JEDDAH: Excavations at the Ghilan archaeological site in the Riyadh region have revealed glazed and unglazed pottery fragments dating back to the early Islamic era. The excavations are being carried out by the antiquities and museums sector of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), in cooperation with Arab East Colleges for Graduate Studies. The work has revealed that Ghilan palace was built at the foot of a mountain overlooking the valley of Sudair, 684 meters above sea level. On Wednesday, SCTH announced the launch of this year’s archaeological excavation season, with the participation of 44 joint Saudi-international expeditions throughout the Kingdom. The SCTH recently expanded its survey and exploration work to include more sites. The work is being carried out using modern scientific methods, and with the participation of Saudi and international expeditions from various universities and research centers specializing in archaeology. The work will continue for several seasons, and is being followed up by SCTH President Prince Sultan bin Salman through field visits.