History – Saudi Arabia Tourism Guide

Al-Uqair

Sat, 26 Jun 2021 12:48:24 +0000

The gateway to Al-Ahsa from the Arabian Gulf

Located 70 kilometers from Al-Hofuf in the Al-Ahsa region, the port of Uqair is testimony to the historical importance of the area as a gateway to the Al-Ahsa region from the Arabian Gulf. If the currently visible remains are more than 300 years old and were built during the Ottoman period, the occupation of Al-Uqair Bay as a port dates back at least to the Islamic era.

View on the Arabian Gulf from the rooftop of the Uqair Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

The complex of Al-Uqair is organised in three main ensembles: the port, the fort, and the accommodation. Al-Uqair is also a beach located 25 kilometers north of the fort.

The port and warehouse

The facilities of the port are fenced but still clearly visible. They comprise the buildings that used to host the administration offices and the warehouse where goods were stored before being shipped out or sold to the nearby souq. The main building is finely decorated and is a good example of a mix Saudi and Ottoman architectural features.

Al-Uqair's old port facilities (photo: Florent Egal)

The old fort and souq

The main fortification of Al-Uqair comprises buildings for accommodation and offices and also a large courtyard that is accessible via a gate and a passage that runs through the main building. Once past this gate visitors discover the 120 by 55 meter large courtyard surrounded by the protective walls.

Al-Uqar Fort's courtyard (photo: Florent Egal)

Along the northwestern and northeastern walls are two ranges of columns where the shops of the old souq used to sell their products. The rooftop has today disappeared but dozens of columns still with capitals are create a beautiful gallery that helps the visitor imagine the merchants surrounded by their products, scents and spices of the orient.

Al-Uqair old market (photo: Florent Egal)

The accomodation

Built in the same compound than the fort is a series of rooms and a mosque where the inhabitants of Uqair fort used to live and pray. It is in this part of the complex that we find the most beautifully decorated features, with mouldings of Arabic and Ottoman styles. Some of the doors are even crowned by colourful stained glass that is quite rare in the Arabian Peninsula.

Mosque of the Al-'Uqair Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

Al-Uqair beach

25 kilometers north of the Fort is Al-Uqair beach that presents an usual feature with Colosseum-like modern constructions that were built on the beach just 100 meters from the sea. These structures offer viewpoints and much needed shade when temperatures rise above 40°C. Small concrete fancy structures are also built along the shore in order to provide shade and privacy to the visitors. It is important to remember that as per local regulations strict dressing code is expected, even on a public beach.

Al-Uqair beach (photo: Florent Egal)

How to visit Al-Uqair

The location of Al-Uqair is available on Google Maps under the name Al Uqayr. The access is only by road, mainly from Al-Hofuf and Dhahran.

Guides providing visits to Al-Uqair:

Tour Operators

Horizons Tours

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Khaybar

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 18:38:17 +0000

The last great ancient oasis

The oasis of Khaybar is located in the Madinah Province, 170 kilometers north of the city of Madinah, in a series of depressions that collects rain waters thanks to which palm trees are grown for millennia. Khaybar is surrounded by the lava fields called "harra(t)", the largest one, the Harrat Khaybar, is called after its name.

Until today Khaybar benefits from permanent water points that surface at the lowest parts of the oasis and a lush vegetation can grow naturally there. From the numerous wells a complex system of irrigation canals is still used today to water the palm trees and offer a unique sight on how could have looked an Arabian oasis two thousand years ago.

Permanent waterpoint at the oasis of Khaybar (photo: Florent Egal)

An ancient oasis

The presence of permanent water points in Khaybar attracted people since millennia as attested by numerous stone structures probably dating back to the Bronze Age. Its location along of the western caravan trade road between Yemen and the Levant, made of Khaybar an important oasis city since the 1^st millennium BCE as a stopover between Hegra (Madain Saleh) and Yathrib (Madinah). But the historical importance is also due to two landmark conquests in the history of the Arabian Peninsula that took place there.

The most ancient mention of Khaybar is on the stela of Harran (in today’s Turkey) where are named six oases conquered in 552 BC by Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon. Khaybar appears under the name of Hibra, along with other ancient oases that still exist Tayma, Dedan, Yathrib (today's Madinah), Fadak, and Yadi.

But it is at the beginning of the Islamic era in the year 7 of the Hijri calendar (628 CE) that Khaybar became famous as the last Jewish stronghold conquered by the Muslim troops let by the Prophet Muhammad and his companion Ali.

