| Registration Classification | cultural heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (2), (3) |
| Year of registration | 2008 |
The archaeological site of Al-Hijr is the largest site of the Nabatean civilization, located south of Petra, the capital of the Nabateans. It is known for its well-preserved tombstones dating from the 1st century B.C. to the 1st century A.D.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why the archaeological site of Al-Hijr (Madain Saleh) is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about the archeological site of Al-Hijr!
What is the Hegra Archaeological Site（Al-Hijr/Mada’in Saleh）?
This place was originally called Mada’in Saaleh (the city of Saaleh) and believed in Quraan to be cursed as Al-Hijr (the rocky place).
In reality, the city was inhabited by nomads of the Nabatean Kingdom, which flourished from the 1st century B.C. to the 1st century A.D., mainly in what is now western Jordan. And it was inhabited before the Nabateans, and about 50 inscriptions and some cave murals remain. Al-Hijr has a whopping 111 tombstones, 94 of which are still decorated and well preserved.They show the influence of Orient civilizations such as Assyria, Egypt, and Phoenicia.
Although the kingdom flourished as a trading post, wells are scattered throughout the ruins, and it is also known that agriculture was once practiced here.
For what reason is the Hegra Archaeological Site（Al-Hijr/Mada’in Saleh） registered as a World Heritage site?
The archaeological site of Al-Hijr was evaluated on the following points.
Registration Criterion (ii)
The point is that Al-Hijr was on the trade route between the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean region, and Asia, and was the meeting place of many different civilizations.
Registration Criterion (iii )
The site has wells, most of which are now unusable, indicating that the Nabataeans used water for agriculture.
World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Comments
The Qur’an states that the place was cursed because the people of Al-Hijr were destroyed for ignoring the Messenger. Was this kind of legend created because the city was actually abandoned before Islamization? It is now believed that the city was once a crossroads of various civilizations and prospered through trade and agriculture.As a site of the Nabatean Kingdom, it is the second largest site after the famous Petra site.
Nowadays, it is a famous tourist attraction, but the local people are Muslims, and they do not feel very comfortable guiding travelers to the site.Was this place really cursed…? The truth remains a mystery.
*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts. As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the medium.
