An international group of scientists has found evidence of an extensive water system in the now arid Rub' al Khali desert (Empty Quarter) about 9,000 years ago.
As Report informs, the study was published in the scientific journal Communications Earth & Environment (CEE).
The team conducted geomorphological analysis of the landscape, dated deposits, and compared results with archaeological data. Specialists discovered traces of a huge lake with an area of 1,100 square kilometers and a depth of up to 42 meters, a river system with a valley extending 150 kilometers, and evidence of powerful monsoon rains.
The data show that during the period 11,000-5,500 years ago, this region experienced a wet climatic period, explained the lead author of the study, Dr. Abdalla Zaki from the University of Geneva.
According to scientists, the period of "green Arabia" created favorable conditions for the settlement of ancient hunter-gatherers, the development of pastoral communities, and the formation of complex ecosystems.
However, around 6,000 years ago, the region faced a sharp desiccation, radically changing the living conditions in these lands.