Here is what Tabari wrote about the battle of Khaybar (I 253): “Khaybar was in the possession of Jews; it is the most solid of their fortress. It was composed of seven forts of different sizes, surrounded by plantations of palm trees. […]

Stela of Harran (Urfa Museum)

Khaybar today

The old village of Khaybar is made of ruins of abandoned buildings whose base (probably more ancient) is built with stones and the upper part is made of mud-bricks. Mosques, shops, houses and palaces that were inhabited until the seventies are still standing today.

Old houses surrounding the oasis of Khaybar (photo: Florent Egal)

The cultivated area is at the bottom of the basin and is overlooked by several rock peaks where old fortifications and villages were built, which matches the description of Tabari. Those natural promontories offers great visibility on the oasis, especially the one in the center of the oasis where is the main fort of Khaybar.

One of the promontories overlooking the oasis of Khaybar (photo: Martin Beuvelot)

Because of its irregular terrain exposed to floods, the modern city was built few hundred meters to the south on a flat land. As a result the oasis with its irrigated palm trees and old houses still probably looks like it was several hundred years ago. Therefore, climbing one of its rock peaks and looking over the oasis offers the experience of traveling back in the time of ancient Arabian oases and the caravan trade roads.

The oasis of Khaybar from its Fort (photo: Martin Beuvelot)

How to visit Khyabar

The site of the ancient city of Khyabar is available on Google Maps. It is easily accessible from the road between Tayma and Madinah that passes nearby and a side road leads to a square of the old town where cars can be parked. Until now it is not officially allowed to visit Khaybar and the police may ask the visitors not to enter deep inside the site but it is so large that it is possible to enjoy one of the many beautiful viewpoints from the distance.

Hail (City)

Fri, 24 May 2019 12:49:49 +0000

From The One Thousand and One Nights to the Saudi Kingdom

The city of Hail, capital of the eponymous province, is located in the center of northern Arabian Peninsula on the eastern side of the massive Jibal Aga and at the fringe of the vast desert of the Rub' Al-Khali.

The Jibal Aga in the outskirts of Hail (photo: Florent Egal)

History of Hail

Its central position and the wells fed by the rain water drained off the nearby mountains made Hail an important oasis on the ancient caravan trade routes. Although there are no remains from this period the ancient inscriptions found in the surrounding desert attest to this past human presence.

Hail is well-known for the generosity of its people in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world as it is the place where Hatim al-Tai, who was a famous Arab poet and one of the characters of The One Thousand and One Nights, lived. Stories about his extreme generosity have made him an icon to Arabs up till the present day, as in the proverbial phrase "more generous than Hatem".

From 1836 until 1921 Ha’il City was the center of the Kingdom of Hail led by a clan of the Shammar tribe, the Al-Rashid. This Emirate stretched from the actual border with Iraq to Wadi Ad-Dawasir in today's central Saudi Arabia.

During the Al-Rashid period many foreign travellers visited Ha'il and the Rashidi emirs, and described their impressions in different journals and books. These include Georg August Wallin (1854), William Gifford Palgrave (1865), Charles Huber (1878 and 1883), Lady Anne Blunt (1881), Julius Euting (1883), Charles Montagu Doughty (1888), and Gertrude Bell (1914)

Charles Huber (photo: BNF)

The city of three castles

A'arif Fort

Coveted because of its strategic location the city of Hail hosted several fortified buildings protecting its rulers. The oldest and probably the most famous is the A'arif Fort which is built on top of a rock which provides the best viewpoint over the city.

A'Arif Fort: A historic landmark in Hail (photo: Florent Egal)

Barzan Castle

Then came the Barzan castle whose construction begun in 1808 by Prince Muhammad bin Abdul-Muhsin Al Ali and was completed during the rule of the second Rashidi emir, Talal ibn Abdullah (1848–68). Barzan Palace consisted of three floors and covered an area of more than 300,000 square meters. The ground floor featured the reception halls, gardens, and kitchens. The first floor housed diplomatic guests, and the second floor was occupied by the royal family.

Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the founder of the third Saudi Kingdom ordered the Palace destroyed after he had ousted the last Al-Rashid emir from power in 1921. Today only one tower remains standing in the middle of the city but it gives an idea of the size of this building before its destruction.

Remains of the Birzan Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

Al-Qishlah Castle

The third fortified place is the Castle of Al-Qishlah which was built in the 1940s during the principality of prince Abdul-Aziz bin Musa'ad Al Saud of Ha'il province. It is a two-floor mud palace, with long walls that stretch over 140 meters and are 8.5m tall, and it has eight watch-towers along with the walls with two main gates, east and west.

