Saudi Arabia releases never-before-seen images of Black Stone

Saudi Arabian authorities have released new pictures that offer a never-before-seen close-up view of the Black Stone in the Kaaba.

The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques captured the details on the Black Stone--known as "Hajar Aswad" in Arabic--with a new technique that uses stacked panoramic focus, reports Al Arabiya.

The stone was photographed for a total of seven hours to produce a single image with the highest resolution, according to the authorities.

The images are up to 49,000 megapixels and took 50 hours to develop.

Muslims believe the Black Stone descended directly from heaven and was revealed to the Prophet Ibrahim by the angel Jibrail.

The stone is set within a pure silver covering and is located in the corner of the Kaaba, about a metre and a half from the ground.

During the Umrah or Hajj pilgrimage, Muslims are encouraged to touch the stone after every Tawaf--or circumambulation--around the Kaaba.