Wadi Matar 2C - Arabie Saoudite

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Wadi Matar 2C boasts an ancient temple beautifully aligned with the rising sun. The remaining structure consists of a central building measuring around 12 by 7 meters in size, preceded by a broad terrace and a few steps leading up to it from the center of its western side. Surrounding this central building is a sacred precinct made up of standing stones roughly rectangular in shape. A significant entrance can be seen in the middle of the western side, while a more modest access path leads to the north-eastern corner. This ancient enclosure dates back to the Ancient South Arabian period, which began around 1,000 BC. The central building, on the other hand, was constructed during the early centuries of the Common Era when Roman forces were stationed in the region. High-resolution photographs of the structures were captured in January 2019 as part of a joint Saudi-French archaeological expedition to the Farasan Islands (SCTH, University Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne). Mission leader Solène Marion de Procé oversaw this project.