he first settlement at the al ‘Ula Famous Red Cliff Tombs a war between the two important Toasis was erected about 4,000 trading centers. In 553BCE Neo- years ago and developed into one of Most of the over 100 rock tombs Babylonian king Nabonid mentioned the most important trading posts on are found at the foot of the red on a stele, discovered at Harran in the famous Incense Route. colored sandstone cliffs right next today’s Syria, that the king of Dedan to the sprawling capital. The square was his vassal. It is no wonder, 1,000 years later tombs were cut two meters deep with the rise of the Nabataean empire, and horizontally into the rock face, From other known historic sources, that Mada’in Saleh was erected or into the rock bed floors at the Nabonid subdued the whole northern just 20kms north of it. Dedan, or mountain base. These tombs, which region of the Arabian Peninsula. This Khuraibah as it is called, was one of we can still see today, were created included the kingdom of Adumatu the few ancient cities, which allowed during the 5th century BCE and are (modern-day al Jawf) as well as various ethnic tribes living next to either single or collective tombs with Tayma, which he made his new each other in peace and erecting funerary inscriptions. Only a few are capital for over 10 years. separate temples to worship their decorated with lion figures to indicate The reported peaceful conversion main deities Dhu Ghaibat, Nikrah and royal status. Wadd. from Dedan to Lihyanite Dynasty One of these lion tombs belonged around 500BCE, was actually a name The Minaean trading colony of to a Minaean leader, further proof of change of the location name Dedan southern Arabian tribesmen must a peaceful diverse ethnic co-existence to the tribal name, so Dedanites have been significant and was a at Dedan. These are the only rock- became Lihyanites. This event was guarantor for the regular flow of face cut horizontal loculi tombs in based on a change of dominance of incense and other valuable trading Saudi Arabia and possibly a simple clans or trading ynasties. goods from “Arabia Felix” via Dedan predecessor of the sophisticated Ancient Economy “at its best” to the Mediterranean ports. Nabataean temple like facade tombs, On this trade Dedan levied a tax as we can see from the pictures. The economy was based on the incense and spice trade with “Arabia tahal of 10%, which was going to the The creation of burial places and royal court. The same percentage Felix”, mainly the southern kingdom the tomb chamber interior layouts of Saba/Sheba and the Levant ports, was also levied on the significant must have served as good examples agricultural activities around Dedan, as well as on profitable agricultural and were copied by the Nabataean activities. A Dedanite stele at the but these proceeds were passed on tomb architects, as their work is to the temples to support the cultural Rasafem temple at Qarna in the nearly identical with niches and burial Ma’in kingdom in “Arabia Felix” activities and numerous priesthood. pits.Dedan was first mentioned in is testimony of the close trade ancient records during the ties, as was the fact of the large 7th century BCE at Minaean colony in Dedan. Tayma with reference t o ¡ ¢ £ ¤ ¥ ¦ § ¨ © ¥ ¥ ! " # $ % & " ' # ( $ ) * % $ + # $ ( ( % $ + + * " % & % , - . % ) * ) + $ ( / * % % $ ( # 0 / / + 1 + ) 2 % + 3 4 + " ( $ ( 5 $ % % " 0 ( * ) ( " ' ) % 6 #" ) 0 - $ * 7 6 + % # ( + $ ( $ * % / - 8 7 #" 0 * ) Marriage diplomacy was already In addition Dedan was also wall system. So far seven phases taking place also, with Dedan destroyed earlier during the of occupation and construction women being married off to construction of the Hejaz railway have been distinguished by Minaeans in “Arabia Felix”. in 1901 with tracks laid straight excavators. These phases show There seems to have through it’s ruins, the same as at the building activities, been an agreement Mada’in Saleh. their use, decline on a certain division Kings & Rulers and desertion, of labor and plus different trading activities The Lihyan re-use and - Minaeans history records later in history controlled and from various r a n d o m used the land sources offer settlements routes, and more details. at Dedan. Lihyanites This dynasty controlled was based A major and sailed the on hereditary p u b l i c sea routes. succession, building in but the the north We know from kingdomship area was ancient sources excavated and that Lihyanites could move to were experienced another family clan. inscriptions seafarers and Instead Dedan was discovered, plus controlled the Gulf earlier ruled by