Article 25 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 25 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
Historic sites and folk heritage sites are classified into categories (A), (B) and (C) according to their importance, and the protection rules for archaeological sites apply to them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1 - يكون تصنيف المواقع التاريخية ومواقع التراث الشعبي على النحو الآتي:
الفئة (أ) المواقع ذات الأهمية العالية.
الفئة (ب) المواقع ذات الأهمية المتوسطة.
الفئة (ج) المواقع ذات الأهمية القليلة.
2 - تطبق على هذه المواقع أنظمة الحماية الخاصة بمواقع الآثار الواردة في هذا النظام.
3 - تحدد اللوائح ضوابط تصنيف هذه المواقع.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 25 explained in plain English
This article deals with the classification of historic sites and folk heritage sites.
Paragraph (1) - the categories:
- Category (A): sites of high importance.
- Category (B): sites of medium importance.
- Category (C): sites of little importance.
Paragraph (2) - protection: the protection rules for archaeological sites in the Law apply to these sites. Their protection is therefore no less than that of archaeological sites, even if they contain no visible antiquities.
Paragraph (3): the regulations set the controls for classifying these sites.
As a reminder, Article 1 defines historic sites as places that witnessed important historical or national events or are mentioned in literary heritage and do not necessarily contain antiquities, and defines folk heritage sites as places where social, cultural, craft or economic activities connected with folk heritage take place or are organized. Classification, under Article 1, is determining the degree of an antiquity's importance according to its historical, cultural, artistic, scientific or national value.
The article does not state differences in protection between the three categories; it applies the protection rules for archaeological sites to all of them.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 25 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
What are the classification categories of historic sites?
Category (A) of high importance, category (B) of medium importance, and category (C) of little importance.
Are historic sites protected like archaeological sites?
Yes. The protection rules for archaeological sites in the Law apply to them.
Who sets the classification controls?
The regulations set the controls for classifying these sites.
More articles on Registering and Classifying Antiquities
- Article 2
All fixed and movable antiquities in the Kingdom and its maritime areas are public property of the State except for stated exceptions, and the owner of a movable antiquity must present it to the Commission for registration within two years of the Law taking effect.
تعد جميع الآثار الثابتة والمنقولة الموجودة في المملكة، أو في المناطق البحرية الخاضعة لسيادتها، أو ولايتها القانونية من الأملاك العامة للدولة، ويستثنى من ذلك ما
- Article 7
The Commission decides what is an antiquity or urban heritage and what must be registered, and registration means the State recognizes the antiquity's importance and preserves, maintains and displays it.
تتولى الهيئة تقرير أثرية الآثار والتراث العمراني وتحديد ما يجب تسجيله منها، ويترتب على تسجيل أثرٍ ما إقرار الدولة بأهميته الوطنية أو التاريخية أو الثقافية أو ال
- Article 8
The Commission keeps an antiquities register covering fixed and movable antiquities, historic sites and folk heritage sites and pieces, and the President may cancel registration in whole or in part.
1 - تضع الهيئة سجلاً يسمى (سجل الآثار) تسجل فيه جميع الآثار، ويشمل ما يأتي: أ - الآثار الثابتة، والمنقولة. ب - المواقع التاريخية، ومواقع التراث الشعبي، بحسب تصن
- Article 34
Heritage artifacts are classified in the antiquities register into categories A, B and C; classified ones receive the protection given to movable antiquities, and the Authority helps document them and supports research.
1 - يكون تصنيف قطع التراث الشعبي في سجل الآثار على النحو الآتي: الفئة (أ) القطع ذات الأهمية العالية. الفئة (ب) القطع ذات الأهمية المتوسطة. الفئة (ج) القطع ذات ا
- Article 45
The Authority creates the urban heritage register and classifies its buildings and sites into categories A, B and C; classification covers the building, its fittings and surrounding urban and natural areas, and registration may be cancelled.
1 - تضع الهيئة سجلاً يسمى (سجل التراث العمراني)؛ تسجل فيه جميع مواقع ومباني التراث العمراني ومناطقه، وتكون درجات التصنيف على النحو الآتي: الفئة (أ) المباني والم
- Article 62
The Authority may register in the antiquities register those museum exhibits that meet the specifications of national antiquities, and the museum may not sell them or take them out of the Kingdom except with the Authority's approval.
للهيئة تسجيل ما تنطبق عليه مواصفات قطع الآثار الوطنية من معروضات المتاحف في سجل الآثار، ولا يجوز للمتحف بيع هذه القطع، أو إخراجها خارج المملكة إلا بعد موافقة ال
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.