French team has recently discovered 2000-year-old archeological artifacts in Al-Hijr Mada'en Saleh. Dr. Ali Ibraheem Al-Ghaban, vice president of the Saudi Commission of Tourism and Antiquities, said that the scientific team has found a large number of ancient pottery, wooden and metal tools at archeological artifacts and some architectural ruins. Dr. Al-Ghaban said that restoration is taking place using natural materials in order to preserve the walls and buildings. This is the second excavation season at Madae'n Saleh, which comes under the scientific cooperation program with international expeditions in the field of archeological surveying and excavating, and the cooperation agreement between the archeology and museum sector in SCTA, and the National French Research Center CNRC. Professor Ghaban explained that the excavation team includes 11 specialists in archeology, geo-physics, inscriptions, geology, anthropology, GIS, restoration works among others. During the first season (2008) the team discovered a number of architectural units at the residential area, Al-Diwan area, and Ethlib mountain. Currently restoration works are executed to restore the architectural units, with natural materials in order not to tamper with the nature of the findings. A special electronic software is used to document the team's excavation and restoration works.
