Al-Ukhdūd
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Thirteen
ancient Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history through late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the development of Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient h ...
towns have been discovered in
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
up to the present day. These include Qaryat al-Fāw, the Al-Ukhdūd archeological area, Hegra (Madā'in Ṣālih), Jubbah, Tārūt, Al-Shuwayḥaṭiyah, Thāj, Taimaa and Dūmat Al-Jandal. There are still more ancient towns in Saudi Arabia, but little information is currently available on them. Saudi Arabia occupies a unique and distinctive geographic location, bridging civilizations between continents. In ancient times the Arabian peninsula served as a corridor for trade; therefore it saw the beginning of many civilizations, the relics of which are still evident today. The Saudi government has recently established the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, which is responsible for the preservation of these cities.


Qaryat al-Fāw

Qaryat al-Fāw (
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
: قرية الفاو) also appears in the southern text as Qaryat Dhu Kahl (in association with the god Kahl), Qaryat al-Hamraa and Dhat al-Jnan. The name derives from its geographical location at a pass through the Ṭuwayq Mountains where it intersects with Wādī al-Dawāsir, overlooking the northwestern edge of the Empty Quarter desert. It is located about southwest of
Riyadh Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...
, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Qaryat al-Fāw is considered one of the most important ancient cities in
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
, and it was the capital of the Kindah Kingdom from the 1st century BC to the 4th century AD, which was one of the ancient Arab kingdoms in the middle of the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
. This city was known as Dhāt Kahl in the South Arabian text, although in the golden age it was called Qaryat al-Hamrā' ("the Red City") and Dhāt al-Jinān ("the City of Gardens"), and today it is known as Qaryat al-Fāw. The city covers an area of approximately three kilometers by one. The ancient city was inhabited for about eight centuries, and during this period the city fought several wars with the Kingdom of Saba' (c. 8th century B.C. to AD 275), and in AD 228, Imru’ al-Qays fought the city. However, the city is not mentioned in any Arab history books apart from Abū Muḥammad al-Ḥasan al-Hamdānī's book entitled ''Ṣifat Jazīrat al-'Arab''. The city had an important location, as it was located on a trade route, which had a great impact on the lives of the inhabitants due to their contacts with people from other nations. The archaeological excavations in the city revealed that the city had grown and evolved gradually from the point of the trade route to another important commercial point in the eastern part of the trade route that extends from the south of the Arabian Peninsulas through Najrān across the
Gulf A gulf is a large inlet from an ocean or their seas into a landmass, larger and typically (though not always) with a narrower opening than a bay (geography), bay. The term was used traditionally for large, highly indented navigable bodies of s ...
and Mesopotamia. It became the economic, religious, cultural and social centre of the central Arabian Peninsula, as well as the capital of the Kindah Kingdom in their first period.


Discovery

Interest in Qaryat al-Fāw as an archaeological site dates back to the 1940s when a reference to it was made by some official workers of the
Saudi Aramco Saudi Aramco ( ') or Aramco (formerly Arabian-American Oil Company), officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is a majority state-owned petroleum and natural gas company that is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia. , it is the fourth- l ...
oil company. In 1952, three of the company's staff visited the city and wrote about it. In 1996, the village was visited by an expert from the Antiquities and Museums agency. In 1976, it was visited first the History and Antiquities Association of King Saud University in Riyadh and then by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, both aiming to study the site, and more specifically, to identify the location of the city. The work took place between 1972 and 1995. Archaeological excavations were carried out by a team from King Saud University team, from 1970 to 2003, and uncovered two major sectors of the town. The first was a residential area, consisting of houses, squares, streets and a market place, while the second was a sacred area, consisting of temples and tombs. The general architectural plan is very indicative of ancient towns in Arabia. Abdulrahman al-Ansary, former Professor of Archaeology at King Saud University in Riyadh and a member of Saudi Arabia's Consultative Council and of the Council's Committee on Education is considered as the founder of the rediscovery of the city of Qaryat al-Fāw.


Market Area

Built near the western edge of the valley which separates between the Ṭuwayq Mountains and the city limits east of the residential area was a large market, 30.75 m in length from west to east, and 25.20 m north to south. It was surrounded by a huge fence consisting of three contiguous parts; the middle one was made of limestone and the internal and external ones made of clay. The market consisted of three floors with seven towers in the market's corners and three in the structure in the middle of the north, south and east of the building. The only entrance to the market was located in the southern half of the west side and was a small door leading to a small square.


