The Dadanites developed their own script, and today these inscriptions – some of which are more than 2,500 years old – are preserved remarkably well at the nearby site of Jabal Ikmah, which is often called "AlUla's open-air library". These etched messages range from simple graffiti to elaborate records documenting offerings to the gods.
Note to readers
Note to readers
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A stone-built city prospered in the AlUla Valley as early as 800 BCE. Dadan, the capital of the eponymous Dadan and later Lihyanite kingdoms, quickly became popular as a major trading hub for frankincense en route to Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean.