Rare Weapons & Archives Trace Saudi History at Riyadh Exhibition

An exhibition accompanying the Security and History Dialogue in Riyadh concluded on September 8th after displaying rare weapons, historical photographs and archival documents, including swords believed to be more than 300 years old.

The exhibition brought together material from several Saudi government entities and traced the development of state institutions, the armed forces and Riyadh across different historical periods.

At the Ministry of National Guard pavilion, displays included an Al-Sam’a rifle manufactured in 1899 and a long Mauser rifle produced in 1936 bearing the emblem of the King of Hejaz and Nejd. The collection also featured traditional rifles known as Al-Fatil, Umm Sk, Umm Talqa, Umm Sanduq and Al-Naims, alongside rare swords dating back more than three centuries.

The Ministry of Defense pavilion presented more than 20 rare photographs documenting the development of Saudi Arabia’s armed forces. Among them was an image of an M8 armoured vehicle parade associated with the establishment of the Saudi armoured corps, as well as a photograph of Al-Riyadh, described as the Kingdom’s first combat naval vessel.

The King Fahd National Library displayed rare photographs of King Abdulaziz Al Saud in his youth, historical images of Riyadh and Diriyah, manuscripts and documents annotated by members of the ruling family, and stamps used during the Kingdom’s unification.

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City contributed albums and photographs showing the capital in earlier periods, including Thumairi Gate, the Southern Riyadh Gate, Al-Batha Road, Al-Safah, Dukhna mosques, Haraj Market, the Grand Mosque and an aerial view of Al-Murabba district.

The three-day Security and History Dialogue featured more than 65 sessions and over 160 speakers, including officials, experts and academics.