AlUla Book Spotlights Lihyan Kingdom's Umm Daraj

The Royal Commission for AlUla has published a new archaeological volume titled “Umm Daraj: Beacon of the Lihyan Kingdom,” documenting the Umm Daraj site linked to the ancient Lihyan Kingdom in AlUla. The book compiles years of studies and fieldwork and is issued in Arabic, English, and French as part of a series of specialized scientific publications on AlUla's heritage.

The volume covers architectural remains, Lihyanite inscriptions, stone carvings, and archaeological finds dating to the third and second centuries BCE. It describes the Umm Daraj mountain sanctuary and its stone staircase — identified as one of the longest known ancient stairways in the region — alongside readings, translations, and interpretations of inscriptions found at the site.

The publication adds to research on the Lihyan Kingdom's history and cultural legacy, and highlights AlUla's prosperity and its human, cultural, and economic activity across northwest Arabia during the first millennium BCE. It forms part of the wider archaeology and cultural heritage research program covering multi-year seasons in AlUla and Khaybar, including work at Dadan and Umm Daraj.

Where to buy

Physical copies are available at three outlets in AlUla: the RCU Store in AlUla Old Town, the gift shop at the Hegra archaeological site, and the retail outlet at AlUla International Airport. Sales also run through RCU-managed online channels. Prices for such heritage volumes typically fall around 150–250 SAR.

Buying is straightforward: visit an outlet during operating hours (generally 10:00–22:00, with the Hegra gift shop following visitor timings of roughly 09:00–18:00), choose your preferred language edition, and pay at the counter by cash or card in SAR. As a commercial heritage publication, the purchase does not involve any government e-service, and there are no official fees or permits required beyond the retail price.

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