The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area

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Exploring the Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area: A Journey Through Time

The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, offers a captivating glimpse into the rich history and cultural evolution of the Arabian Peninsula. Situated approximately 100 kilometers south of Wadi ad-Dawasir and 700 kilometers southwest of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia, this archaeological site serves as a testament to the adaptability and resilience of human societies over time.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Lying at a strategic point of the ancient trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula, the property was abruptly abandoned around the 5th century CE. Nearly 12,000 archaeological remains have been found, spanning from prehistoric times to the Late pre-Islamic era, testifying to the successive occupation of three different populations and their adaptation to the evolving environmental conditions. Archaeological features include the Palaeolithic and Neolithic tools of early people, tapered structures, cairns and circular constructions, the sacred mountain of Khashm Qaryah, rock carvings, funerary tumuli and cairns in the valley, forts/caravanserai, the oasis and its ancient water management system, and the vestiges of the city of Qaryat al-Faw.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (ii): The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area exhibits an important interchange of human values, from the middle of the 1st millennium BCE to the 5th century CE, between the southern Arabian Peninsula, the Red Sea, and Yemen, as well as the Northwest of Arabia, the Fertile Crescent, and the Mediterranean world, and finally the Gulf region, Mesopotamia, and Persia in the east. The rich collection of archaeological findings and inscriptions is a tangible manifestation of the role of the site as an important meeting place for different groups of people who built the caravan city of Qaryat al-Faw and the influences and cultural exchanges between the tribes of the desert and the trading groups that occupied and resided in the area over time.

Criterion (v): The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area is an outstanding example of traditional human settlement and land use over millennia. The large quantity and diversity of archaeological remains provide valuable information that demonstrates the variety of ways in which humans have interacted with the environment for millennia, taking advantage of the natural conditions at different times. It also illustrates the vulnerability of human settlement and land use under the impact of irreversible climate change.

Encyclopedia Record: Qaryat al-Faw

Qaryat Al Faw, also known as Qaryat Dhat Kahil, was once the capital of the Kingdom of Kinda, now an archaeological site. It is located about 100 km south of Wadi ad-Dawasir, and about 700 km southwest of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The archeological site reveals various features such as residential houses, markets, roads, cemeteries, temples, and water wells.

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