governors offering tables of Aqaba and parts of using a king type title. It was and statues. One the northern Red Sea ports. a highly organized and disciplined wall had four pillars plus political organization with evidence three pedestals, which are assumed Relations with Tayma must have of a social welfare system. to have served for these statues as been excellent for Dedan rulers to be various threshold plates were found allowed to leave regular inscriptions The king was assisted by an with a snake guardian symbol. at the main Tayma temple. But advisory council called hajbal, there were also internal conflicts which played an important role. It can be assumed that this reported, which might ultimately Kings used nicknames such as building was erected between 700- have led to the final collapse of the dhi Aslan “king of mountains”, or 100BCE and was actually a temple Lihyan kingdom. dhi Manen “robust king”. These with sanctuary. W h e n kings were represented at their A landmarklandma cistern Nabataeansn s Umm Daraj mountain sanctuaryctua ry cut in sstone is b e c a m e with life-size elaboratete and easily seensee today m o r e beautifulbe statues madede out in tthehe llesses than a dominant, of red sandstone. quarter excavated M a d a ’ i n This religious center,enter, archaeologicalarchae S a l e h situated on the oppositepo site ruin fieldf of replaced Dedan.Deda The t h e wadi side, had three temples featuring monolithicmo t r a d i n g s t o n e center of theth best mountain viewsvi on the city block was Dedan and prepared Lihyanites of Dedan. It could be reached by w i t h m o v e d absolutely s o u t h steepst staircases t o w a r d s hewnhe into the cliff, r o u n d Makkah. of which the lower w a l l s partpa is still visible on the T h e r e todaytoda and which are o u t s i d e are also still covered today and the traces of an with ancienta writings carved out earthquakeke and some animal center has and this was petroglyphs.petrogly a capacity the reason why of 27,000 Dedan was These Lihyanite kings liters.li finally desertedrted made furtherf advances and still looksoks in statesta administrationn I n t e r n a l like a rubble field introducingintroduc a city-state system.m. stairsst ai are today. But therether was no runningng leadinglead down calendar and events were to thet he water The Dedan site level, asa it was was unfortunatelyately dated to the year of rule of each king,kin which makes precisecise used ffor ritual also used as washingwashin for the a quarry for dating difficult,d if gaps in royaloyal chronologychronolo exist. temple ofo main modern-day al DedaniteDedani deity ’Ula with many ImportantImport Dedan Capital local houses Dhu GhGhaibat, also showing stone blocks featuring The Dedan capital started on a written Dhu-Ghab’a. Dedan, Lihyan and Minaean small scale with an extension of Pottery production traces can inscriptions including carved 300x200m and later expanded be seen on the city’s northeast decorations and symbols. with evidence of a defensive city border with three small tells, where 9 archaeologists assume kilns to be found in future excavations. Early Oasis Farming One of the various oasis farming areas is situated to the north of the ancient city center called Kief al Zarah and situated right opposite today’s ARAC Hotel. It’s residential quarters for farm laborers lie about 1km north of Dedan on the other side of Wadi Mu’tadil. The fenced site stretches along the main wadi cliff. It consists of simple residential structures with stone foundations and walls built of mud brick thereon in contrast to Dedan, where only stone walls were erected. The small rectangular enclosures are built at random with no regular layout and feature fire pits for cooking. Here no formal or public buildings such as temples were found. P > EJ A Q D O N H = O D HNB HM J G H@I G > @A E O > F HM NA R@ > M B @L K O = NHRRF The only possible public structure is an isolated platform with adjacent court yard with yet uncertain usage. Was it a market or date processing site? Or was it an early sacrificial site? The latter option might be supported by the fact that the platform was erected using well hewn blocks and that fine Dedan potsherds were found, different to the coarse farming potsherds from residential quarters. In addition a massive wall was built across Wadi Mu’tadil. This wall spanned across the entire wadi floor from cliff to cliff and was built slightly convex with sandstone blocks. It is assumed that its main purpose was flood prevention and water redirection to the Kief al Zarah fields via a canal found on the north side.