 Paleontologists involved in the research hope to find further fossils in the area.The early history of Mecca is still largely disputed, as there are no unambiguous reference to it in ancient literature prior to the rise of Islam.The Roman Empire took control of part of the Hejaz in 106 CE, ruling cities such as Hegra (now known as Mada'in Saleh), located around 800 km (500 mi) north of Makkah.