Posts from the past

Epic journeys, human stories and hopeful prayers from centuries ago are recorded at AlUla in pieces of rock art and carved inscriptions that talk to us today.

Touching detail

These ancient messages – often in a variety of languages and touching in their detail – transport modern day visitors back to a different time and serve as a reminder of the many diverse cultures that passed through this vital region of northwest Arabia in order to ply their trade. For thousands of years, an endless stream of pilgrims and traders bookmarked their journey through AlUla by carving stones with dedications to loved ones, blessings for abundant crops, or prayers for good health.

UNESCO

Jabal Ikmah was in 2023 added to the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register and officially acknowledged as housing the highest concentration of inscriptions in the region. These messages not only offer a fascinating picture of the everyday lives of normal working people from an ancient era, but are also testament to our continued love of storytelling that is passed down through the generations.


AlUla is now home to some of the most important collections of rock art and inscriptions in the Middle East

Where to see rock art

See hundreds of significant inscriptions in Jabal Ikmah, as well as AlAqra’a and Naqsh Zuhayr, which visitors will be able to experience in the future. Visitors can also see inscriptions and rock art at the trails, and at Ashar valley. At numerous epigraphic points, see hundreds of inscriptions that show how languages evolved since the first millennium. AlUla’s inscriptions include those written in the ancient and historic languages of Dadanitic, Thamudic, Minaic and Nabataean.

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