Jabal Ikmah (جبل عكمة) or more then 300 Inscriptions at al-'Ula (ٱلْعُلَا), Saudi Arabia

 

This blog post is also about al'Ula (ٱلْعُلَا‎), where there is simply so much to see, and you can see various archaeological monuments all at once [1]. Today I want to talk about Jabal Ikmah (جبل عكمة). “Inducted into UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, Jabal Ikmah features more than 300 historically significant carved inscriptions. This spectacular mountain contains the largest concentration of Dadanitic and Lihyanite inscriptions in the world.” [2]

It is unclear what led to this particular region being covered with inscriptions over centuries and across different civilizations. According to one theory, the sedimentary rock, with its ease of working, invited these inscriptions and images. Much has been learned about the Lihyanite civilization, which flourished from the 6th century BCE to the 2nd century BCE, through these inscriptions. Chronological data about the kingdom, toponyms, commercial transactions, names of various musical instruments such as flutes, drums, and stringed instruments, descriptions of sculpture and metalwork, and much more were found. The rocky region is often described as an open library [3]. Inscriptions in various languages were found, including Dadanitic, Aramaic, Safaitic, Minaic, Nabataean, and others that predate the Arabic era and also influenced the development of the Arabic script.

I guess you didn'd expect the reptiloids among the readers of these scripts

The pictures are also taken in the “impressive” mode, which makes inscriptions better visible. I selected pictures that show the different techniques used.

Links and Annotations:
[1] The City of AlUla in Saudi Arabia – An Overview
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-city-of-alula-in-saudi-arabia.html 
The Lion Tombs at Dadan or al-'Ula (ٱلْعُلَا), Saudi Arabia
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-lion-tombs-at-dadan-or-al-ula-saudi.html 
[2] https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/alula/attractions/jabal-ikmah-in-alula 
[3] https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%84_%D8%B9%D9%83%D9%85%D8%A9#%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%87%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9 – only available in Arabic!

.

The Lion Tombs at Dadan or al-'Ula (ٱلْعُلَا), Saudi Arabia

 

I have already mentioned the city of al-'Ula [1]. The official spelling is AlUla, but al 'Ula or al-'Ula (العلا) would be more accurate. There is a lot to see in and around it. So also the rock tombs. Over 100 Nabataean tombs (Mada'in Salih) carved into the sandstone cliffs have been counted. These tombs were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Among them are the Lion Tombs, as well as others, including those where additional graves have been exposed by the wind in front of them. Inscriptions tell the stories of those buried there. Today I want to write more about the Lion Tombs and their culture, as they are the highlight of the Old City of Dadan, whereof the remnants of this old Nabatean city are close by. The lions are carved into the rocks. One has to look through binoculars as the site is only open to the public from a distance. I can understand this precaution, as the majority of people seem to need haptic sensory input where simply looking would suffice.

Dadan, or Lihyan in Arabic (لحيان), was an ancient kingdom that flourished between the 5th and 1st centuries BCE. The country derived its wealth from the frankincense trade [2]. The Dedanites were already mentioned in the Old Testament [3], indicating they existed as a people much longer. Little is known about the Dadanitic language, despite the existence of inscriptions. For example, the Wikipedia article states: “The grammar of Dadanitic is poorly understood, ..." [4]. The landscape gives an eery feeling nowadays.

Handy through the observation binoculars

There are more than twenty of these lion tombs (مقابر الأسود الدادنية), which were built between 600 and 500 BCE. The lions at the rock tombs were meant to protect the deceased [5]. Overall, the tombs also demonstrate the wealth of the dadanite society, or perhaps I should say the upper class; this is no different 2500 years later. The name of the chief god of the Dadanites was Dhu-Ghabat, the name means "he of the thicket" [6]. But again, there isn't any thicket seen today, though closer the the oasis there is green in the date palm groves.