Al-Qishlah Castle (photo: Florent Egal)

Its name comes from the Turkish word for fort or barrack (Kişla) and the purpose in building it was to host the troops that were protecting the northern part of the Kingdom. After that it was used as a prison until the end of the principality of bin Musa'ad, when it was re-purposed as a historical building by the government. Today it is still under renovation.

The three castles are located in the city center where there is also the Souq of Hail. Specialities include traditional items, spices, and other souvenirs that take you back in time.

Hail Souq (photo: Florent Egal)

How to visit the city of Hail

The city of Hail is reachable both by car or by plane thanks to its domestic airport. Several hotels offer all the comfort needed to enjoy a trip to Hail.

The location of the city and its main touristic attractions are available on Google Maps.

Tour guides organizing visits of Hail

Horizons Tours

The Horizons Tours "Saudi Desert Wanderers", certified by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), specializes in unraveling the[...]

King Abdulaziz Historical Center – National Museum

Sat, 30 Mar 2019 19:46:21 +0000

A fascinating insight in Saudi Arabia's rich History

Discovering Saudi Arabia's rich past is an amazing journey that would bring you along thousands of kilometers around the whole Kingdom. An easier way to have an insight of Saudi Arabia's rich History is to visit the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh where artifacts from all periods are exhibited and with explanations about their historical significance.

Main hall of the King Abdulaziz (photo: Florent Egal)

The visit of the Museum is organized through halls that treat of a specific period and that are laid in chronological order. This comprehensive presentation makes it clearly understandable by both adults and children.

The first hall is about a general presentation of "Man and the Universe" where are exhibited a meteorite found in the Rub' Al-Khali (Empty Quarter), some of the oldest stone tools dating back to hundreds of thousands of years in the past. The hall also hosts a complete skeleton of a mastodon that used to live on the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula some 15 million years ago.

Hall "Man and the Universe" (photo: Florent Egal)

The next hall present some examples of the vibrant rock art that thrived in Saudi Arabia for more than 10 000 year of the Arabian Peninsula

Rock art of Saudi Arabia (photo: Florent Egal)

Stelae with ancient South Arabian script (photo: Florent Egal)

This is where ends the prehistory and when we enter the historical times with the appearance of writing at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, a time when different alphabets that mostly originate from the Levant (today's Lebanon, Jordan, and Western Syria) spread from the north to the south of the Arabian Peninsula.

The first millennium BC saw also the birth of the first Arabian Kingdoms such as Dedan and Tayma. A replica of the 15 kilometers of wall of Tayma is displayed and it hosts artifacts of this brilliant period.

The most famous ancient Arabian Kingdom is the Nabatean one who spread until Madain Saleh (Hegra) during the 1st century BC where the skilled Nabatean people sculpted monumental tombs whose majestious style is celebrated at the National Museum with a replica.

Replica of a Nabatean tomb (photo: Florent Egal)

Upstairs is the next hall dedicated to the advent of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. There are exhibited old Holy Qorans and a mural retraces the life of the Prophet Mohammed. The exhibition tells also about the history of the pilgrimage roads and describe how the art of Arabic calligraphy developed with a collection of stelaes with Kufic and other early elegant calligraphic styles.

Old Holy Qoran (photo: Florent Egal)

The next hall relates the rise of the Saudi Kingdoms from the 18th century when Mohammed Ibn Saud instaured the first Saudi kingdom and the preacher Mohammed Ibn Abdulwahab spread the wahabism, until the conquests of King Abdulaziz Al-Saud at the beginning of the 20th century that paved the way to the foundation of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which is the third one.

It also celebrates the Bedouin culture, way of living, and also architecture with replicas of Al-Balad in Jeddah, Emarah Palace in Najran, and Rijal Al-Ma' in Aseer Province.

Hall of the National Museum (photo: Florent Egal)

The last hall emphasises the importance of the two holy sites hosted in the Kingdom that are Makkah and Madinah. Two models of their majestic mosques that every year welcome millions of Muslim pilgrims from all around the world.

The Holy Mosque in Makkah at the National Museum (photo: Florent Egal)

Al-Masmak Fort

Sat, 29 Dec 2018 19:49:55 +0000

An icon of the history of Riyadh and Saudi Arabia

The history of the Saudi kingdoms

The history of Riyadh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are intrinsically linked to the Al-Saud family. This epic history starts in 1446 when Mani Al-Muraydi, an ancestor of the family, moved from the east of Arabia to Wadi Hanifah, a valley located in the central plateau called Najd.

