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The Saudi Heritage Commission has broken down the 55 violations recorded between April and June, with 16 involving direct physical encroachments at locations across six administrative regions. According to the commission, these cases surfaced through inspection tours and public reports in Riyadh, Qassim, Asir, Tabuk, the Northern Borders and Al-Baha. The breaches included unauthorized excavation and digging, alterations to site features and damage to informational signs as well as protective gates and fences.
Figures released by the commission show that 12 additional violations were identified through social media monitoring. These encompassed conducting archaeological surveys without licenses, entering protected areas to publish details about them and using drones to capture images. Other infractions involved unauthorized digging, site damage, possession of antiquities and false assertions about interpreting symbols as guides to hidden treasures or remains.
The commission stated that the remaining 27 violations related to the unlicensed possession of archaeological and cultural objects offered for sale or promotion across digital platforms. Its oversight of social media, online stores and related advertisements uncovered listings for coins, metal artifacts, stone vessels, carvings and various heritage items. Such trade contravenes regulations intended to prevent the loss of national antiquities.
In the announcement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the Heritage Commission urged citizens and residents to report any observed breaches of heritage rules. Individuals may submit information through the commission’s official social media accounts, at its offices or branches throughout the country, via the Archaeological Report service or by calling 911. The authority emphasized that public cooperation supports its enforcement operations and helps safeguard vulnerable locations.
Saudipedia data places the number of registered archaeological sites across Saudi Arabia at roughly 9,317. In related work earlier in 2026 the commission documented more than 1,700 finds including new sites and inscriptions during a survey in Madinah province. These additions to the National Antiquities Register illustrate the breadth of heritage that requires active protection against illegal activity.
The commission had previously recorded 20 violations at cultural sites and on social media platforms in an earlier window of 2026. Comparable updates have continued, with one report noting 26 cases detected in April. The latest three-month compilation underscores the sustained monitoring needed to preserve the Kingdom’s archaeological resources amid rising interest in historical exploration.
