Photo showing the sandstone facade of Jabal AlBanat with the decorated tomb entryways.

About this experience

Jabal AlBanat

Hegra, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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English العربية

Published: 2025 (v7)

Part of: World Heritage, Ancient Worlds

Story outline

  • Welcome to Jabal AlBanat

    Discover Jabal AlBanat, where over two millennia of history unfold through Nabataean tombs, ancient burials, and living traditions that continue to shape this desert landscape today.

  • Stop 1. Layers of Significance

    Jabal AlBanat’s earliest burials and the enduring beliefs surround this sacred mountain, remembered in Islamic tradition and now part of AlUla’s living heritage landscape.

  • Stop 2. The Nabataen Kingdom

    The Nabataeans transformed Hegra into a crossroads of cultures, carving elaborate tombs that reflect their artistry, spirituality, and openness to ideas from across the ancient world.

  • Stop 3. Construction of the Tombs

    Nabataean craftsmen carved tombs directly from sandstone, using simple tools with remarkable precision. Their skill, planning, and artistry endure in the inscriptions that still bear their names.

  • Stop 4. Power in Symbols

    The tomb of 'Eidu son of Ubayd', merges Greek, Egyptian, and local influences. Symbols of protection and rebirth reveal the beliefs and craftsmanship that defined Nabataean society.

  • Stop 5. Belief in the Afterlife

    The Nabataean tombs connected the living and the dead in a shared belief in the afterlife.

  • Stop 6. The Role of Women

    This grand tomb reflects the wealth and influence of Nabataean women and endures as a symbol of strength, legacy, and local pride in AlUla today.

  • Stop 7. Erosion and Stewardship

    Conservation teams and local communities work together to protect Hegra’s sandstone and preserve its stories for future generations.

  • Stop 8. Final Reflections

    We invite you to explore Jabal AlBanat and the wider Hegra landscape in person.

Voices

  • An man in traditional white thobe and red-checkered headscarf seated in an armchair indoors, relaxed and smiling gently

    Dr. Mutlaq al Mutlaq

    Archaeologist

    Mutlaq Sulayman Al-Mutlaq is a native of AlUla and a graduate of King Saud University. He has served as the Director of the Tourism and National Heritage Office of AlUla and Manager of the World Heritage Site at Hegra.

  • Woman wearing a black niqab and abaya seated on a beige armchair indoors, hands folded on lap, wooden doors in the background

    Shouq Al Sharari

    Rawi Guide

    Shouq Al-Sharari works as a storyteller with the Rawat AlUla team. Their connection to Jabal AlBanat runs very deep and they consider the site a part of their identity.

  • Woman wearing a black niqab and abaya seated on a beige armchair indoors, hands folded in their lap, wooden doors in background

    Sahar Al Timani

    Rawi Guide

    Sahar Al-Taymani is one of the storytellers of Hegra (Al-Hijr), and AlUla in general. Jabal AlBanat, the "Mountain of Women" is one of her favorite places within AlUla

  • A smiling woman with curly dark hair and glasses seated in an armchair against a wooden door, wearing a light long-sleeve shirt and jeans

    Ylenia Rubino

    Heritage Conservation and Restoration Specialist

    Elenia Rubino is a conservator-restorer for the ESTIA Company and site manager for the Hegra Conservation Project.

Partners

About the Project

Created in collaboration with Saudi ICOMOS, the Royal Commission for AlUla, and members of the AlUla community, this Tapestry draws on previously collected 3D data and new interviews to bring the stories of Jabal AlBanat to life for global audiences.

Related Links

Credits

Unless otherwise noted, all media is copyright Royal Commission of AlUla. We would like to extend a special thanks to those community members who lent their voice and expertise to this project Dr. Mutlaq Al Mutlaq, Shouq Al Sharari, Sahar Al Timani, and Ylenia Rubino. Additional thanks to José Ignacio Gallego Revilla, Marie Line Farah and Turki Al Qadi for their support of this project. The 3D data of the monument was collected by Factum Foundation.