RIYADH: The Saudi Heritage Authority has launched the first stage of its archaeological excavation project at the Dariyah site in the Qassim region as part of its efforts to protect and preserve cultural sites in the Kingdom from potential threats. This followed the directives of the Saudi culture minister and chairman of the board of directors of the Heritage Authority, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, to resume archaeological surveys and excavations in different Saudi regions. Historical Dariyah is an ancient town that dates back to the pre-Islamic era. It gained importance and fame during the Islamic eras, where it served as an historical crossroad for pilgrims, as well as being frequently mentioned in geographical, historical and literary sources. Through the project, which will include several other archaeological sites, the Heritage Authority seeks to get a closer look at the site’s historical sequence and find physical evidence of the extent of the civilizational prosperity experienced by the region, as well as its ties to other sites. These works aim to highlight Saudi Arabia’s cultural role in human civilization in general and Islamic eras in particular.