Antiquities in Tabuk Province

Antiquities in Tabuk Province are a collection of artifacts discovered in Tabuk Province, northwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This province is distinguished by its wealth of cultural landmarks, attributed to the succession of various civilizations that have inhabited these lands since prehistoric times, largely owing to its strategic geographical location.

Numerous stone tools have been unearthed at various sites across Tabuk Province, dating back to the early and late Stone Ages. These discoveries include findings from Wadi al-Akhdar, Wadi al-Baqqar, Jabal Wirqan, Jabal al-Lawz, 'Qaryah' area, and Jabal al-Yusri. One of the most significant sites, Masiyon, located in Wadi Damm northwest of Tabuk City, has yielded a vast collection of stone tools such as scrapers, knives, chisels, and rock carvings depicting various animals, including ibex and dogs.

At the archaeological site of Kilwa, northeast of Tabuk, several ancient rock carvings and a collection of stone tools have also been found.

In addition, over sixty sites from the Chalcolithic Period have been identified, including Hisma, Wadi Shaqri, Wadi al-Fowaha, and Wadi Abqar, along with approximately 313 rock art sites from the same era.

In and around Jabal al-Lawz, drawings from the Stone Age can be found, depicting herds of livestock and colorful cows. A cave at the base of the mountain reveals artwork from various periods.

Rock carvings of camels, ibex, ostriches, and dogs are widespread in ad-Disah, Wadi al-Sukhna, and Wadi al-Baqqar, alongside imprints of human hands and feet.

In Wadha, large-scale human-shaped figures, dating back to the Neolithic Period (7500 BCE - 6500 BCE), have been discovered.

Tabuk Province witnessed the rise of various civilizations over the centuries. The Kingdom of Midian, which emerged in the twelfth century BCE, thrived in the oases of Tabuk, Tayma', and al-Bda’. Additionally, the civilizations of the Edomites, Dedanites, Lihyanites, and Minaeans, prospered during the period from the sixth century BCE to the first century CE. The Nabataean Kingdom also flourished in Tabuk from the mid-first century BCE until the beginning of the second century CE.

Tabuk Province is home to a significant number of archaeological sites dating back to the era of the intermediary Arab kingdoms. These include remnants of cities, villages, and ports. Notable sites include Tayma', Qaryah, al-Siyani, and al-Malihah in al-Bda’, Maghair al-Kuffar in Aynuna, al-Qusayr, and Akra Kome, located south of al-Wajh. Other notable locations include ad-Disah, east of Duba, which boasts thousands of rock carvings and inscriptions written in Thamudic, Aramaic, Ancient Greek, Lihyanite, and Nabataean scripts. Mining sites, villages, and evidence of pastoral activity have also been identified on Hisma Plateau.

In Qaryah site, a stone wall, dating back to pre-Islamic times, encircles the city. The wall stretches approximately ten km and features defensive structures designed for fortification. Inside, there are large archaeological mounds located near a series of kilns used for pottery production, alongside an intricate irrigation network and the remnants of scattered building foundations.

Several other significant sites from this era are situated across Wadi Sharma in al-Bda’ area, Wadi 'Tayyib Ism', Wadi al-Sadr, and Magna.

Tayma' Governorate, southeast of Tabuk City, boasts significant historical depth, having been nearly continuously inhabited. It is one of the richest archaeological areas in the Kingdom, featuring the city wall that spans about eight km, and al-Hamra Palace, believed to have been constructed or occupied during the reign of King Nabonidus in Tayma' in the sixth century BCE. The palace contains an obelisk and a cubic stone adorned with various carvings and symbols. Inscriptions from that era were discovered in al-Mushamrakha area and at the Wadha site, while the ancient Hadaj Well, lined with stones, is also thought to date back to the sixth century BCE.

A Nabataean inscription was found on Jabal Umm Jadhayidh, west of al-Moadham Center, with another located on Jabal Sarbot Thaleitha.

Kilwa archaeological site, northeast of Tabuk City, is notable for the stones used in its construction and features some of the oldest rock carvings in Tabuk Province.

