After four years of archaeological excavation, a team has discovered an ancient city on the island of Socotra, Yemen. It was reported that a team of scientists has discovered an ancient city named ‘Khajlah’ located near the town of Hidibu, the main town on the island. Similarly, as quoted from newKerala, Monday (12/27/2010). According to the team, the ancient city Khajlah estimated to stand at the second century BC.
The team said that the discovery of ancient houses, streets, and alleys indicate that the city was once the administrative city, religious, and civilized on the island of Socotra. Socotra Island is a cluster of four islands in the Indian Ocean. The biggest island of Socotra is also called, has a land area 95 percent of all the islands. The island is very isolated. Three of the plant species on the island does not exist anywhere. The place is also widely referred to as the most foreign places on Earth. Vegetation field surveys conducted by the Centre for Eastern Middlle Plants, which is part of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, indicates that 307 of 825 (or approximately 37 percent) of plant species on the island of Socotra is rare. One of the rare plants on the island of Socotra is the Dragon Blood tree which is shaped umbrella. Red sap was the reason why this plant is called dragon’s blood. The sap of the tree is also used as medicine.
