| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 Bronze head from Al-Faw | |
| Location | Saudi Arabia |
| Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (v) |
| Reference | 1712 |
| Inscription | 2024 (46thSession) |
| Area | 4,847.73 ha (11,979.0 acres) |
| Buffer zone | 27,548.33 ha (68,073.4 acres) |
| Coordinates | 19°45′53.7″N45°09′48.2″E / 19.764917°N 45.163389°E /19.764917; 45.163389 |
  Location of Qaryat al-Faw in Saudi Arabia  Qaryat al-Faw (West and Central Asia) Show map of West and Central Asia | |
Qaryat Al Faw (Arabic:قرية الفاو) was the capital of the firstKindah kingdom. It is located about 100 km south ofWadi ad-Dawasir, and about 700 km southwest of Riyadh, the capital city ofSaudi Arabia. The Al Faw archeological site reveals various features such as residential houses, markets, roads, cemeteries, temples, and water wells.[1]
It is home to a 1st century BCOld Arabic inscription written in theAncient South Arabian script which is one of the oldest of its kind inSouth Arabia.[2]
Thetutelary deity of Qaryat al-Faw is thought to have beenKahl.[3] Several other deities like Shams also were venerated there, as confirmed by their presence in inscriptions mentioned in amarzeah compound.[4]
Researchers know little about the city. According to archaeological excavations, the city dates to the fourth century BC.[5] The city was originally known per the corpus of inscriptions in the site as Qaryat Dhu Kahl.Kahl was the main deity worshiped by the Arab tribes ofKindah andMadh'hij.[6] It is also known by the names ofQaryat al-Hamraa (Red City) andDhat al-Jnan (City of Gardens) by the inhabitants in its period of prosperity.
The golden age of the city stretched for nearly eight centuries between the 4th century BC and 4th century AD before it was abandoned. In its long period, the city survived various attacks from neighboring states, as suggested by late 2nd century AD Sabaean accounts. Also theinscription of Namara mention the expedition of Imru' al-Qays ibn 'Amr intoNajran where he reached Qaryat al-Faw and drove the ruling tribe of Madh'hij from the city.[7] It was never mentioned after that incident again, except in a brief account byal-Hamdani.
Archaeological digging revealed that the city developed from a small caravan passing station, into an important commercial, religious, and urban centre in centralArabia,Najd.
In July 2024, Qaryat Al-Faw was officially designated as aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.[8]
Al Faw village is located on the northwestern border of theEmpty Quarter, thus, it is located on the trade route that connects the south of the Arabian Peninsula with its north-east. Al Faw was an important trade hub and had more than seventeen water wells.[1]
Qaryat al-Faw reveals a long-established tradition of mural painting, evidenced by numerous fresco fragments uncovered at the site. These paintings range from highly elaborate compositions, reminiscent of the Roman tradition of wall painting that spread across the ancient world, to simpler, more schematic designs characterised by basic line work and geometric motifs. The artistic approach demonstrates a clear tendency towards naturalism and perspective, particularly in the more refined examples, while others maintain a more stylised and symbolic aesthetic. The colour palette remained relatively restrained, with dominant hues of white, ochre, red, and black, and in a few cases, the rare incorporation of blue.
Perhaps the most famous fresco from Qaryat al-Faw is the one identified by an inscription reading ‘zky,’ (“pious, blessed”), probably a benediction more than a name. According to Juan de Lara[9][10], these are likely dated to the first century CE, and the iconography reveals that the artist may have been trained in the painting workshops of the Roman empire, specifically Egypt. This fragment belongs to a larger decorative scheme that once adorned a single room within the Temple ofShams, suggesting that the interior of the sanctuary was extensively painted. The frescoes depict a variety of subjects, including human figures, camel drivers, and mythological motifs, all framed within cartouches intertwined with vines and grape clusters. The stylistic characteristics of these paintings closely resemble those found in Roman mural art, particularly in sites such asEl Djem in Tunisia, which date to the first/second century CE.
Interest in Qaryat al-Fāw as an archaeological site dates back to the 1940s when a reference to it was made by some workers of theSaudi Aramco oil company. In 1952, three of the company's staff visited the city and wrote about it. In 1996, the village was visited by an expert from the Antiquities and Museums agency. In 1976, it was visited first the History and Antiquities Association ofKing Saud University in Riyadh and then by theDepartment of Antiquities and Museums, both aiming to study the site, and more specifically, to identify the location of the city. The work took place between 1972 and 1995. Archaeological excavations were carried out by a team from King Saud University team, from 1970 to 2003, and uncovered two major sectors of the town. The first was a residential area, consisting of houses, squares, streets and a market place, while the second was a sacred area, consisting of temples and tombs. The general architectural plan is very indicative of pre-Islamic towns in Arabia.Abdulrahman al-Ansary,[11] former Professor of Archaeology at King Saud University in Riyadh and a member of Saudi Arabia's Consultative Council and of the Council's Committee on Education is considered as the founder of the rediscovery of the city of Qaryat al-Fāw.
As of January 1, 2014, the site is completely fenced for protection against looters by the Saudi Government. The site is tended by a Saudi caretaker whose family has ties to the immediate area. The site was authorized and allocated funds for significant improvement, preservation and the construction of a modern visitors center. Construction was to have been completed by December, 2013, however to date no construction has started.The site is extremely impressive, with multiple Nobelmans and Warrior class tombs spaced along the Eastern periphery. The Kings tomb resides somewhat separated and to the North West of the City. The market place shows significant erosion of the walls, which have buried almost an entire story of the once 3 or 4 level artifice. Remnants of grain storage and baking ovens can still be seen today.Located East of the city lies a large jebel, with significant caves andpetroglyphs.
On July 27, 2024, the Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia succeeded in inscribing "The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area" in the Riyadh region onUNESCO's World Heritage List as a cultural site of exceptional global value for human heritage.[12][13]
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