In 1744 CE the first Saudi Kingdom was founded by Mohammed ibn Saud in the city of Diriyah on the banks of the Wadi Hanifah. In 1773 CE AbdulAziz bin Mohammed Al-Saud incorporated Riyadh in the first Saudi State. In 1817 Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt overthrew the Saudi rulers but in 1824 a second Saudi kingdom was established by Turki bin Abdallah bin Mohammed Al-Saud in Riyadh, just 30 kilometers southeast of Diriyah. This second kingdom was overthrown in 1891 by the Al-Rashid family from Hail and the Al-Saud family was driven into exile in Kuwait. But shortly after, in 1902, AbdulAziz Al-Saud led a successful expedition that seized Riyadh where he reinstalled the reign of the Al-Saud and from where he reconquered the kingdom of their ancestors. Hence Riyadh became the capital of the third Saudi Arabian Kingdom, a position it continues to hold today.

Entrance of the Al-Masmak Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

The central role of Al-Masmak

The decisive event that sealed the victory of AbdulAziz in Riyadh was the seizing of the Al-Masmak Fort that used to protect the old city of Riyadh. As the fortification was not only hosting the garrison of Riyadh but also its administration, control of Al-Masmak meant control of the Riyadh area, which was the first step towards the control of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as we know it today. With the conquest of the kingdom the Al-Masmak Fort was turned into a warehouse for ammunition and then became a prison. Today the fort is a museum where the history of the Al-Saud family and their kingdoms is exhibited and explained.

Well of the Al-Masmak Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

The Fort

The name 'Masmak' is derived from the Arabic ‘musamaka’ which refers to a strong building, a stronghold, or a fortress. Its rectangular shape comprises characteristic features of Arabian fortresses with four defensive towers, a watchtower, high walls, stair-shaped crenellations, and triangular reconnaissance points and firing apertures. Its numerous rooms include offices and a mosque with columns that support the roof, and one of the courtyards has a well.

Mosque of the Al-Masmak Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

Court of the Al-Masmak Fort (photo: Florent Egal)

A visit leads people through most of the fort and in each room are old pictures and artefacts that tell the epic history of the Al-Saud family along with the conquest of the fort and the Saudi Kingdoms.

How to visit Al-Masmak

The location of Al-Masmak is available on Google Maps and the fort can be visited within opening hours.

If you want to take the most of your visit and have more perspective of the history of Saudi Arabia you can go there with one of our guides.

Guides providing tours in Al-Masmak

Horizons Tours

The Horizons Tours "Saudi Desert Wanderers", certified by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), specializes in unraveling the[...]

Qaryat Al-Faw

Fri, 13 Jul 2018 20:21:51 +0000

The miracle oasis of the Saudi desert

The more we discover Saudi Arabia’s incredibly rich history the more we realize that the stereotype of the desert land populated by only a few Bedouins living in tents is far from the reality of the Arabian Peninsula’s past.

If it is understandable that during more humid periods human beings could thrive and carve into the rock wonderful testimonies as seen in Jubbah and Shuwaymis, it is truly astonishing that when the climate became much closer to what it is today some ancient oases like Tayma’, Maddain Saleh, Dedan, and Najran could develop over centuries by optimizing the use of limited water resources and relying on trade and proximity to each other.

The case of Qaryat Al-Faw is by far the most compelling example of Arabian genius for making the most of limited resources. Not only is Qaryat Al-Faw still one of the most remote places in Saudi Arabia but the near total absence of vegetation makes this place so inhospitable that there is no village for 100 kilometers around.

Some 2000 years ago, however, this city was thriving thanks to efficient use of underground water resources and income from trade. This flourishing city even has a very special role in the history of Arabia as it was there that was found the first written mention of 'Allah' (God) and it became the capital of the first kingdom of central Arabia.

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The miracle oasis of the Saudi desert

History of Qaryat Al-Faw

The archeological site

How to visit Qaryat Al-Faw

Tour operators organizing trips at Qaryat Al-Faw

History of Qaryat Al-Faw

The city of Paradise

In the South Arabian inscriptions, Qaryat al-Faw is referred to as “Qaryat dhat Kahl”, Kahl being the name of the town’s god, but it was also named:

The City of Paradise (in reference to Dhat al-Jnan) as the palms and greenery must have created a vision of paradise in the middle of a desolated desert
The Red City (Qaryat Talu or Qaryat al-Hamra’), probably because of the red clay palaces that stood at the centre of the oasis.

