Ancient Coins Found in AlUla Trace Centuries of Trade

Archaeologists working in Saudi Arabia's AlUla governorate have uncovered coins spanning multiple civilisations and historical periods, offering new evidence of the region's long-standing role as a centre of trade.

The discoveries include silver coins dating to the seventh and eighth centuries B.C., Nabataean bronze coins from the first century A.D., and Umayyad Islamic coins from the late first century A.H. Together, the finds chart centuries of economic activity and commercial exchange across the region.

Some of the most significant coins were recovered from Hegra, the ancient Nabataean city and UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as a major stop along the incense trade routes. The presence of coins from multiple civilisations in the same area suggests AlUla remained an active commercial centre through successive eras, with monetary evidence reflecting the movement of people and goods across the Middle East.

Archaeologists consider coins among the most valuable artefacts for reconstructing economic history, as they reveal issuing authorities, circulation patterns and trade networks. The latest discoveries reinforce historical research identifying AlUla as a key corridor linking the southern Arabian Peninsula with the Levant, Egypt and the wider Mediterranean.

Located in northwestern Saudi Arabia, AlUla is home to thousands of rock inscriptions, ancient settlements and monumental tombs documenting more than 200,000 years of human history. Recent excavation campaigns led by the Royal Commission for AlUla and international research teams have continued to uncover evidence of the region's trade, agriculture and urban development, with the newly unearthed coins adding to the archaeological record of commerce in antiquity.