Al-Thumamah (Arabic: الثمامة, romanized: ath-Thumāmah, lit. 'the blade of grass'), alternatively spelt as al-Thumama and pronounced as ath-Thumamah, is an arid lowland desert area situated in Wadi Thumamah at the edge of al-Armah mountains in the northeastern fringes of Riyadh in Riyadh Governorate, Saudi Arabia.[1][2][3][4] Named after thumam (Arabic: الثمام), the Arabic word for desert bunchgrass, it is located approximately 50 miles (80 km) from Riyadh and is known for hosting outdoor recreational places, most notably the Thumamah National Park.[5][6][7] The first census of the area was conducted in 1981 during the reign of King Khalid.[8]
Archaeological findings
Recent[as of?] archaeological excavations in the area trace the settlement's early existence to almost 8000 years ago, during the Neolithic period.[9][10][11]