Al-Sehi Site or Sehi Site is an archaeological site located in the town of Sehi, affiliated with Sehi Center in Samitah Governorate, Jazan Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is situated twenty-eight km southwest of Samitah Governorate on the coast of the Red Sea. It is considered one of the important archaeological sites in the south of the Kingdom, with a history dating back more than three thousand years.
Documentation of al-Sehi Site
Al-Sehi Site was documented and recorded by archaeological survey missions from the (former) Antiquities and Museums Agency. Archaeological excavations were conducted at the site in 1984, revealing that it was a small village whose inhabitants relied on marine fishing. The site did not experience continuous settlement, likely due to the transient nature of fishing communities. The period of settlement at the site has been dated from 1,300 to 2,400 BCE.
Antiquities of al-Sehi Site
Antiquities found at al-Sehi Site include a significant number of stone mills, many bowls, small cups, and jars, as well as piles of plain pottery mixed with other piles of shells. Comparative studies conducted on this site and other similar sites from the same period have concluded that al-Sehi formed a connection between the East African coast and the western Arabian Peninsula.
Discovery of al-Sehi Site
The site was discovered after a comprehensive archaeological survey conducted by the (former) Antiquities and Museums Agency in 1980, followed by archaeological excavations at the same site in 1984. The survey revealed several archaeological findings, the most significant being the discovery of vast quantities of pottery by the archaeological survey team in 1980. These samples were analyzed using radiocarbon dating (Carbon-14), revealing that settlement at al-Sehi Site continued along the Red Sea coast since 1500 BCE during the period of the South Arabian civilization. The discovery of al-Sehi site also indicated cultural connections between the civilization of South Arabia and those of the Nile Valley, Sudan, and Ethiopia.
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