A key role on a major trade route

At the beginning of the 1st millennium BCE the frankincense trade roads originating from the ancient Yemeni kingdoms started developing across the Arabian Peninsula. For more than one and half millennia caravans carried this priceless commodity along two main routes to the major empires of those times: the western one going to the Roman Empire and the eastern one going to Mesopotamia and Persia. If the western route could benefit from the numerous oases watered by the wadis of the huge Sarawat mountains, the eastern route crossed the desolate plateau at the center of the Arabian Peninsula along the largest sand dune desert in the world, the Rub' Al-Khali . It is on this second road that Qaryat Al-Faw developed from the end of the 4th century BCE, as the only major oasis city for more than 1000 kilometers between Najran, in the southwest, and Gerrha, on the east of the Arabian Peninsula.

An incredibly cosmopolitan oasis

It is unclear when the city was founded and by whom but an interesting aspect of the history of the city is told through the numerous temples that were excavated at the archeological site. The inscriptions they carry and the artifacts found in them show that the remote oasis was well connected with the whole Arabian Peninsula, and all the way to the Levant.

Two of the oldest remains of Qaryat Al-Faw - the temple of Shams and the altar of Aabit - seem to indicate that a city was built around the end of the 4th century BCE. Around the middle of the 3rd century BCE, the Mineans from Yemen, who were heavily engaged in the caravan trade, settled in Qaryat al-Faw and built a sanctuary as an offering to the divinity Athtar Wadd.

Another major ancient oasis of Arabia from where settlers originated is Dedan, capital of the kingdom of Dedan and later Lihyan, located in the northwest of the Peninsula. The Lihyanites that ruled Dedan for at least two centuries left in Qaryat Al-Faw two major inscriptions on a stela and a lintel. And people from the Hanikain tribe, who were also present in Dedan during the first years of the reign of the state of Lihyan, settled in Qaryat Al-Faw at the same period.

During the 1st century BCE, the most important traders of northwest Arabia, the Nabateans, whose most important city in the Arabian Peninsula was Hegra (also known as Maddain Saleh) were present at Qaryat al-Faw at least until the 2nd centry CE.

Another temple excavated in Qaryat Al-Faw showed strong links with Gaza in the Levant, meaning that despite its remoteness it was connected with the Mediterranean world.

The ancient souq of Qaryat Al-Faw (photo: Florent Egal)

The first capital of Central Arabia

During the first two centuries CE two tribes shared the power in Qaryat Al-Faw and their kings bore the name of both tribes with the title "King of Kindah and Qahtan". During the 3rd century Qaryat Al-Faw endured a series of military expeditions carried out by Sabean and Himyarite kings from ancient Yemen: first Sa'irum Awtar, and later Ilsarah Yahdub and his brother Ya'zul Bayn.

At the end of the third century Qaryat Al-Faw was a vassal city of Himyarite Kings and the leader of the city held the title of "King of Kindah and Madhij", showing that despite the political changes the tribe of Kindah still played a great role. From its capital in Qaryat al-Faw the famous tribe dominated the area of Central Arabia and reached its elevated status at the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th centuries CE.

The power of Kindah, along with the importance of Qaryat Al-Faw, weakened during the 4th century, but still attested to as allies of the Himyarites in the oldest inscription of Wadi Massal dating from the beginning of the 5th century CE. Kindah provided two of the most prominent pre-Islamic Arab characters: Hujr Bin 'Amr, considered as the first king of the Arabs, and his grandson, the famous poet Imru' Al-Qays.

The archeological site

Water management and agricultural activities

It is often said that the presence of such a large city proves that the center of the Arabian Peninsula was once covered with lush vegetation thanks to much more humid weather. But if such a climate existed in the past, it was millennia before the foundation of the city of Qaryat Al-Faw that probably took place in the 4th century BCE, a time when the climate was quite similar to what it is today. Hence the only way for the trade city to thrive was to exploit the underground water, which the population of that time did with great skill.

A well of Qaryat Al-Faw (photo: Florent Egal)

The twenty wells that have been excavated at the archeological site testify of the capacity of the people of Qaryat Al-Faw to extract water from the ground and supply it to the population and the farms. Today the channels that directed the water to the heart of the oasis where palms, vines and various cereals were grown are still visible. The trunks of palms and other trees were used to make the roofs of the houses, while planks made from local or imported wood were used for doors and windows and household tools, such as combs. Animal breeding was an important activity: the inhabitants owned herds of cattle, sheep, goats and camels, and used their manure to fertilize the fields.

The residential area

The fact that Qaryat al-Faw was so remote possibly explains why the population didn't feel the need to build any wall or fortress to protect it. It was an easily accessible trading town and a staging point for travellers, merchants and pilgrims. The residents constructed several large gateways on the north, south and west sides of the town. The building walls were constructed with sun-baked brick but the foundations, tombs and funerary towers were all made of cut stone. The filler used was made from a mixture of plaster, sand, and ash.

