Survey finds no stone tools at 55 ancient lake sites in Arabia’s Empty Quarter

During a 2023 expedition, researchers identified 55 ancient lake sites in the Empty Quarter without finding stone tools or other evidence of settlement beside them. They compared ancient water sources and geology with previously identified archaeological sites across the Arabian Peninsula and found settlements concentrated where both water and suitable stone were accessible. The pattern suggests stone availability mattered alongside water, but does not establish why tools were absent at each lake.