Literature

The residents of the Qaryat al-Fāw were concerned with writing, and a great deal of literature was found on the slopes of the mountains, in the market, temples, while paintings were found in the city's residential, and tombstones, pottery and other archaeological materials were also found in the city. The language used was a mix of the
language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...
of the north and south. They wrote on different topics, including on religious and commercial issues, as well as on subjects related to personal matters, and through their available literature it has been possible to identify some names of
people The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
,
tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...
s, gods, as well as to identify the possible existence of the relations between Qaryat al-Fāw and other kingdoms. A vast amount of inscriptions was found in Qaryat al-Fāw.


Temples

Three temples and one altar were found in Qaryat al-Fāw, two in the area to the west of the market, and one outside the market area. In addition, more than one type of cemetery was found in the town, as there were both public and family graveyards.


Current Condition

As of January 1, 2014, the site is completely fenced for protection against looters by the Saudi Government. The site is tended by a Saudi caretaker whose family has ties to the immediate area. The site was authorized and allocated funds for significant improvement, preservation and the construction of a modern visitors center. Construction was to have been completed by December, 2013, however to date no construction has started. The site is extremely impressive, with multiple Nobelmans and Warrior class tombs spaced along the Eastern periphery. The Kings tomb resides somewhat separated and to the North West of the City. The market place shows significant erosion of the walls, which have buried almost an entire story of the once 3 or 4 level artifice. Remnants of grain storage and baking ovens can still be seen today. Located East of the city lies a large jebel, with significant caves and
petroglyph A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...
s.


Al-Okhdood

Al-Ukhdūd (), formerly known as ''Raqmat'' (), is located in the south of Saudi Arabia in Bir Hima/ Najrān region, about to the south of Riyadh. Exploration of the city was begun around 1997 by group of Saudi historians. Since then, many antiques have been found, and the greatest discovery in the town was of the place that the ruler of
Himyarite Kingdom Himyar was a polity in the southern highlands of Yemen, as well as the name of the region which it claimed. Until 110 BCE, it was integrated into the Qataban, Qatabanian kingdom, afterwards being recognized as an independent kingdom. According ...
called ''Ukhdūd'' in Arabic. According to the experts, the city was built between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. The story of these people is mentioned in the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
, in the sura al-Burūj.


Madā'in Sālih

Madā'in Ṣāliḥ or Hegra (
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
: الحِجر), also called Al-Ḥijr, is an ancient city located in the northern part of the
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
i region of Saudi Arabia, about to the north of Riyadh. Madā'in Ṣāliḥ is considered to be one of the most important and oldest ancient cities in the country. Madā'in Ṣāliḥ lies to the northwest of the city of
Al-'Ula al-Ula (), officially AlUla, is an ancient Arabian oasis city and governorate located in Medina Province, Saudi Arabia, northwest of the city of Medina. Situated in the Hejaz, a region that features prominently in the history of Islam as well ...
, in a strategic position on one of the most important ancient trade routes, which linked the south of the Arabian peninsula to the north, as well as to the great economic and cultural centres of
Mesopotamia Mesopotamia is a historical region of West Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia is known as present-day Iraq and forms the eastern geographic boundary of ...
,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
and
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. It was the second-largest city in the kingdom of the Nabateans. The Nabateans were a group of Arab tribes whose economy was based on pastoralism, and over time they settled, created and developed several cities and become traders. The Nabataeans occupied a territory in the south of the area of Ash-Shām where they founded the Nabataeans; their capital was
Petra Petra (; "Rock"), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu (Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: or , *''Raqēmō''), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit systems, P ...
in
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
, which was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. Their language was a form of old northern Arabic. The landscape of Madā'in Ṣāliḥ is characterized by impressive rock formations, sandstone hills of varied colours, from red to yellow and white. The area of Madā'in Ṣāliḥ covered by the site is about . The tombs are distributed in groups of various importance, as follows: *Qaṣr al-Ṣāni' () is the first group of tombs and occupies two sandstone hills in the southern part of the site. The western hill contains only one large tomb, called Qaṣr al-Ṣāni', while the second one contains six small undated funerary chambers. *The tombs of the residential area: this group of monuments lies in the south of the residential area. It comprises two sandstone hills, one small and one large. The large one contains eighteen tombs. * Qaṣr al-Farid is located in the southwest of the site. It was given its name as it was completely isolated from the other tombs. *Qaṣr al-Bint (): this group of tombs lies west of Jabal Ithib. It comprises two sandstone hills, one containing twenty-nine tombs and the second, two tombs. *Jibal Athilb (): The name is a toponym referring to two mountain ranges which dominate the site from the northeast. *Jabal al-Maḥjar (): this group of tombs is located to the northwest of the complex of Qaṣr al-Bint and occupies three elongated sandstone hills, one of which is called the Jabal al-Maḥjar. This area contains fourteen tombs. *Khaymāt (): this group of tombs is located to the west of the Ḥijāz railway. It contains fifty-three tombs. *The residential area (): is located in the plain which lies in the middle of the site. Madā'in Ṣāliḥ was recognized by
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
as a site of patrimony, the first world heritage site in Saudi Arabia. The story of these people called the people of Thamūd (including
Petra Petra (; "Rock"), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu (Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: or , *''Raqēmō''), is an ancient city and archaeological site in southern Jordan. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit systems, P ...
) is mentioned several times in the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
along with prophet Ṣāliḥ.