Links and Annotations:
[1] The City of AlUla in Saudi Arabia – An Overview
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-city-of-alula-in-saudi-arabia.html 
Some Observations Concerning Women in Saudi Arabia
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2026/03/some-observations-concerning-women-in.html 
[2] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dadan 
[3] E.g.: "A prophecy against Arabia: You caravans of Dedanites, who camp in the thickets of Arabia, bring water for the thirsty; you who live in Tema, bring food for the fugitives."
Isaiah 21:13-14
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dadanitic 
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_tombs_of_Dedan 
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pre-Islamic_Arabian_deities 

.

The City of AlUla in Saudi Arabia – An Overview

 

When I initially planned to write about AlUla, or rather the Nabataean city of Hegra, I wasn't fully aware of just how much more extensive and interesting the entire city of AlUla actually is. Therefore, before delving into the details, I've decided to provide an overview. AlUla has a settlement history that stretches back to the Bronze Age, meaning we're talking about the last 7,000 years. For some time, the city belonged to the Nabataean Kingdom [1]. It lies on the Incense Route. It remained an important stopover for pilgrims traveling to Medina and Mecca, besides it is part of the Medina Province. Medina itself is located about 400 km to the southeast.

The official spelling is AlUla, but al 'Ula or al-'Ula (العلا) would be more accurate. Hegra is a World Heritage Site and testimony of Nabataean history [2], but there are also other interesting natural monuments, more tombs, and the old railway line. I'm only providing an overview of the places I visited and the railway line, as it might be easier to plan a visit on your trip here. Further information can be found at [3] (German) and [4] (English).

Inscriptions
Carved into sandstone is the Library for Eternity at Jabal Ikmah, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023. Similar inscriptions can be found at other sites of the Nabataean Kingdom, such as in Jordan [5]. However, the inscriptions in Jordan were just as easy to visit as those in Saudi Arabia; Petra was overcrowded. Jabal Ikmah displays inscriptions and drawings, as well as reliefs. Nabataean and Aramaic are represented.

Rock Tombs
Over 100 Nabataean tombs (Mada'in Salih) carved into the sandstone cliffs have been counted. These tombs were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Among them are the Lion Tombs, as well as others, including those where additional graves have been exposed by the wind in front of them. Inscriptions tell the stories of those buried there.

Earthen Buildings
The earthen buildings of the Old City were inhabited until 1980. They are now protected and have been/are being restored. This also means that there is no longer any heavy traffic in the area, so tourist buses and cars park in a designated parking lot, and visitors are transported to the Old City in electric vehicles. In total, there are 900 earthen buildings, shops, galleries, other exhibitions, and even live music.

Elephant Rock
The rock rises 52 meters high and is visited by locals and tourists alike. Pilgrims also stop there. Unfortunately, there were also scantily clad influencers, whom I will discuss elsewhere. The rock itself is particularly beautiful at sunset.

Hejaz Railway Station
I have already written about the Hejaz Railway [6]. Here, a station of the Hejaz Railway can still be seen, along with remnants of the railway infrastructure. It didn't fit into our itinerary, even though it is very close to Hegra. However, other routes might pass by here.

I will report on various parts of AlUla separately. I definitely recommend visiting the city, and I also recommend doing so soon, as it is likely to become as crowded as Petra.

Links and Annotations:
[1] For the overview, I have relied more on the German Wikipedia article [1a], but the English article is more comprehensive [1b] and also lists the other kingdoms. 7000 years of history have a lot to offer.
[1a] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-%CA%BFUla
[1b] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ula
[2] https://integration.dumontreise.de/magazin/reportagen/partner/story/alula-schatzkammer-unter-palmen
[3a] "Find out what else Al-Ula's nature has to offer at": www.experiencealula.com/nature-outdoors
[3b] "Everything about art and culture in Al-Ula can be found at": www.experiencealula.com/arts-culture
[4] https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/alula
[5] Oops, this is one of the blog posts I didn't write back then, but still plan to write.
[6] The Hejaz Railway in Saudi Arabia
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-hejaz-railway-in-saudi-arabia.html

.