Radar discovers 3,650 year-old hidden settlement Eastern Arabian Peninsula

CAIRO – 31 January 2022: Evidence of an ancient settlement spanning back more than 3,600 years was discovered by the United States Agency for International Assistance and Development while searching for groundwater sources in Eastern Arabia.

According to Heritage Daily, the outline of the settlement, one of the largest potential settlements discovered in the area, was determined using advanced satellite radar images.

Given the name “Hidden," the settlement was discovered by researchers at the University of Southern California’s Viterbi School of Engineering and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, using radar.

The settlement was not visible when using normal satellite imaging tools or surface observations on the ground. The large rectangular plot was identified underground, due to its shape, texture and soil composition that was in sharp contrast with the surrounding geological features.

Independent carbon dating of recovered coal samples indicates that the site is at least 3,650 years old, likely dating to the same period as the Dilmun civilization.