Dadanitic Inscriptions in Qassim Province

Dadanitic Inscriptions in Qassim Province are archaeological inscriptions uncovered by archaeological surveying works conducted in Qassim Province. They date back to the era of the Kingdom of Dadan. They consist of two rock inscriptions written in Dadanitic script. They are among the first Dadanitic inscriptions in Qassim Province, in the central north of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They reflect the long history of the province and its successive civilizations over centuries. Their discovery was announced by the Heritage Commission on April 15, 2023.

The two Dadanitic inscriptions highlighted the historical importance of the central Arabian Peninsula, anciently known as a path for trade caravans. These inscriptions also revealed the existence of a road connecting the Kingdom of Dadan to the Kingdom of Lihyan, the kingdoms that settled within northwestern Arabia and established AlUla as their capital city. In fact, the first name of AlUla was "Dadan". Moreover, they also revealed a road connecting the site to the Kingdom of Kinda, in al-Faw Archaeological Area, in central Arabia. This discovery has also uncovered details on a cultural and commercial relationship between the ancient Arabian kingdoms of the first century BCE.

The Dadanitic inscriptions in Qassim Province consist of two memorial inscriptions, one written in the early Dadanitic script and the other in the late Dadanitic script, on two rock facades located at an archaeological site known as "ad-Dulaimiya." The southwestern rocks of this site feature several rock arts, including drawings of animal figures such as camels, ostriches, and ibexes. Researchers believe that these findings date back to the Iron Age. The site also features drawings dating to the modern era, including chariots, Arabic coffee pots, and inscriptions written in ancient Arabic scripts, namely memorials written in Thamudic script.