Residential area of Qaryat Al-Faw at the bottom of the Tuwayq escarpment (photo: Florent Egal)

All the buildings were characterized by the care with which they were constructed and the thickness of their walls, reaching up to 1.8 meters in width. The doors and house frames were made of wood. Almost all the houses had a floor reached by stairs (the shell of the stairway was used as a storage place and for grinding grain). They were equipped with a system of water supply and outdoor pits for waste. We can also suppose that latrines existed on the upper floor.

The residential area comprises also the main palace of Qaryat Al-Faw that used to be the residence of the Kings of Central Arabia.

Main palace of Qaryat Al-Faw (photo: Florent Egal)

The market (souq)

The market lay to the east of the residential district, on the west bank of the wadi that separates the Tuwaiq cliffs from the edge of the town. With a length of 30.75 metres running east-west and 25.2 metres north-south, the massive enclosure wall was composed of three parts: the central section built from limestone blocks, and the internal and external facings made from sun-baked brick.

This sturdy three-storied construction was equipped with seven towers. The only entrance, on the west side, was a small door that opened onto the central court where a very deep stone well had been dug. At the center of this courtyard is a big well from where a water channel runs along rooms, stores, and shops.

Water channel inside the souq (photo: Florent Egal)

The temples

Three temples and an altar have been found at Qaryat al-Faw. South Arabian inscriptions have revealed which divinities they were dedicated to, such as Al-Ahwar, Shams, Athtar, Wadd, and also dhu Ghabat of the kingdom of Lihyan.

South Arabian inscription in a temple of Qaryat Al-Faw (photo: Florent Egal)

The necropolises

One of the visual features of Qaryat al-Faw is its tower shaped tombs that were built for the most prominent residents like Ma‘sad ibn ‘Arsch. But the city hosts a great diversity of types of tombs, which correspond to the different periods during which the site was occupied.

Tower tombs of Qaryat Al-Faw (photo: Florent Egal)

Next to each tower underground tombs were dug with several burial chambers that are still accessible by stairs.

The public cemeteries on the north-east of the city were the burial grounds for the less fortunate citizens of the town. They are similar to Muslim cemeteries, consisting of an irregularly shaped terrain between one and five meters in depth, which has remained practically unchanged nor been covered with lime.

Inside a tomb of Qaryat Al-Faw (photo: Florent Egal)

Artefacts

The archeological site of Qaryat Al-Faw has provided some of the finest pieces of ancient Arabian art including wall paintings, statues, jewellery, coins, glass, pottery, ceramic,... Some of those unique masterpieces are part of the famous exhibition Roads of Arabia.

Fragment of a wall painting showing a Kindite king of the 1st century CE (source: wikimedia)

How to visit Qaryat Al-Faw

Qaryat Al-Faw is just few hundred meters from the highway south of Wadi Ad-Dawasir but it can't be approached by a two-wheel-drive car as the terrain is sandy.

The archeological site is closed so visitors have to be accompanied by tour guides that can arrange access.

Tour operators organizing trips at Qaryat Al-Faw

Horizons Tours

The Horizons Tours "Saudi Desert Wanderers", certified by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), specializes in unraveling the[...]

Mahajah

Tue, 01 May 2018 15:09:03 +0000

Hidden treasures of Tabuk Province

Mahajah is a rocky desert located on the southeast of Tabuk Province where erosion of sandstone formations created out-of-this-world landscapes. It lays on the southwest of the large sand dune desert, the Nefud Al-Kebir, an ancient area known for having hosted early humans for several millenia, leading to the rich rock art found in Mahajah.

Mahajah is not well known because of its remoteness and difficult terrain that dictates slow progress when travelling, even to the mightiest of four-wheel drive cars. That means that this part of the Saudi desert remains relatively untouched. As a result it hosts many incredible pristine sites, and it should remain that way.

The Land of Natural Arches

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is full of amazing but little known sites. Among its unknown features are natural arches that are found in many parts of the country, even in Riyadh Province. Mahajah hosts the most spectacular ones, however, especially around Jebel 'Uwayqir. There, the erosion from wind and rain sculpted a sandstone formation into three arches, the tallest reaching as high as 40 meters.

Natural arch with Jens and Kerstin Niemann from Beautiful Saudi Arabia (photo: Florent Egal)

Seen from the distance the arches look tiny, but when arriving from the western side of the rock formation an impressive diamond-shape arch reveals itself. The size is striking and the symmetry of this natural sculpture is incredible.

