Al-Arfaa Monuments

Al-Arfaa Monuments, Al-Arfaa Mountains, are among the archaeological sites in Makkah Province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They are adjacent to Souk Okaz, east of Taif, and are considered one of the most prominent rock-inscription sites in the region. They include animal drawings such as goats, deer, etc., dating back to the pre-second millennium BC, in addition to Thamudic inscriptions and Kufic scripts.

Al-Arfaa Monuments' site is linked to the geographical area of Souk Okaz on the northern side. Archaeological survey works recorded many drawings, including scenes of bow and arrow battles and hunting ibex by hounds. They also recorded many human drawings, animal drawings like cows with horns facing forward, and various symbols.

In 2017, a scientific team of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage conducted a study on the monuments near Souk Okaz. They documented short commemorative inscriptions known as the late Thamudic script in al-Arfaa and Wadi Lawan.

The archaeological survey works near Souk Okaz revealed several archaeological sites. An example is the al-Abel site, two kilometers east of Souk Okaz. Al-Abel site is a natural landmark consisting of a high hill with two peaks, on top of which there is a stone circle that might be a sign of the Yemeni pilgrimage route. The team also discovered many foundations of ancient buildings five hundred meters northwest of the Souk Okaz northern gate, some of which remnants revealed the structural planning of said buildings.

Okaz region contains historical palaces and castles that date back to the late Islamic period. Some of these structures are al-Arfaa Fort, which was built in the late thirteenth century AH / nineteenth century AD; Marwan Castle, three kilometers south of the Okaz market; and the Mishrefah Palace, which dates back to the early Islamic era, the Umayyad and Abbasid periods.