Jubbah

Jabbah () is located in the Ḥā'il Province about north of Riyadh. The city was built around 3000 years ago.


Tārūt

Tārūt Island () is an ancient island in the
Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...
located off the city of Qaṭīf. The name is said to be derived from that of the goddess of love and war, a Phoenician and Canaanite goddess Astārūt. Tarut is known for its historical landmarks, such as the Tārūt Castle.


Al-Shuwayḥaṭiyah

Al-Shuwayḥaṭiyah () is located in the north of Saudi Arabia about north of Riyadh in the Al-Jawf region.


Thāj

(; ) () is located in the northwest of the Eastern Province, about northeast of Riyadh. The majority of historians believe that the city of Thāj was built in the period of the
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
, after the conquest of
Alexander Alexander () is a male name of Greek origin. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history. Variants listed here ar ...
in 330 B.C. The most important discoveries in the city were nine stones carved with writing dating back to the middle of the first millennium BC.


Dūmat Al-Jandal

Dūmat al-Jandal () (10th century BCE), is the name for an ancient city of ruins located in North Western Saudi Arabia in the
Al-Jawf Province Al-Jawf Province, also known as Al-Jawf Region also spelled Al-Jouf ( Minṭaqat al-Jawf, ), is a Provinces of Saudi Arabia, province in Saudi Arabia, located in the north of the country, partially bordered by Jordan to the west. It is one of the ...
. The name Dūmat al-Jandal means literally "Dūmah of the Stone", since this was the territory of Dūmah, one of the twelve sons of
Ishmael In the Bible, biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael (; ; ; ) is the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137. Traditionally, he is seen as the ancestor of the Arabs. Within Isla ...
. The city's ancient Akkadian name was Adumatu.


See also

*
Cities of the ancient Near East The earliest cities in history were in the ancient Near East, an area covering roughly that of the modern Middle East: its history began in the 4th millennium BC and ended, depending on the interpretation of the term, either with the conquest by ...
*
Al-'Ula al-Ula (), officially AlUla, is an ancient Arabian oasis city and governorate located in Medina Province, Saudi Arabia, northwest of the city of Medina. Situated in the Hejaz, a region that features prominently in the history of Islam as well ...
: ''Dedan'' - Kingdom of
Lihyan Lihyan (, ''Liḥyān''; Greek: Lechienoi), also called Dadān or Dedan, was an ancient Arab kingdom that played a vital cultural and economic role in the north-western region of the Arabian Peninsula and used Dadanitic language. The kingdom fl ...
(~5th century BCE) * Kinda: Yemeni tribe (2nd century BCE) *
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
: ''Yathrib'' (6th century BCE) *
Tayma Tayma (; Taymanitic: 𐪉𐪃𐪒, , vocalized as: ) or Tema is a large oasis with a long history of settlement, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia at the point where the trade route between Medina and Dumah (Sakakah) begins to cross the Na ...
: ''Tema'' (8th century BCE)


References


External links

* L'heritage du lointai

* ESP Dating of Tooth from Pre- Islamic Sitin Saudi Arabi

* Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquitie

{{Characters and names in the Quran Archaeological sites in Saudi Arabia Ancient Near East Ancient cities of the Middle East