We thank the organisers of this special issue and the reviewers. This research was funded by the European Research Council through Advanced Grant 269586 DISPERSE (Dynamic Landscapes, Coastal Environments and Hominin Dispersals). We thank HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), Professor Ali Al-Ghabban, Vice-President, and Mr Jamal Al Omar, Director General, for granting permission to undertake the fieldwork and for making available personnel, vehicles and other resources to support our research. Grateful thanks are also extended to the staff of SCTA who worked with us in the field, Mohammed al Halawi, Bassam Al Hilal, Aied Al Hmaed and Abdu Aquli; and to Dr Faisal Al Tamaihi from Jizan University. We also thank the Governor of Farasan, Hussain Aldajani, and Captain Yahya Bin Ali Jabbari of the Farasan Border Guard for their interest in our research and their assistance. DISPERSE contribution no. 0016.