JEDDAH: Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), has ordered the continuation of archaeological excavations at Jarash.  Excavation work will continue for 35 days with the participation of students from King Khalid University, said Mohammed Al-Umrah, director of the SCTH in the Asir region. Excavation teams at Jarash have discovered relics as old as 3,000 years. Jarash, near Abha, is among the most important archaeological sites in Asir province. The site is one of the most important in the history of the Arabian Peninsula. Recently, SCTH announced the registration of more than 53,000 historical artifacts and relics that it successfully managed to restore from inside and outside the Kingdom. In 2011, Prince Sultan launched a campaign for retrieving national artifacts, including media and cultural programs and initiatives that aim to enlighten and inform citizens about the value of artifacts and the importance of returning them to the SCTH.