Ammon News - North Al-Ula Inn Saudi Arab, between isolated thickets, some rocks and boulders form the shape of buildings. Carved in detail, they have classic-style fronts and pillars that look like a garden planted harmoniously in the sand. As the sunlight falls on the buildings, the tones intensify, the evidence Time carving. On this site, millennia ago there was a flourishing center of commerce, Hegra Archaeological Site, also known as Madin Saleh.
The site is virtually intact about 2,000 years. But recently Saudi Arabia has opened the place for tourists. Visitors will see the rock-cut construction at Hegra They resemble their more famous sister site Petra, which was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, which is located more than a thousand kilometers to the north Jordan. Hegra was the second city of Nabataea, But he could hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of that almost forgotten ancient civilization.
Now, with new energy, Saudi Arabia is betting on tourism as a new source of income. Over the next two decades, it aims to transform it into a world center for trade and tourism that connects Africa, Asia and Europe.
Saudi Arabia introduces tourist visa for the first time September 2019, which allows the entry of occasional visitors without any commercial or religious purpose. The Hegra, with its mysterious and fascinating architecture, is an option to stand out. Much of their appeal lies in the fact that despite their resemblance to Petra, they are virtually unknown, Which now receives about one million visitors annually and if not properly cared for can be classified as a World Heritage Site, UNESCO.
Who built these tombs? Who were the people who made the place? Where have they come from? How long were they here?
loss Nabaties They were desert nomads who became master traders and Controlled incense and spice routes through Arabia and Jordan to the Mediterranean SeaEgypt, Syria and Mesopotamia. camel-drawn caravan Laden with pepper, ginger root, sugar and cotton, they passed through Hegra, a provincial town on the southern border of the kingdom.
The Nabataeans also became suppliers of aromatics, such as frankincense and myrrh, which was greatly appreciated religious ceremony. they were rich 4th century BC to 1st century AD. C.when The Roman Empire expanded and incorporated its vast lands, which included: present jordanegyptian peninsula Sinai and some parts of what is today Saudi Arabia, Israel and Syria.
Slowly, The Nabataean identity was completely lost. For centuries the West forgot, Petra was rediscovered by swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812, although local Bedouin tribes had been living in caves and tombs for generations. Perhaps it can be said that Petra was actually first seen by most Westerners a century and a half later. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade scene in 1989.
The Nabataeans have left behind very little direct history. like Petra Hegra is a metropolis turned into a metropolis: Most of the remaining structures that can be seen today are tombs, with much of the city’s architectural remains waiting to be excavated or already lost.
Nabataean’s words are the only place in the inscriptions above the entrances of many tombs. Were Ancient pioneers in architecture and hydraulics, And took advantage of the desert environment to his advantage. The rainwater falling from the steep hills was later collected for use at the ground level. They built natural water pipes around the graves protect your forearms from erosionwho kept them well protected thousands of years after its creation.
Hegra Contin 111 Graves There are less than 600 carvings in the Nabataean capital of Petra. But in Hegra they are often very better position, allows visitors to have a closer look at the forgotten civilization. Classical Greek and Roman architecture influenced the construction, and many tombs include columns topped with capitals that support either a triangular pediment at the entrance or an entrance across the width of the mausoleum.
A Nabataean crown, consisting of two sets of five steps, is located at the top of the façade, waiting for the soul to be taken to heaven. Sphinx, Eagle and Griffin Among the important symbols, with outstretched wings Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Persian worldsA, The loom at the entrance of the tomb to protect it from intruders. Other buildings are protected by a Medusa-like facade, with snakes peeking out like hairs.
scary inscriptions, Common in many tombs in Hegra but rare in Petra, they are engraved on the façade and They warn of fines and divine punishment for trespassing or attempting to secretly occupy the tomb.
“Curse the Lord of the Worlds to anyone who breaks this tomb or opens it,” declares part of the inscription grave 41. “And whoever changes the works of the tomb, curse him even more.” is written on pioneers of modern arabicsometimes read as misleading legal jargon, but A significant number of dates are included. Where is the oldest dated tomb in Hegra 1 a. c. and most recent 70 d.c., allowing researchers to fill in the gaps in the Nabataean timeline, though Producing a clear picture remains problematic.
Some tombs in Hegra are the final resting places for high-ranking officials and their families, who according to the writings on their tombs, The adopted Roman military titles of prefect and centurion were carried over into the afterlife. Inscriptions also underline Hegra’s commercial importance on the southern edge of the empire, and the texts reveal the diverse structure of Nabataean society.
The largest tomb in Hegra, measuring about . Is 22 meters highQuza is the Lihyan son of Akhand, sometimes called Qasr al-Farid, which means “Lonely Castle” Because of its distant position in relation to other tombs. It was left unfinished, with rough, smooth chisel marks on the border of its lower third.
Some tombs were abandoned in the middle of construction for unclear reasons. The work left in Tomb 46 shows how the Nabataean was built from top to bottom, with only the terraced crown visible on an uncut rock. Both the tomb of Lihyan son of Kuza and the tomb of Tomb 46 have brief inscriptions that designate them for specific families.
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