Archaeological Reconnaissance in the Oasis of al‐Ḥāʾiṭ, Ancient Fadak/Padakku (Saudi Arabia)

ABSTRACT The oasis of al‐Ḥāʾiṭ, located in Ḥāʾil Province (Saudi Arabia), has long remained understudied despite its strategic position along the eastern Ḥarrat Khaybar caravan route. A 2024 joint Saudi‐French archaeological reconnaissance revealed multi‐period occupations spanning the Neolithic to the Islamic era, including probable Bronze Age settlements and walled oasis, an Iron Age rock relief and building, traces of a potential Nabataean settlement and an Islamic caravanserai zone. These findings help to redefine the role of al‐Ḥāʾiṭ in trans‐Arabian exchange networks in the long‐term, supporting its identification with ancient Fadak/Padakku. The study underscores the need for further surveys and excavations to clarify settlement dynamics and confirm these significant but preliminary results.