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A close-up of the inscription shows the royal seal of the pharaoh Ramses III. Image credit: Arab News

The first pharaonic inscription predating Islam has been found by Saudi archaeologists near the oasis city of Tayma.

The inscription “sheds more light about the role of Tayma as a very important site in the international trade road at that time, not only from Egypt but also Mesopotamia and Syria,” Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities’ Dr. Ali Ibrahim al Ghabban said.

Pre-Islamic artifacts have created controversy amongst ultra-conservative Saudis.

Some believe pre-Islamic artifacts can lead to idolatry.

The Saudi government has taken steps to catalog and appreciate pre-Islamic findings, although there is still indecision about what to do with them.

“This is the past, the history of the country, and we give the same importance to all of it and people understand that this is historical evidence,” al Ghabban said.