Hegra Archaeological Project (HAP) is launched !

The Hegra Archaeological Project (HAP), led by Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Agence française pour le développement d'AlUla - AFALULA, on behalf of The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), has begun:
the next excavation campaign at Hegra/Madāʾin Ṣāliḥ will take place from 4 October to 15 November 2025.

Led by Pauline Piraud-Fournet (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) and Abdullah S. Basonbol (King Saud University), the HAP intends to continue and develop the work carried out from 2002 to 2024 by the Madāʾin Ṣāliḥ Archaeological Project led by @Laïla Nehmé (CNRS), @Daifallah al-Talhi (University of Hail), @Maher al-Musa (Heritage Commission | هيئة التراث) and @François Villeneuve (Université Paris 1) on this major archaeological site in Northwest Arabia.
The HAP explores the long-term history of Hegra, from antiquity to the present day.
Over the coming years (2025–2028), a wide range of disciplines will be mobilised to achieve this objective.
- geophysical surveys;
- archaeological excavations;
- architectural analyses;
- geoenvironmental analyses;
- the study of archaeological material;
- archaeobotanical, archaeozoological, numismatic and epigraphic studies;
- ethnographic work, and more.

🏺A peliminary campaign has helped to prepare the forthcoming mission: this will involve continuing geophysical prospecting inside and outside the ancient city wall as well as resuming excavations on certain key sites. New sectors will be opened up to study its urban planning and the history of its occupation. Research will also continue in the ancient necropolises, with multidisciplinary work taking place in the oasis to trace the history of its exploitation.

Web site of the project: Hegra Archaeological Project website

Below are some photos of this preliminary campaign with part of the HAP team.