Thread by @aaksa_project

There are many different types of stone structures in #KSA and it is easy to be confused by all the different shapes and what they were used for. In this thread, we will present the main types of structures our project has documented, the names we use, and some basic information.

Mustatil- these large structures are generally rectangular(ish) in shape and consist of two thick platforms at either end connected by 2-5 long walls. These are ritual structures dating to the #Neolithic i.e 7000 years ago. #MustatilMonday.

Kite- A kite is a large animal hunting trap. They are found in a range of different shapes and sizes, from simple V-shape constructions to much more elaborate structures, like those found around #Khaybar. These date from the #Neolithic onwards.

Ringed Cairn or Tower Tomb- consist of a tomb, either a cairn (a loose pile of stones) or a tower (a nicely built structure), surrounded by a circular ring wall. These likely date to the #BronzeAge c. 5000-4000 years ago but continued to be reused, more research is needed.

Pendant tomb-This is often a ringed cairn or any type of tomb, with a ‘tail’ structure. Called a pendant as it looks like a piece of Jewellery from the air. These are also burials and date from the #BronzeAge (5000-4000 years ago). This is not a keyhole (see next tweet).

Keyhole- This is a specific type of pendant. They look like an old-fashioned keyhole in a door, as shown here. We generally just call them pendants, as #AlUla and #Khaybar have so many different types of pendants and many of them look a bit like keyholes, but they are not.

Triangle- a structure regularly associated with tombs like ringed cairns. We do not know when they date too, but likely #BronzeAge or #IronAge (c.4500-3000 years ago).

Camp or Enclosure-These are domestic sites. They can be simple rings of stone (with no stone pile/tomb in centre) or large groups of connecting circular shapes that look like a bunch of grapes. These have been used from the #Neolithic onwards.

Cairn- these can range from simple stone piles to larger constructions such as this. A cairn has a cist/ chamber with loosely piled stones around it, where as a tower tomb has a constructed exterior face. Both tombs are hard to date as they were used for millennia.

Remember, if do visit these structures, or indeed any archaeological site in the world, the only thing you should take is photos. Archaeologists rely on things found within and around these structures to help us reconstruct the past. But make sure you share your photos with us!