In Ruaphah, located 115 km southwest of Tabuk City, stands an archaeological temple dating back to the second century BCE. To the southwest of the city lies Qasir al-Tamra archaeological site, a structure consisting of two rooms roofed with terraced stones.

Notable sites from the late first millennium BCE include Maghair Shuaib (the caves of Shuaib) in al-Bda' area, dating back to the Nabataean period. These caves feature rock-cut tomb facades carved into sandstone. Another significant site is Ruaphah archaeological temple, built from dressed stone and inscribed with Nabataean and Latin texts from the second century, as indicated by the inscriptions, now preserved in the National Museum in Riyadh. In ad-Disah, there is also a Nabataean tomb facade, while the coastal plain from Qaryah to Aynuna Oasis holds several areas that flourished during the last three centuries BCE and the early centuries CE.

Among the prominent Nabataean sites is Leuke Kome Port, where the Roman general Aelius Gallus landed with his army in 25 BCE. This site is believed to be located along the modern coastline of al-Khuraybah, north of Duba City, near Aynuna oasis.

Tabuk Province gained strategic significance as a key route for trade caravans and pilgrimage journeys. Remnants of various facilities along these Hajj routes, such as stations, towers, valley bridges, lighthouses, and other landmarks, are still present in the province.

An inscription featuring Ayat al-Kursi and Surat al-Ikhlas, engraved in Kufic script on a white marble slab, was discovered at al-Malqata site in al-Bda' Center.

In Tayma' Governorate, an inscription was found at Ghar al-Hamam site, showcasing reversed writing akin to that seen on seals. Another inscription dating back to 1617 was unearthed at al-Zarib Castle in al-Wajh Governorate, featuring poetic texts. Additionally, al-Moadham Lake inscription was found on three surfaces of a sandstone obelisk, dating to the Mamluk period in 1366.

Tabuk and its adjacent areas saw urban expansion in the eighteenth century, leaving traces in the remains of old neighborhoods in Haql, al-Khuraybah, Duba, al-Wajh, Ummlujj, and Tabuk City, as well as in Ummlujj Governorate.

In 2015, the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (at the time) revealed that one-third of the archaeological artifacts in the Arabian Peninsula were found in Tabuk Province. Several of these artifacts had been smuggled abroad, including the Tayma' Stele, now housed in the Louvre Museum.

Tabuk Province attracted numerous foreign excavation teams, that carried out surveys and excavations in the province, leading to various discoveries. In 2017, five Saudi, European, and Asian teams (from Germany, Austria, Japan, Poland, and France) conducted excavations in various sites in Tabuk Province. A German team worked in Tayma', a Polish team in Aynuna village, and a Japanese team in Wadi al-Muharraq. A Saudi-French team worked in al-Bda' Governorate, while another joint team excavated the "Qaryah" site, north of Tabuk City.

These teams, comprising specialists in archaeology and humanities, were supervised by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (at the time) in collaboration with international scientific institutions, institutes, and universities.

The 2018 archaeological excavation season included multiple excavation missions in Tabuk Province. The Saudi-Polish mission worked at the Aynuna site for its eighth season, the Saudi-Austrian mission excavated at Qaryah archeological site for the sixth season, and the Saudi-French mission completed its second season at al-Malha in al-Bda' Governorate. The Saudi-Japanese team worked on its second season at al-Hawraa site, and conducted a ninth season survey of Stone Age sites in al-Uyaynah, Wadi Muharraq, and Gubi. Meanwhile, excavation continued at Tayma' archeological site in collaboration with the German Archaeological Institute, and the Saudi-Italian mission surveyed submerged archaeological sites between Ummlujj and Yanbu during its fifth season.

In 2021, the Heritage Commission revealed findings from 'Qaryah' site, which was a residential city and agricultural hub. Excavations by a joint team from the commission and the Austrian University of Vienna revealed that Qaryah’s urban oasis dated back one thousand years earlier than previously thought, using modern multidisciplinary research methods. The team dated the site back to the early Bronze Age; third millennium BCE (approximately 2900 - 2600 BCE). This was achieved through focused research along the thirteen km-long oasis wall, with samples taken regularly for dating using radiocarbon and stimulated luminescence techniques.

