More than 400 mysterious structures discovered at the Gates of Hell in Saudi Arabia

Scientists are trying to understand what function the buildings had

In the region of Saudi Arabia, where the mysterious Neolithic structures called the “Gates of Hell” are located, there are about 400 structures dating back 9 thousand years.

The western half of the Arabian Peninsula is home to extensive lava fields known as Kharaat. One of these fields is Harrat Khaybar with an area of ​​14 thousand square kilometers, which is located approximately 137 kilometers northeast of Al-Medina.

It is one of the largest volcanic deposits in Saudi Arabia and has abundant evidence of past volcanic activity. According to NASA, the volcanic field was created by eruptions that occurred over a period of more than five million years, with the most recent event occurring between 600 and 700 AD.

Archaeologists have found evidence that people lived here among the lava flows, although it was once one of the most inhospitable places on the planet.

Satellite images revealed hundreds of structures dating back 9,000 years. Stone Age walls found in volcanic fields were called the “Gates of Hell” because their short, thick brick blocks interlocking with each other resembled a locked gate when viewed from a satellite.

Along with this, archaeologists also discovered a number of ancient kite-shaped walls and circular structures, which were named “bullseye” and “wheel”, respectively.

So-called “desert kites” are basically stone enclosures that were used as animal traps.

According to the European Geosciences Union (EGU), it is possible that these hunting traps were not intended to capture and kill animals, but rather represented the first attempt at domesticating animals.

The Sydney Morning Herald first reported in 1977 that “mysterious round stone formations, reminiscent of those found in Europe, are scattered throughout this arid country on hilltops and in valleys distant from human habitation.”

However, it was only with the advent of new satellite images that these formations were identified as the remains of Neolithic communities. Although the surrounding Bedouin tribes had long referred to the stone formations as “the work of ancient men”, David Kennedy of the University of Western Australia was the first to document them in the field of Western archaeology. Kennedy identified approximately 400 stone walls.

The research included aerial photography and documentation of structures called “Mustatil”, which means “rectangle” in Arabic, in the Khaybar and Alula areas.

Dr Hugh Thomas from the University of Western Australia studied the area in 2022, he told Arab News: “In the past, archaeological excavations in the region have focused mainly on the Fertile Crescent, passing through Jordan, Israel, Syria and beyond, and archaeological research has been given little attention. attention is drawn to this early Saudi Arabian material.” He added that “the reality is that during the Neolithic period these areas were significantly greener and significant populations of people and herds of animals could move across these landscapes.”

Archaeologists now consider the Khaybar area to be “unique” due to the wide variety of structures and their exceptional preservation in the local arid climate.

However, there is no clear indication of what these structures might have been used for. One theory is that these were ritual structures, but until now archaeologists have had difficulty finding a practical reason for their construction.