The valley of Moses

Tayeb Al-Ism is one of the magical natural wonders of Saudi Arabia that takes visitors by surprise. This incredible natural feature of Tabuk Province is located on the Gulf of Aqaba, just 15 kilometers north of the coastal town of Maqna.

When approaching by the road that runs along the turquoise waters and white beaches of the Gulf of Aqaba, what strikes people first is the imposing shape of the 600-meter-high granite massif of the Tayeb Al-Ism, whose sharp edges fall into the Gulf of Aqaba.

While getting closer to a nice little palm grove ornamenting the bottom of the cliffs, the mountain side that looks towards the Gulf suddenly reveals the stunningly high edges of a narrow canyon whose entrance is just few dozen meters from the sea. There the granite massif looks like it's been torn in two by a supranatural force.

From the bridge the Tayeb Al-Ism visitors see another marvel, a small stream of crystal clear water than runs through the gravel all year long. As a result, the wadi hosts numerous palm trees and reeds that create little oases surrounding by the vertiginous sides of the canyon.

The grandiosity of Tayeb Al-Ism has another dimension as it is directly related to religion. The territory bordering the eastern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba is the ancient land of Madyan (or Midian) whose capital was probably today’s city of Bada’ where monumental tombs were sculpted in the rock later by the Nabatean people. Madyan is the land where Moses spent ten years in voluntary exile after fleeing from Egypt. It is believed that when later Moses brought the people out of Egypt through the Red Sea they reached the land of Madyan at Tayeb Al-Ism, the reason why it is also called the Valley of Moses. For the same reason the wells of the nearby town of Maqna are called the Wells of Moses.

How to visit Tayeb Al-Ism

The wells of Moses

Maqna is a charming coastal town located on the Gulf of Aqaba that faces Egypt and the Sinai mountains, clearly visible from it. But the town is famous for its wells that witnessed an important episode in the life of the Prophet Moses.

The territory bordering the eastern shore of the Gulf of Aqaba is the ancient land of Madyan (or Midian) whose capital was probably in today’s city of Al-Bada’, where monumental tombs were later sculpted by the Nabatean people. Madyan is the land where Moses spent ten years in voluntary exile after fleeing from Egypt following an altercation with an Egyptian that was beating an Israelite.

It is believed that Moses crossed the Red Sea and arrived in Maqna and went to a well called Bir Al-Sa’idani to drink. There he saw two girls collecting water for their cattle and he offered to help. The girls reported this gentle move to their father, the prophet Shu’ayb, who went to meet Moses, recognized his pure soul, and decided to marry one of his daughters to him. Thus, Moses settled in Madyan and lived there for ten years with his wife and father-in-law.

Later when Moses brought the people out of Egypt through the Red Sea, they are supposed to have reached the land of Madyan at Tayeb Al-Ism which is located just 15 kilometers north of Maqna, and also bears witness to him, as it is called the Valley of Moses.

During the first years of Islam an important event took place in Maqna as it was there the troops of the Prophet Mohammed signed a treaty with the people of Judham, the tribe controlling this area that converted to Islam.

How to visit Maqna

The ancient city of Madyan

For too long people have believed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is devoid of historical remains. But in 2015 the world was astounded to discover that Saudi Arabia hosts the second largest Nabatean city, Hegra (also known as Madain Saleh) as that year the ancient city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But in fact Saudi Arabia doesn’t have only one major Nabatean city but at least three, with Dumat-al-Jandal in Al-Jawf Province and Al-Bada’ in Tabuk Province. The latter, also called Mugha’ir Shu’ayb, is still mostly unknown although it has some of the most beautiful monumental tombs typical of the architecture of the ancient Nabatean kingdom.

​History of the ancient oasis of Madyan

The importance of Al-Bada’ is due to its location in the Wadi ‘Afal, a wide, 50 kilometer long valley oriented north-south that connects the Levant (Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine) to the western shore of Arabia and its great seaports such as Aynuna and Loke Kome. Al-Bada’ is also connected to an east-west road that leads to the town of Maqna on the Gulf of Aqaba.

​Most scholars agree that Al-Bada’ is the ancient city of Madyan, although there is no formal proof yet, but we hope that the Saudi-French archeological mission that started in 2017 will confirm this hypothesis. Madyan, which refers to both a land and a city, probably dates back to the end of the 2^nd millennium BCE.

M​adyan is known for being the place where the Prophet Moses sought refuge after fleeing from Egypt. There he met the Prophet Shu'ayb who recognized in Moses a pure soul and gave him one of his daughters. Moses then lived for ten years with his wife and father-in-law in Madyan before returning to Egypt to free its people from the Pharaoh Ramses II. On his way back, his people crossed the Gulf of Aqaba at the location named Tayeb Al-Ism, also called the canyon of Moses.

