AlUla launches major initiative to document ancient inscriptions

 

AlUla to document more than 25,000 ancient inscriptions

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has announced the launch of an ambitious project to study and document more than 25,000 ancient inscriptions found across the region, spanning from the Iron Age to the late Islamic period.

The project has been designed to protect AlUla’s cultural heritage and deepen understanding of the history of writing in northwestern Arabia.

At the core of the project is the creation of a comprehensive digital archive, combining linguistic analysis with advanced 3D scanning to capture inscriptions in high detail. Each inscription will be contextualized within its historical and cultural setting.

AlUla’s remarkable linguistic diversity—10 distinct languages and scripts—reflects its long-standing role as a crossroads of civilizations and a center of cultural exchange.

 

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One of the most significant sites is Jabal Ikmah, home to Dadanitic and other ancient North Arabian inscriptions. The site was added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2023 for its exceptional documentary value.

 

Other key locations include:

• Jabal Al-Aqra, which preserves early Arabic-Islamic inscriptions linked to pilgrimage routes
• The pathways between Dadan and Hegra, where some of the earliest Arabic inscriptions connected to trade and travel have been identified
• Valleys such as Wadi Abu Oud, containing Lihyanite inscriptions and rock art illustrating daily life, tribal identities, and interactions with the natural environment
• Among the most notable finds is the Zuhayr inscription, dated to the 24th year after the Hijra, offering rare evidence of AlUla’s role in the early development of Arabic script and its documentation of major historical transitions.

 

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The project will also include training programs for archaeology students and those interested in documentary heritage, along with community awareness initiatives.

Research outcomes will be published in a series of specialized academic journals to support ongoing studies in language, history, and archaeology.

Through this extensive effort, the RCU underscores its long-term commitment to safeguarding more than 3,000 years of cultural heritage in AlUla.

Source: Arab News