يحاول ذهب - حر
Stories Etched in Stone
April 20, 2025
|The New Indian Express Tiruchy
The sandstone cliffs of Jabal Ikmah—world's largest Dadanitic and Lihyanite inscriptions—remains a hidden gem in Al-Ula
The bazaar is redolent with the fragrance of spices, frankincense smoke and vendors calling every passerby to look at their wares. A solitary musician plays his harp in the corner, and the merchant prods his horses to make haste—this is how an ancient city in Al-Ula in northwestern Saudi Arabia would have looked like 2000 years ago. These sights and smells of bygone Arabian towns may no longer be visible, but the stone carvings and inscriptions of Jabal Ikmah paint a vivid picture of life and culture from that era.
Located just 20 minutes north of the Old Town of Al-Ula, Jabal Ikmah, or the "Mountain of Wisdom", is a narrow and deep gorge in the middle of a cluster of red sandstone mountains. The valley walls and fallen boulders are home to hundreds of rock inscriptions, many over 3000 years old, which give rich insights into religious, economic and social life from that era.
"In antiquity, many people travelled through Al-Ula and some made it their home like the people of the Kingdoms of the Dadanites and Lihyanites", says Wedad Yaseen, a local tour guide who works for the Royal Commission for Al-Ula (RCU)—dedicated to preserving and protecting the culture and heritage of this ancient region. "They left their marks on these stones for us to decipher thousands of years later", she adds.
هذه القصة من طبعة April 20, 2025 من The New Indian Express Tiruchy.
اشترك في Magzter GOLD للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة، وأكثر من 9000 مجلة وصحيفة.
هل أنت مشترك بالفعل؟ تسجيل الدخول
المزيد من القصص من The New Indian Express Tiruchy
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Diplomats talk culture business at Goa film fest
THE 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on Friday served as a platform for the Centre to explore new pathways to advance bilateral audiovisual cooperation, with a focus on co-production opportunities, creativeeconomy growth, and deeper cultural exchange.
1 mins
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Next phase of Vijay’s outreach begins Sunday
TVK president and actor Vijay will meet residents of Kancheepuram on Sunday as part of the next phase of his ‘Meet the People’ campaign.
1 mins
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Teacher dies by suicide due to 'SIR workload'
A 40-year-old teacher and Booth Level Officer (BLO) Arvind Mulji Vadher died by suicide in his native Devli village of Gir Somnath district on Friday, leaving behind a devastating note that directly blamed the crushing workload of SIR (Special Intensive Revision) and rising mental stress.
1 min
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
SP relooks at tieup after Cong’s Bihar drubbing
First major stress test for alliance after Bihar
1 mins
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Women form 4.3% of jail population, but face systematic barriers: NCW
WOMEN constitute 4.3% of the prison population, but face systematic barriers, including overcrowded facilities, inadequate medical and mental-health services.
1 mins
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Are tigers trying to reclaim their territory in Karnataka?
HERE has been a sudden spurt in tiger attacks on humans in Bandipur National Park and BRT Wildlife Sanctuaries in Chamrajanagar and Mysore districts of Karnataka.
3 mins
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Every infiltrator will be out after SIR: Shah in Gujarat
UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday transformed the BSF’s 61st Raising Day event in Haripur, Bhuj, into a clarion call for electoral vigilance.
1 min
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
Gave my best to nation, says Gavai in farewell speech
IN his farewell speech, Chief Justice BR Gavai said on Friday that he was leaving the institution “with a full sense of satisfaction and contentment.”
1 min
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
ED crackdown on coal mafia, raids 40 locations in J’khand and Beng
THE Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at more than 40 locations across Jharkhand and West Bengal as part of a major push against the coal mafia.
1 mins
November 22, 2025
The New Indian Express Tiruchy
LEX HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FLEX
T is fashionable to say in India that we did long ago what the West is doing now—though not always with sufficient evidence.
3 mins
November 22, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size