When looking through the incredibly regular arch, the top of a second one - even higher - appears. If the first arch requires a bit of climbing to reach, this second one can be crossed by several cars simultaneously! Its elegant, slender silhouette is a beauty.

Natural arch at Mahajah (photo: Florent Egal)

Ancient Rock Art

The stunning natural arches of the Jebel 'Uwayqir have attracted humans for millennia, as attested to by the numerous drawings and texts carved on its sides. The truly amazing rock art in Mahajah is found at Hafirat Laqat. There, a natural rock wall, more than 160 meters long, is covered with thousands of carvings showing life-size camels, horsemen, goats, buffaloes, abstract shapes, and even a boat!

Rock art of Hafirat Laqat (photo: Florent Egal)

There is an incredible concentration of so-called Thamudic inscriptions. Thamudic describes the script used by Bedouins some 2 000 years ago. There are also few Nabatean texts, proving that this place, which even today is very remote, was once regularly crossed by travellers and caravans.

A Land of early European explorers

In 1883, Charles Huber, a French explorer, led his second expedition into Arabia, up to Hail Province, and went through Mahajah several times.

Possibly as a revival of an ancient tradition - also seen from explorers in sites as diverse as Giza and Persepolis - he carved his name at places he visited. At least two of them are in Mahajah, one at Hafirat Laqat and another at the natural arches, where his fellow traveler the German scholar, Julius Euting, also engraved his name.

Carving of Charles Huber (photo: Florent Egal)

How to visit Mahajah

By yourself

Mahajah is a very remote area because of its tough, rocky terrain, with fields of soft sand that dictates slow progress. Also, it is full of dead-ends, so it is only for experienced and fully equipped drivers! We strongly advise to go with one of our tour guides that know the way, and the great spots!

With our guides

Horizons organizes trips in the steps of Charles Huber, including the magnificent Mahajah.

Horizons Tours

The Horizons Tours "Saudi Desert Wanderers", certified by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), specializes in unraveling the[...]

Maqna – Bir Sa’idani

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 10:11:57 +0000

The wells of Moses

Maqna is a charming coastal town located on the Gulf of Aqaba that faces Egypt and the Sinai mountains, clearly visible from it. But the town is famous for its wells that witnessed an important episode in the life of the Prophet Moses.

The territory bordering the eastern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba is the ancient land of Madyan (or Midian) whose capital was probably in today’s city of Al-Bada’, where monumental tombs were later sculpted by the Nabatean people. Madyan is the land where Moses spent ten years in voluntary exile after fleeing from Egypt following an altercation with an Egyptian that was beating an Israelite.

Gulf of Aqaba and Sinai Mountains seen from Bir Sa'idani aka Moses Wells (photo: Florent Egal)

It is believed that Moses crossed the Red Sea and arrived in Maqna and went to a well called Bir Al-Sa’idani to drink. There he saw two girls collecting water for their cattle and he offered to help. The girls reported this gentle move to their father, the prophet Shu’ayb, who went to meet Moses, recognized his pure soul, and decided to marry one of his daughters to him. Thus, Moses settled in Madyan and lived there for ten years with his wife and father-in-law.

Later when Moses brought the people out of Egypt through the Red Sea, they are supposed to have reached the land of Madyan at Tayeb Al-Ism which is located just 15 kilometers north of Maqna, and also bears witness to him, as it is called the Valley of Moses.

Bir Sa'idani aka Moses Wells (photo: Florent Egal)

During the first years of Islam an important event took place in Maqna as it was there the troops of the Prophet Mohammed signed a treaty with the people of Judham, the tribe controlling this area that converted to Islam.

Even today there is a well in Maqna where crystal clear water comes out of the ground in several places as if by magic. The well is surrounded by beautiful palm trees and its water runs downhill towards a lush palm grove. On the north of the well is an archeological site that is believed to date back to the early Islamic era.

As the well is located on a hill one kilometer away from the Gulf of Aqaba it offers a stunning viewpoint on the blue waters of the Gulf that separates the ancient land of Madyan from the impressive Sinai mountains that are visible from the well. The road that heads towards Tayeb Al-Ism and runs along the irregular hilly shore with beaches where the blue become turquoise is quite enchanting.

Stream coming from the well watering the palmgrove (photo: Florent Egal)

How to visit Maqna

Maqna is accessible by road and both locations of the town and the well of Bir Sa'idani are available on Google Maps. The wells are referenced as "Well of Moses".

