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Hegra (Mada'in Salih)
 | A request that this article title be changed to Hegra is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
&sq=crain_ford&lang=en&file=File:Hegra,_Al-Ula,_Saudi_Arabia.png) Al-Hijr or Mada’in Salih | |
&sq=crain_ford&lang=en&file=File:Saudi_Arabia_location_map.svg)  Shown within Saudi Arabia | |
| Alternative name | Al-Hijr ٱلْحِجْر Mada’in Salih |
|---|---|
| Location | Medina province, Hejaz, Saudi Arabia |
| Coordinates | 26°47′30″N 37°57′10″E / 26.79167°N 37.95278°E |
| Type | Settlement |
| Official name | Hegra Archaeological Site (Al-Hijr / Madâ’in Sâlih) |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | ii, iii |
| Designated | 2008 (32nd session) |
| Reference no. | 1293 |
| Region | Arab states |
Hegra (Ancient Greek: Ἕγρα, Arabic: ٱلْحِجْر, romanized: al-Ḥijr),[1][2][3] also known as Mada’in Salih[4] (Arabic: مَدَائِن صَالِح, romanized: madāʼin Ṣāliḥ, lit. 'Cities of Salih'), is an archaeological site located in the area of Al-'Ula[5] within Medina Province in the Hejaz region, Saudi Arabia. A majority of the remains date from the Nabataean Kingdom (1st century AD). The site constituted the kingdom's southernmost and second largest city after Petra (modern-day Jordan), its capital city.[6] Traces of Lihyanite and Roman occupation before and after the Nabatean rule, respectively, can also be found.
The archaeological site lies in an arid environment. The dry climate, the lack of resettlement after the site was abandoned, and the prevailing local beliefs about the locality have all led to the extraordinary state of preservation of Al-Hijr,[7] providing an extensive picture of the Nabatean lifestyle. Thought to mark the southern extent of the Nabatean kingdom,[8] Al-Hijr's oasis agriculture and extant wells exhibit the necessary adaptations made by the Nabateans in the given environment—its markedly distinct settlement is the second largest among the Nabatean kingdom, complementing that of the more famous Petra archaeological site in Jordan.[7] The location of the site at the crossroads of trade, as well as the various languages, scripts and artistic styles reflected in the façades of its monumental tombs further set it apart from other archaeological sites. It has duly earned the nickname "The Capital of Monuments" among Saudi Arabia's 4,000 archaeological sites.[9][10]
The Quran[11][12][1][13][14][15][16] places the settlement of the area by the Thamudi people during the days of the prophet Salih, between those of Nuh (Noah) and Hud on one hand, and those of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Musa (Moses) on the other. However, a definitive historical chronology can not be obtained through the order of verses due to the fact that the Quranic chapters (see surah) deal with different subjects in non-chronologic order.[17] According to the Quran, the Thamudis were punished by God for their idolatry, struck by an earthquake and lightning blasts. Thus, the site has earned a reputation as a cursed place—an image which the national government is attempting to overcome as it seeks to develop Mada'in Salih for its potential for tourism.[18]
In 2008, UNESCO proclaimed Mada'in Salih as a site of patrimony, becoming Saudi Arabia's first World Heritage Site.[19] It was chosen for its well-preserved remains from late antiquity, especially the 131 monumental rock-cut tombs, with their elaborately ornamented façades, of the Nabataean Kingdom.[20]
- ^ a b Quran 15:80–84 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, §E260.11
- ^ Strabo, Geography, § 16.4.24
- ^ "Hijr UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mada'in Salih | ExperienceAlUla.com". experiencealula.com. Retrieved 2020-06-03.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Mada'in Saleh – Arabian Rock Art Heritage". Retrieved 2022-12-03.
- ^ Woodfield, Marjory (2022-02-24). "Saudi Arabia's silent desert city". BBC News.
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
whswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "History: Expansion of the Nabataeans". Historical Madain Salih. Retrieved 2014-04-07.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
diggingwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
madainwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Quran 7:73–79 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Quran 11:61–69 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Quran 26:141–158 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Quran 54:23–31 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Quran 89:6–13 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Quran 91:11–15 (Translated by Pickthall)
- ^ Asad, M. "The Message of the Quran, 1982. [Note] Surah 17:2 briefly discusses Moses, followed by 17:3 dealing with Noah. Then Surah 17:59 deals with the Thamud, 17:61 deals with Adam's creation". Archived from the original on 2019-12-22. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
- ^ Wood, Graeme (2022-03-03). "Absolute Power". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
- ^ "Buried stories: the tombs of Hegra". Travel. 2022-07-05. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
- ^ "Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
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