Western Asia
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Archaeological site of Madian Charle
al-hijr archaeological site
(madâin sâlih)
The Madin Slih archaeological site (also known as al-hijr, or hegra) was the first World Heritage Site to be registered in Saudi Arabia. Formerly known as hegra, it is now the largest preserved site of the Nabataean civilization in the southern part of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. It has well-preserved tombs and decorated facades dating from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD. The site is also characterized by 50 pre-Nabataean inscriptions and some cave paintings. The site of Madian Shale bears a unique testimony to the Nabataean civilization.
The Nabataeans, ancient merchants operating in Jordan, southern Canaan, and northern Arabia, and the famous Jewish historian Titus flavius josephus (37–100 AD) named the area from Syria and Arabia, from the Euphrates River to the Red Sea, as "Nabatean" – from which Nabatean became the nabatean settlement and the source of the name for the Oasis.
The Madian Al-Shale Archaeological Site was the first Registered World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia
Witness the interaction and collision of various decorative and architectural styles from the Assyrian, Egyptian, Phoenician and Hellenistic periods in the local area.
In terms of the location of the site, Madian Shar is located in the south of the Nabataean civilization's influence, and its integrity is not only obvious, but also well preserved: the architecture and decoration of the mausoleum are carved directly into the sandstone, of which 111 grave sites (94 have been decorated) and wells are outstanding examples of Nabataean architectural achievements and hydraulic techniques.
The Archaeological Site of Madian Salle bears witness to the interplay and collision of various decorative and architectural styles from the Assyrian, Egyptian, Phoenician, and Hellenistic periods, as well as the presence of ancient languages (lihyanite, Jewish code, Nabataean, Greek, Latin) in the inscriptions.
In addition, the Archaeological Site of Madinsal has also witnessed the development of an agricultural technique in Nabatay using a large number of man-made wells dug out of rocks. These wells are still in use today.
The ancient city of Madian Charle is also a testimony to the international trade in the late classical era.
The architecture and decoration of the mausoleum was carved directly into the sandstone
As far as the site is located, Madian Shale is located in the south of the nabataean civilization's influence, and its integrity is not only obvious, but also well preserved.
Jeddah, the gateway to Mecca
historic jeddah, the gate to makkah
Jeddah is located on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. From the 7th century onwards, it was established as a major port on the Indian Ocean trade route, transporting goods to Mecca. It is also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca by sea. These two roles have witnessed the city's evolution into a multi-center, resulting in a unique architectural tradition, including the tower-like houses built by the city's commercial elite in the late 19th century, blending the Red Sea coral architectural tradition influenced by the long trade routes and the craftsmanship of its location.
Jeddah reflects the outstanding influence of the Red Sea architectural tradition. An architectural style that has had a great influence on cities on both sides of the Red Sea, only a few remains have survived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The style is characterized by the impressive tower-like houses built by the city's commercial elite in the late 19th century and decorated by large wooden roshans, along with low coral stone houses, mosques, ribat-s, amphitheaters and small public squares – which together form a vibrant space.
In Jeddah, a mosque, an Arab man is reading the Quran.
Located on the eastern shore of the Red Sea, Jeddah became a gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca by sea, while transporting goods to Mecca.
Historically, Jeddah was a fishing village. After the appointment of Jeddah as the official port of Mecca in the 7th century, the third caliph in islamic history, Othman ibn Affan (577-656 AD), Jeddah played a symbolic role in the minds of Muslim pilgrims who arrived in Arabia by ship. This close connection with the annual pilgrimages of Muslims gives Jeddah a cosmopolitan demographic composition: Muslims in Asia, residents and workers in the Middle East and Africa, contributing to the development and prosperity of the city.
Jeddah reflects the final boom in maritime trade in the Indian Ocean after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the introduction of steamships connecting Europe with India and Asia. This prosperity brought great wealth to the merchants, who built houses with the utmost lavish decoration and brought about the development of amphitheaters and mosques. In addition, the growth of ships sailing at sea has allowed more and more pilgrims to make pilgrimages to Mecca, leading to an increasing number of accommodations dedicated to these pilgrims.
Jeddah, al-Barad's old town, the unique architectural traditions of the region blend the red sea coral architectural traditions influenced by the long trade routes and the craftsmanship of their location.
This article is excerpted from the 2017 "Memory of Civilization on the Belt and Road" Collector's Edition of Civilization
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