Latest news with #Thamudic
CairoScene
22-05-2025
- CairoScene
This Saudi Oasis Is Where Kings Fled & Dreamers Looked to the Skies
This Saudi Oasis Is Where Kings Fled & Dreamers Looked to the Skies In the vast, sun-scorched expanse of northwest Saudi Arabia, where desert dunes ripple like a restless sea, lies Tayma—an oasis cradled by mystery and ancient whispers. More than just a patch of green in the sand, Tayma is a forgotten throne room of kings, an astronomers' sanctuary, and a silent witness to lost civilizations buried beneath centuries of shifting sands. The city's dusty stones hold tales older than time itself, where the footsteps of Babylonian monarchs once echoed. King Nabonidus, the enigmatic ruler who abdicated Babylon's throne in the 6th century BCE, made this oasis his refuge and his realm for a decade. Why he fled to Tayma remains cloaked in mystery, yet his reign here marked a chapter of quiet power far from Mesopotamia's cradle of civilization. Inscriptions etched in ancient Aramaic and Thamudic script bear witness to a thriving community, one that survived on knowledge, culture, and an unyielding curiosity about the heavens. Look closely at Tayma's rocky walls, and you'll find carvings that map out celestial journeys, a constellation of stories linking the earth to the skies. Long before modern observatories, Tayma's stargazers charted the heavens, their eyes lifted above the desert's unending horizon. It is here, in this oasis, that early Arabian astronomers gazed up and found order in the chaos of night. Beneath the surface, the secrets run deeper still. Tayma's ancient water systems—intricately engineered and remarkably preserved—tell a story of innovation. In a land where water is life, these channels and reservoirs sustained the oasis, shaping its destiny as a sanctuary amid the arid vastness. Today, Tayma remains a quiet sentinel, its ruins scattered across the landscape like fragments of a half-remembered dream. The sun bleaches the stones, and the wind carries away the whispers of forgotten empires. It is a place where history is not shouted but whispered, where every carved symbol and eroded inscription invites the curious to lean in close and listen. Tayma is not just an archaeological site—it is a portal to a lost epoch, a junction between earth and sky, past and present. For the traveller willing to wander off the beaten path, to seek the stories written in sand and stone, Tayma offers a rare encounter; a step back into a time when kings ruled beneath open skies, and humans looked to the stars not just for guidance, but for wonder.
Asharq Al-Awsat
05-05-2025
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
AlUla Languages Institute Launches Reviving Ancient Languages Program
The AlUla Languages Institute, affiliated with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), launched the Reviving Ancient Languages Program. The program aims to raise awareness of AlUla's linguistic heritage and enable residents to explore the region's rich history of languages and inscriptions. The program offers several specialized courses in ancient languages historically used in AlUla, including Aramaic, Thamudic, Dadanitic, Lihyanite, Musnad-al-Janubi, and Nabataean, as well as a course on the origins of writing. Registration for the program opened Sunday via the AlUla Languages Institute website. Through this program, RCU aims to offer learning opportunities to AlUla residents and strengthen their connection to their rich cultural heritage.
Arab News
16-04-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Saudi academics identify how Arabic language developed from ancient inscriptions
RIYADH: Saudi academics have identified how the Arabic language developed from ancient inscriptions found in the north of the Kingdom. A lecture at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University revealed that the diversity of writings from ancient civilizations — from Thamudic to Nabataean — reflects Arab interaction with neighboring civilizations dating back to the third century BC. They also confirmed that modern Arabic script emerged from the Nabataean script in the historic towns of Tayma and AlUla (northwestern Saudi Arabia). Dr. Sulaiman Al-Theeb, a retired professor of ancient Arabic writing at King Saud University, said that the great diversity of inscriptions reflects how Arabs have interacted with neighboring cultures since ancient times. Al-Theeb, who is an adviser at the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, in a speech said: 'These writings abound in various regions of the Kingdom and include other dialects such as Thamudic, Aramaic, Sabaean, Minaean, Safaitic and Dadanic. 'They document a rich history and cultural interaction with neighboring cultures such as Assyrian, Babylonian, Hebrew, and Greek,' he said. At the beginning of his talk, Al-Theeb touched on the relationship between language and writing, and their origins. He explained how the Nabataean script developed in Tayma before transforming into the Arabic script found in AlUla at the beginning of the first century AD. Dr. Abdullah Al-Asmari, who is vice rector for education affairs at IMSIU, emphasized the university's commitment to strengthening international academic cooperation. 'We believe in the importance of partnering with international academic institutions to explore human cultural heritage, as these partnerships provide unique opportunities for the exchange of expertise and knowledge,' he said. IMSIU 'places special emphasis on interdisciplinary studies that connect heritage and contemporary studies based on our belief that understanding the past is the key to building the future,' he said. 'We are working to strengthen this vision through joint research programs and researcher exchanges with prestigious international universities,' Al-Asmari added. Dr. Khaled Al-Khara'n, dean of the College of Arabic Language at IMSIU, said: 'Arabic is not merely a means of communication, but rather a cultural channel that carries within it a rich human heritage and unique characteristics that make it one of the world's richest and most influential languages. 'The college seeks to uncover more of the Arabic language's potential in many areas through specialized academic programs and leveling impact of this on its civilizational role and interaction with other languages, with a focus on the cognitive and applied aspects that make it one of the main languages in the world,' Al-Khara'n said.
