Sulaiman al-Theeb

Sulaiman Abdulrahman al-Theeb (born 1957) is a Saudi historian, writer, researcher, and professor of ancient inscriptions at King Saud University. He is an expert in the field of archaeology and ancient languages of the Arabian Peninsula. He has participated in several archaeological expeditions and has authored dozens of publications, studies, and research papers in both Arabic and English.

Sulaiman al-Theeb is considered one of the pioneers in the field of archaeological discoveries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He has significant expertise in writing about ancient civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula and various aspects of social life. He has left a notable mark in exploring the Kingdom's ancient history.

Sulaiman al-Theeb was born in al-Zulfi Governorate in Riyadh Province, in the center of the Kingdom. He began his career as a teaching assistant at King Saud University from 1982 to 1983. He then served as an assistant professor from 1990 to 1995, followed by an associate professor from 1995 to 1998. Since 1998, he has held the position of professor at the College of Tourism and Archaeology.

He served as a faculty member at Zagazig University in the Higher Institute of Ancient Near Eastern Civilizations from 1992 to 1993 and at Cairo University from 2008 to 2009. He also worked as a student advisor at the Saudi Cultural Mission in Canada in 2010. Additionally, he was a visiting professor at Yarmouk University’s Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology in Jordan in 2003 and a visiting professor at the University of Berlin in Germany in 2009. He also serves as a cultural advisor at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.

Sulaiman Al-Theeb has authored 23 works on archaeology, some of which have been translated into other languages. His notable works include "Analytical Study of Ancient Aramaic Inscriptions in Tayma," "Analytical Study of Nabatean Inscriptions from Northwest of the Kingdom," "Archaeology and Nabatean Writings in al-Jawf Province," "Nabatean Inscriptions of al-Hijr," "Thamudic Inscriptions from the Kingdom," "Thamudic Inscriptions of Qara in al-Jawf Province," "The Nabatean Dictionary," "Study of Thamudic Inscriptions from Jubbah, Hail," "Inscriptions of the Sarmada Site - Tayma governorate," "Ancient Inscriptions in the Kingdom," "Writing in the Ancient Near East: From Symbols to Alphabet," and "The Ugaritians and Phoenicians: A Historical Introduction." In addition to these works, he has published numerous research articles in both Arabic and English and has actively participated in scientific events.

Sulaiman al-Theeb has held memberships in several associations and organizations within the Kingdom, including the Board of Directors of the Heritage Commission, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Historical Society, membership in the Saudi Historical Society, membership in the Saudi Antiquities Association, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Antiquities Association, serving as a member and later chair of the editorial board of the Saudi Historical Journal, and serving as editor-in-chief of the Cultural Magazine at the Saudi Arabian Cultural Bureau in Canada.

Sulaiman al-Theeb received the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Award and Grant for Studies and Research on the History of the Arabian Peninsula in its sixth edition in 2015. This recognition was for his academic contributions to the study of ancient Arabic inscriptions in the field of archaeology, both within the Kingdom and internationally. It also acknowledged his support of the historical library with publications and translations of classical sources, as well as his scholarly contributions through peer-reviewed research published in Arabic and English and his review of books in his area of specialization.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (currently the Ministry of Tourism) honored Sulaiman al-Theeb in 2016 for his contributions as a specialist in the field of archaeology and museums in the Kingdom and for his efforts in advancing this domain.