Before discovering Qaryah walls, the most significant find at the site was a circular stone tomb containing over twelve high-status individuals (men, women, and children), buried with more than one thousand beads and eight diverse necklaces crafted from clay, decorated pottery, pearls, and shells, along with bones, ivory, and precious stones like agate, hematite, amazonite, transparent quartz, green stone, turquoise, and lapis lazuli. The tomb also contained gifts, including pottery vessels, some of which were colored, along with animal sacrifices.

'Qaryah' holds historical importance as a central settlement that lasted for three thousand years, evolving its own language and script. During the Iron Age, it became a key commercial hub and a trade route linking the northern and southern Arabian Peninsula.

In 2024, the Heritage Commission reported the registration of 988 heritage sites in the National Antiquities Register and over 791 heritage architectural buildings, underscoring the region’s rich cultural legacy.

Research teams have documented a wide range of archaeological sites across different eras throughout Tabuk Province, including:

Aynuna Site: Excavations have contributed to establishing a historical sequence for numerous sites, identifying prehistoric locations both along the coast and inland. The discoveries span the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, revealed through the presence of tools. Stone circles, burial mounds, caves, irrigation systems, furnaces, ancient cities, settlements, fortresses, roads, and ports have all been documented. Rock engravings, inscriptions, and a diverse collection of pottery were also found.

Kilwa Site: An ancient rock art site in the Arabian Peninsula, it features depictions of humans and animals, such as ibexes and cattle, along with scattered stone tools, including hand axes, scrapers, drills, and chisels. Surrounding Kilwa site are locations dating back to the Acheulean period (700,000 to 600,000 years ago), the Middle Stone Age (75,000 to 50,000 years ago), and the Neolithic period (7500 to 6500 BCE).

Masil Hameyt (Jabal al-Lawz): Situated about two hundred km west of Tabuk, excavations revealed a stone structure at the mountain's base, consisting of seven sections built from various sizes of granite stones. It includes four adjacent rooms with an open courtyard and a long passage leading to the rooms from the southeast, parallel to one of the rooms, containing fragments of pottery from different styles, along with ashes and bones, were also discovered.

Industrial zone: Research teams identified numerous burial sites, including large organized graves with four smaller child graves attached, irregularly shaped graves made of medium-sized stones, varied burials in random formations, rock-cut graves, and eight children’s graves.

A circular funerary structure composed of three interconnected circles made of dressed stones for the comfort of those sitting was also found at the site.

Tabuk Castle: Originally built during the Abbasid period, the castle has been restored multiple times.

Al-Bda' Governorate: Contains a range of significant archaeological remains, including Maghair Shuaib, the Islamic settlement of Disah in al-Bda’, and al-Sauaidani Well.

Al-Azlam Castle: Located south of Duba Governorate, this castle was one of the Hajj stations during the Mamluk period, constructed during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Ibn Qalawun.

Located southwest of Tabuk City in Duba Governorate, this castle was built by order of the Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud, in 1933 as the seat of government in Duba. Stones for the construction were sourced from al-Muwaylih Castle and Burqan Island, later replaced with limestone. The castle consists of a large rectangular courtyard surrounded by rooms and facilities, with four corner towers shaped like three-quarters of a circle, a foundation plaque, and a mosque on the northern side. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (at the time) restored and converted the castle into a museum to showcase a chronology of the province’s historical development.

Built in 1940 by order of King Abdulaziz, this palace is located in Haql Governorate on the Red Sea coast, northwest of Tabuk City. The design mimics old Islamic fortress architecture, covering an area of nine hundred m² and standing 5.20 m high. It has four corner towers, constructed using limestone sourced from coral formations along the Gulf of Aqaba’s coastal plain. The ceiling is built from wood, palm fronds, reeds, and mud.