Archaeology

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Culture

Saudi excavations reveal 11,000-year-old human settlement

The settlement dates to between 11,000 and 10,300 years ago, to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period.

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Culture

Damascus hotel to get revamp in Syria-Saudi partnership: What we know

The rebranding and rehabilitation of the Seven Gates Hotel comes as part of an agreement between the Syrian government and the Saudi-owned Le Park Concord hospitality group.

Divers watch as a crane pulls an artifact from the waters at Abu Qir bay in Alexandria on Aug. 21, 2025, as part of an event organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to recover sunken antiquities.

Culture

From the depths: Egypt raises archaeological relics from sunken city

The raising of three massive artifacts from an ancient sunken city in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria is Egypt's first such operation in 25 years.

tomb

Culture

What to know about 1,500-year-old Byzantine tomb uncovered in Syria

A contractor found a tomb complex dating back to the Byzantine Empire in Syria's Idlib province, just as many residents have started returning to their homes following the fall of Assad.

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Egypt, Greece pledge to protect Mount Sinai monastery after court ruling: What to know

An Egyptian Bedouin walks with his camel on Feb. 24, 2000, outside the walls of Saint Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Peninsula, some 400 kilometers southeast of Cairo.

Khartoum accuses RSF of looting and destroying Sudan's heritage: What to know

The heavily damaged Shahid (Martyr) Mosque is pictured in Khartoum's Muqrin neighbourhood on March 22, 2025. Sudan's army and allied armed groups seized the country's presidential palace on March 21 in the ongoing war against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries, which the RSF had used since the start of the war to house elite forces and stockpile ammunition. The military has since launched a clearing operation to push the RSF out of the city centre, retaking on March 22 several strategic state ins

Culture

Egypt celebrates first royal tomb discovery since 1922: What we know

tomb

Culture

In search for Cleopatra's tomb, Egypt claims new discoveries

A visitor views the busts of Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator.

This picture taken on Sept. 14, 2021 shows a view of a part of the south tomb of the third dynasty Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Djoser (27th century BC) at the newly-restored southern cemetery in the Saqqara Necropolis south of Egypt's capital Cairo.

More archaeological discoveries to boost tourism in Egypt

Ahead of World Tourism Day on Sept. 27, Egypt opened the southern cemetery of King Djoser after nearly 15 years of restoration works.

Wakalet el-Geddawy

Ancient trade facility restored in Egypt

Al-Jeddawi archaeological agency in the Egyptian city of Esna was revived after 300 years of neglect, following two years of restoration works in cooperation with USAID.

Camel trainers wait for tourists at a promontory overlooking the Giza pyramids.

Controversial Egyptian slum removal mars Giza Plateau upgrade

The Nazlet al-Saman slum blemished the Giza Plateau for many decades, but its ongoing removal is bringing criticism of the government.

Tourists visit the Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor, Egypt, March 10, 2020.

Egypt to announce opening of world’s largest open museum in Luxor governorate

As part of Egypt’s efforts to boost tourism, the Ministry of Antiquities bets on the restoration of El-Kebash Road in Luxor, which is one of the biggest open-air archaeological sites in the world.

Mikhail Ulyanov, Moscow’s permanent representative to International Organizations in Vienna, mets with US Iran Envoy Robert Malley in Vienna, Austria, May 16, 2021.

The Takeaway: Iran nuclear diplomacy creeps forward in Moscow and Paris

Also: Taliban’s success inspires Syrian jihadis; Russia’s delicate diplomacy in Syria and Turkey; Nile dam parley peters out; IDF snared in political rift; Egypt’s Avenue of the Sphinxes; and more … in only about 1,500 words.

A view of Avenue of the Sphinxes at the entrance of the Temple of Karnak, near Luxor, Egypt.

Destruction of 120-year-old palace sparks anger in Egypt

The continuous demolition of heritage and ancient buildings in Egypt raises the ire of archaeology experts who call on authorities to deploy more efforts to renovate and preserve the country’s heritage.

Staff members at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs work around crates of looted Iraqi antiquities returned by the United States, ahead of a handover ceremony at the ministry in Baghdad, Iraq, Aug. 3, 2021.

Norway police seize nearly 100 artifacts reportedly missing from Iraq

The cuneiform tablets and other artifacts were reportedly recovered from a private collection in Norway.

An Egyptian archaeologist brushes the top of a carved black wooden sarcophagus inlaid with gilded sheets, dating to Egypt's Late Period (7th-4th century BC), on the west bank of the Nile north of the southern city of Luxor, Egypt, Nov. 24, 2018.

Extreme heat takes toll on Egypt's archaeological heritage

Extreme heat, in addition to rising sea levels, is having an impact on antiquities and cities overlooking the Mediterranean in Egypt.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi speaks before parliament in the capital, Tehran, on Aug. 25, 2021.

The Takeaway: Iranian foreign policy under Raisi takes shape

Also: Shapiro appointment welcomed in Israel; Gantz meeting doesn’t help Abbas’ popularity; "Saudization" of labor gets slow start; Turkey’s targeted killings in Syria; Sextortion in Egypt; More … in about 1,300 words.

This picture taken on May 14, 2021, shows an aerial view of Egypt's capital Cairo's Nile island of Manial al-Roda (top) and the historic old Cairo district (bottom).

Egypt to make oldest Islamic capital in Africa into open museum

Egypt is planning to turn the city of Fustat, the oldest Islamic capital in Egypt and Africa, into an open museum that offers tourists a distinctive experience.

Staff members at Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs work around crates of looted Iraqi antiquities returned by the United States, ahead of a handover ceremony at the ministry in the capital Baghdad, on Aug. 3, 2021.

Iraq recovers thousands of smuggled artifacts for national museum

The visit of the Iraqi prime minister to Washington led to the recovery of thousands of smuggled artifacts, including the Assyrian Gilgamesh tablet, leading the premier to announce the reopening of the Iraqi National Museum.

Virgin Mary Monastery

Restoration of Virgin Mary Monastery in southern Egypt sparks controversy

The Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church is on the defensive after tiles were placed over the traditional flooring at a historic monastery in Assiut governorate.