CairoScene
27-03-2025
- CairoScene
Into the Valley: Exploring Saudi Arabia's Hidden Oasis
In Saudi Arabia's Tabuk region, Wadi Disah is an oasis of red cliffs, freshwater streams, and towering palms—an untouched wonder that remains one of the Kingdom's most spectacular landscapes. Few places in Saudi Arabia feel as improbable as Wadi Disah. Deep in the Tabuk region, hidden between sheer rock walls and a desert that stretches endlessly in all directions, this valley is an outlier—a world of flowing water, dense palm groves, and towering sandstone cliffs. For centuries, it was known mostly to locals and the occasional traveler who ventured into its depths. Now, it is gaining recognition as one of the Kingdom's most spectacular natural wonders. The journey into Wadi Disah is an experience in itself. Leaving Tabuk, the road stretches south for nearly three hours, cutting through a landscape that shifts from barren plains to rugged mountains, the horizon broken only by the occasional camel or a dust trail left behind by a passing truck. Eventually, the tarmac disappears altogether, replaced by a winding dirt track that leads toward Al Disah village, the last point of civilization before the valley swallows the road whole. Wadi Disah does not announce itself with dramatic arrival points. Instead, the transition is gradual—the desert gives way to narrow canyons, where the light softens, the air cools, and the silence deepens. The only way forward is on foot, tracing the path of a slow-moving stream, its waters running clear and shallow. The rock formations here are monumental, some smooth and curved, others jagged and angular, shaped by centuries of wind and water. At times, the canyon narrows to a corridor so tight that sunlight barely filters through; in others, it widens into vast groves where palms and acacia trees stretch toward the sky. Deeper into the valley, the past lingers in the rock. The Nabateans, the same civilization behind Petra, once passed through here, leaving their mark in the form of ancient carvings and unfinished tomb facades still etched into the cliffs. Even older inscriptions, some in Thamudic script, suggest that Wadi Disah was a place of movement, a passage through an otherwise unforgiving land. Unlike much of Saudi Arabia, where seasonal rains evaporate within days, Wadi Disah remains green year-round. Underground springs feed natural pools and flowing streams, creating a microclimate unlike anything else in the region. Wildlife thrives here—ibex, gazelles, and migratory birds all find refuge in the valley's shade. Despite its remoteness, Wadi Disah is changing. As Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 brings attention to the country's hidden natural wonders, the valley has been identified as a future eco-tourism destination. For now, there are no visitor centers, no paved roads, no signs pointing the way. It is still a place where the desert meets water, where history is carved into the cliffs, and where a traveler can stand in absolute silence, surrounded by a landscape that feels ancient, untouched, and entirely its own. How to Get There Fly into Tabuk – The closest major city, with direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah (~1.5 hours). Drive to Al Disah village – 260 km, approx. 2.5-3 hours from Tabuk. The last stretch requires a 4x4 for deeper exploration. Where to Stay Al Reem Luxury Camp (Disah) – A boutique desert camp offering private tents with panoramic views. Juman Hotel & Waves Hotel (Tabuk) – Modern city hotels, ideal as a base before or after your trip. Guided Tours & Local Operators TourHQ – Full-day guided hikes and off-road exploration. GetYourGuide – Tailored experiences through the valley's natural and archaeological sites.
