Discovery of 4,000-Year-Old Al-Natah Reveals Gradual Urbanization in Arabia

Archaeologists uncover a Bronze Age town in Saudi Arabia, shedding light on the transition from nomadic to urban life.

Al-Natah, located in the Khaybar Oasis, was occupied from 2400 to 1500 BCE and housed approximately 500 residents.
The town's structure included a central district, residential areas, protective ramparts, and a necropolis, indicating social stratification.
Al-Natah represents a transitional stage of 'low urbanization,' between mobile pastoralism and complex urban settlements.
Archaeological evidence suggests that similar small fortified towns were present in northwestern Arabia during the Early-Middle Bronze Age.
The discovery highlights a unique path to urbanization in Arabia, distinct from the rapid urban growth seen in Mesopotamia and Egypt.