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Also called Madâ'in Sâlih, Hegra is an ancient city famous for its rock tombs dug into sandstone massifs between the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD. The first Saudi site to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, Hegra has been the subject of archaeological excavations since 2002, as part of a Saudi-French program that was successfully renewed in 2024. This research has shed light on essential aspects of Nabataean civilization, notably its funeral rituals and writing. AFALULA played a key role in supporting the study of ceramic material and archaeobotanical analyses. The Agency also launched the English and Arabic language publications of the Hegra Archaeological Guide, and French specialists supervised the removal of modern graffiti from the façades of the tombs while training Saudi students in the preservation of this unique heritage.

HEGRA, THE  NABATAEAN

CITY