The Nabataean monumental rock‐cut tombs of Mughāyir Shuʿayb and al‐Aṣīfir in the oasis of al‐Badʿ (Saudi Arabia): Preliminary architectural study and spatial organisation of the necropolis

A new study reveals that the Nabataean rock-cut tombs in al-Badʿ oasis, Saudi Arabia, exhibit standardized architectural and decorative techniques while also reflecting local cultural adaptations. Analyzing 35 tombs across two necropolises—Mughāyir Shuʿayb and al-Aṣīfir—the research provides the first comprehensive overview of their construction processes, investment levels, and social hierarchy within the Nabataean world. The findings highlight the site's strategic economic, political, and cultural significance along the Red Sea caravan route to Petra and other Levantine centers. This multiscalar examination underscores both regional standardization and individual or topographical influences in funerary architecture.

Bigot‐Démereau, L., Charloux, G., Badaiwi, W., Guadagnini, K., Larché, F., Naggiar, L., & Sahlah, S. A. (2024). The Nabataean monumental rock‐cut tombs of Mughāyir Shuʿayb and al‐Aṣīfir in the oasis of al‐Badʿ (Saudi Arabia): Preliminary architectural study and spatial organisation of the necropolis. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 35(1), 155–204. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/aae.12252