Qaryat al-Faw

Qaryat al-Faw is an archaeological site in Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate, south of the Riyadh Region. It is also known as Dhat Kahil and served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kindah from the fourth century BCE until the early fourth century CE [3][1]. On 27 July 2024, the Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area was inscribed on the World Heritage List under criteria (ii) and (v) [1][2].

Al-Faw lies at the junction of the Rub' al-Khali desert and the Tuwaiq mountain range, where the narrow pass known as Al-Faw marks their meeting point [1]. The area contains nearly 12,000 archaeological remains spanning from prehistoric times to the late pre-Islamic era [2], making it one of the largest archaeological sites discovered in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Al-Faw archaeological area is located in Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate, south of the Riyadh Region, at the junction of the Rub' al-Khali desert and the Tuwaiq mountain range, which form a narrow pass called Al-Faw [1]. This position forms a natural corridor linking the centre of the Arabian Peninsula with its southern edges.

The area extends over a protected area of 50 square kilometres, surrounded by a buffer zone of 275 square kilometres [1]. The property inscribed on the World Heritage List covers 4,847.73 hectares, with a buffer zone of 27,548.33 hectares [2].

Qaryat al-Faw served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kindah from the fourth century BCE until the early fourth century CE, and was known in ancient writings as Qaryah, Al-Faw, and Dhat Kahil [3]. Its position on the old trade route known as the Najran–Gerrha road made it a major stop on the incense and goods trade between southern and northern Arabia [3], with Najran lying at the southern end of that route.

Its inhabitants worked in trade and agriculture, and the presence of more than 17 wells at the site contributed to the establishment of permanent settlements there [5]. Settlement continued for centuries until the site was abandoned around the fifth century CE, leaving architectural and artistic remains that still stand [2].

Archaeological excavation at the site began in the early 1970s, when the Department of History at Riyadh University (now King Saud University) carried out several excavations on the large hill, and continued under the supervision of Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Ansari [3].

Modern survey work carried out by the Heritage Commission in 2022 revealed prominent architectural and religious elements, including the remains of a stone-built temple, an offering table, and devotional inscriptions spread across the site of Khashm Qaryah, alongside the remains of human settlements dating to the Neolithic period some 8,000 years ago [4].

The work documented more than 2,807 graves classified into six groups, an irrigation system relying on hundreds of underground reservoirs, and the foundations of four buildings extending along the Tuwaiq mountains [4]. The number of archaeological remains discovered at the site reached nearly 12,000, spanning from prehistoric times to the late pre-Islamic era [2].

On 27 July 2024, the Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), during the meetings of the forty-sixth session of the World Heritage Committee held in New Delhi, Republic of India, from 22 to 31 July 2024 [1][2].

Two criteria, (ii) and (v), were adopted for the inscription, and the dossier carries the number 1712; the inscribed property is estimated at 4,847.73 hectares and the buffer zone at 27,548.33 hectares [2]. The inscription strengthens the presence of Saudi archaeological sites on the global list and broadens awareness of the Kingdom's civilisational heritage [1].

Q: What is Qaryat al-Faw? A: An archaeological site in Wadi ad-Dawasir Governorate, south of the Riyadh Region, known as Dhat Kahil, which served as the capital of the Kingdom of Kindah from the fourth century BCE until the early fourth century CE [3][1].

Q: When was Al-Faw inscribed on the World Heritage List? A: The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area was inscribed on 27 July 2024 during the forty-sixth session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, under criteria (ii) and (v) [1][2].

Q: What are the most prominent archaeological discoveries at the site? A: The remains of a stone temple, an offering table, and devotional inscriptions at Khashm Qaryah, Neolithic settlements, more than 2,807 graves in six groups, and an irrigation system with hundreds of underground reservoirs [4].

Q: How many archaeological remains have been discovered at Al-Faw? A: Nearly 12,000 archaeological remains spanning from prehistoric times to the late pre-Islamic era [2].

Q: When was the site abandoned? A: The site was abandoned around the fifth century CE, after having been the capital of the Kingdom of Kindah and a stop on the ancient trade route [2][3].

Qaryat al-Faw combines its position on the ancient trade route with its architecture, irrigation system, and inscriptions, and its standing was crowned by the inscription of the Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area on the World Heritage List in 2024 [1][2]. The platform allows the reader to explore related topics, such as Darb Zubaydah as another historic route in the Kingdom.