believe the treasure may have been buried by an Islamic pilgrim en route to Mecca during the Abbasid period (750-1258), although it is not yet certain who owned the jewelry or why it was hidden.
Perspectivas para futuras pesquisas
According to Gulf News, new excavations are scheduled for the future, and archaeologists hope that additional artifacts will help reveal the exact context of the burial and the identity of whoever hid the precious treasure. For now, the discovery already illuminates aspects of Goldsmithing, trade and faith routes in medieval Saudi Arabia.
Fonte: https://olhardigital.com.br