Tour operators organizing trips to Maqna

Horizons Tours

The Horizons Tours "Saudi Desert Wanderers", certified by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), specializes in unraveling the[...]

Mugha’ir Shu’ayb – Madyan

Sat, 17 Feb 2018 20:29:25 +0000

The ancient city of Madyan

For too long people have believed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is devoid of historical remains. But in 2015 the world was astounded to discover that Saudi Arabia hosts the second largest Nabatean city, Hegra (also known as Madain Saleh) as that year the ancient city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But in fact Saudi Arabia doesn’t have only one major Nabatean city but at least three, with Dumat-al-Jandal in Al-Jawf Province and Al-Bada’ in Tabuk Province. The latter, also called Mugha’ir Shu’ayb, is still mostly unknown although it has some of the most beautiful monumental tombs typical of the architecture of the ancient Nabatean kingdom.

History of the ancient oasis of Madyan

The importance of Al-Bada’ is due to its location in the Wadi ‘Afal, a wide, 50 kilometer long valley oriented north-south that connects the Levant (Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine) to the western shore of Arabia and its great seaports such as Aynuna and Loke Kome. Al-Bada’ is also connected to an east-west road that leads to the town of Maqna on the Gulf of Aqaba.

Most scholars agree that Al-Bada’ is the ancient city of Madyan, although there is no formal proof yet, but we hope that the Saudi-French archeological mission that started in 2017 will confirm this hypothesis. Madyan, which refers to both a land and a city, probably dates back to the end of the 2^nd millennium BCE.

Wadi 'Afal seen from Mugha'ir Shu'ayb (photo: Florent Egal)

Madyan is known for being the place where the Prophet Moses sought refuge after fleeing from Egypt. There he met the Prophet Shu'ayb who recognized in Moses a pure soul and gave him one of his daughters. Moses then lived for ten years with his wife and father-in-law in Madyan before returning to Egypt to free its people from the Pharaoh Ramses II. On his way back, his people crossed the Gulf of Aqaba at the location named Tayeb Al-Ism, also called the canyon of Moses.

The first collections of archeological material on the surface by explorers and scientists have shown signs of a long occupation of Al-Bada’ with remains from the main populations that reigned in the Middle-East. Coins have proven that the city was also active during the Hellenistic, Nabatean, Roman, and Islamic periods. It seems that the importance of Madyan declined from the 11^th century BCE but was never abandoned as it is still mentioned under the rule of ‘Umayyads, Fatimids, Mamelukes, and Ottomans.

The archeological site

Madyan was a large and complex habitation area but two main zones are identifiable: the residential area of Al-Maliha that was probably fortified, and the Nabatean necropolis dug in the hillsides of the Jebel Mussalla.

There are several theories about the functions of these monuments with ornamented façades but the burial chambers dug inside on the ground support the idea of tombs similar to the ones at Petra in Jordan and Hegra / Madain Saleh in Madinah Province.

Burial chambers inside a tomb of Mugha'ir Shu'ayb (photo: Florent Egal)

Column and capital of a Nabatean tomb at Mugha'ir Shu'ayb (photo: Florent Egal)

The necropolis counts about 30 tombs including some that are decorated with monumental façades of typical Nabatean style. One of them has a column ornamented with a capital that looks inspired by the Greek Ionic style, showing again the great influence of ancient Greece and Rome in the northern part of the Arabian Peninsula.

How to visit Mugha’ir Shu’ayb

The city of Al-Bada’ is available on Google-Maps and the Mugha’ir Shu’ayb is indicated in Arabic under the name of Madyan (مدين). Most of the ancient city of Madyan lays where is the modern town of Al-Bada’ but as excavations have started only in 2017 the fenced site is not yet ready for visitors.

The Nabatean tombs of Mugha’ir Shu’ayb are accessible to tourists. The site can be entered by their car during opening hours. Stairs have been built to ease access to the tombs that visitors can enter. Beware the holes in the ground where laid the bodies of the defuncts!

Opening times of Mugha'ir Shu'ayb (photo: Florent Egal)

Tombs of Mugha'ir Shu'ayb (photo: Florent Egal)

Tour operators organizing trips to Mugha'ir Shu'ayb

Horizons Tours

The Horizons Tours "Saudi Desert Wanderers", certified by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Heritage (SCTH), specializes in unraveling the[...]

Shuwaymis

Wed, 22 Nov 2017 21:20:03 +0000

The masterpiece of Arabian Prehistory

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Tour operators organizing trips to Mugha'ir Shu'ayb

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Guides providing tours in Al-Masmak

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