Rawawah Site

The Rawawah Site is an archaeological site located south of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is located approximately forty km from al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. The site includes two mountains locally known as Hilyat Rawawah, consisting of black volcanic rocks adorned with Islamic inscriptions.

Most of the Islamic inscriptions at the Rawawah Site date back to the sixth and seventh centuries. They were written in the undotted Hejazi script, also known as the Madani script, by individuals connected to the site due to its proximity to the pilgrimage route linking al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and Makkah al-Mukarramah. This collection is considered the largest of its kind in the Hejaz.

The inscriptions at Rawawah Site include local texts ranging from two to seven lines. They feature supplications, pleas for forgiveness and mercy from Allah, and some contain portions of Quranic verses along with the names of their authors.

The inscriptions at Rawawah serve as an important source of information about the development of Arabic script during the early Islamic period, reflecting the cultural and civilizational growth of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah and its surrounding areas. The site contains over 350 Islamic inscriptions, all written in Arabic script.

The Heritage Commission has registered the Rawawah Site in the National Antiquities Register as a rock art site in Saudi Arabia. The site has been surveyed and studied in collaboration with local universities. It has also been fenced to prevent encroachment, with regular monitoring patrols organized to ensure its protection.