The first collections of archeological material on the surface by explorers and scientists have shown signs of a long occupation of Al-Bada’ with remains from the main populations that reigned in the Middle-East. Coins have proven that the city was also active during the Hellenistic, Nabatean, Roman, and Islamic periods. It seems that the importance of Madyan declined from the 11^th century BCE but was never abandoned as it is still mentioned under the rule of ‘Umayyads, Fatimids, Mamelukes, and Ottomans.

​The archeological site

Madyan was a large and complex habitation area but two main zones are identifiable: the residential area of Al-Maliha that was probably fortified, and the Nabatean necropolis dug in the hillsides of the Jebel Mussalla.

How to visit ​Mugha’ir Shu’ayb

​One of the largest traditional villages of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has an incredibly rich architecture heritage with dozens of styles throughout the whole country. Each region has its own architectural characteristics. That of Riyadh Province is the Najdi style with brilliant examples like Dir'iyah and Ushaiger. 

Located 250 kilometers from the capital city Riyadh and close to Qassim Province is one of the largest and best conserved traditional villages of Saudi Arabia, Al-Ghat. Located on the northern bank of the Wadi Al-Ghat the heritage village stretches over 1,5 kilometers.

​An ancient oasis

The valley where the town lies is fed by rain water running down the nearby the Jebel Tuwaiq, the same escarpment that has the famous Edge of the World close to Riyadh.

The regular presence of water in Al-Ghat made its soil fertile and still today many farms produce delicious dates that make the city proud.

A brilliant example of Najdi architecture

One of the most special features of Al-Ghat is the gentle slope of the valley on which part of the town is built. Each street going up the hill leads you to many fascinating viewpoints over the town and its elegant architecture.

The main street that runs along the wadi bed will bring you to the iconic buildings of Al-Ghat: arriving from the east (where the modern city is) you will see the triangular shapes of the arches of the old souq on your left. On your right is the Ousherza mosque. To the eastern side of the old town stands the impressive Emara Palace that is now a museum.

This museum used to be the palace of the late Prince Nasser bin Saad Al-Sudairy. It was donated to highlight Al Ghat's social life and history throughout the ages and the contribution of its residents in the foundation of the Saudi State. 

The masterpiece of Arabian Prehistory

​The proud iconic figures of the ancient kingdoms of Dedan

During antiquity the northwest of the Arabian Peninsula was at the crossroads of the caravan trade between Yemen and the empires of Egypt, the Levant, Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, and Persia. Although the rich oases were coveted by these empires, this area enjoyed a certain autonomy until the Roman conquest in 106 CE. Thanks to control of the wealth brought by the trade of frankincense and spices in the land that corresponds roughly to the modern Provinces of Tabuk, Madinah, and Al-Jawf, some oases grew to the point of becoming independent kingdoms. The most famous oases of the 1st millennium BCE are Tayma, Dumat Al-Jandal, and Dedan, where excavations on extensive archeological sites have revealed the existence of large fortified cities.

These kingdoms developed their own culture including a specific language and alphabet, that resulted in a mix of Arabian traditions and strong influences from the surrounding empires.

In the ancient oasis Dedan, close to today's city of Al-Ula in Madinah Province, a kingdom flourished from at least the 6th century until the 2nd century BCE. There, the kings of Dedan and later Lihyan reigned over a territory that spread at its apogee from the city of Iathrib (today's Madinah) to the Levant.

Some of these tombs featured interior installations: hollows were carved in the walls or the ground. There are also ordinary individual graves cut in the base of the Jebel Ath-Thumayid, whereas others bear inscriptions giving their owners’ identities; on the slope of the Jebel, some areas were marked out to prepare for future tombs. Remains of bones, shrouds and pieces of wood from the coffins have been found in these graves.

An inscription on one of these two tombs indicates that it belonged to a member of the Minaic community of Dedan that originated from Ma'in in today's Yemen. The Minaic were the most important trade partners for Dedan and even had a small colony living in the ancient oasis. The other lion tomb dates back to the late Lihyanite period.

How to visit the Lion Tombs of Dedan

The Lion Tombs are accessible from the archeological site of Dedan that is indicated on Google Maps under the name of the modern location, Khuraybah. The entrance is from the Ha'il road (75) east of the junction with the 375 that goes through the city of Al-Ula. The location of the Lion Tombs is also available on Google Maps.

​​Since 2018 this sites can be visited only in the frame of the Winter at Tantora festival, you will find ​more information about it on the dedicated website.

Reaching the Lion Tombs involves climbing stairs up fifty meters where the tombs were cut in the cliffs. The reward is twofold: the close view of the lion sculptures and the sight over the oasis.

The modern city of an ancient oasis

One of the oldest kingdoms of Arabia