ALULA: Ikmah Mountain, also known as Jabal Ikmah, one of AlUla’s landmark archeological sites, is offering visitors a new experience this week as part of the Winter at Tantora programming, which ends on Jan. 10. 

Near the ancient city of Dadan, Ikmah highlights AlUla’s role as a major cultural and religious center long before the rise of the Nabataeans. It is being activated under the stars in a brand new, old way.

The site, often described as “an open-air library” for its hundreds of ancient inscriptions carved on its canyon walls thousands of years ago, provides visitors with have a chance to etch their own names, using the ancient alphabet, on a block of stone they can take home.

Written mainly in Dadanitic and Lihyanite, the ancient texts once recorded religious dedications, laws, names of rulers and traced everyday life, providing rare insights into the beliefs and social structures of early Arabian kingdoms. 

Arab News spoke with Gen-Z local Omer Mohammad, who guided us through the vast outdoor setting of the “Secrets of the Scribe — Ikmah After Dark” experience.

“When the guests arrive, we welcome them ... give them some tea to get refreshed. After that, if the group is big, we split them into two; some of the group goes to go to the carving where they are going to learn how to carve. And the other group is going to go to explore the gorge,” he said. 

Storytelling was such an important thing here 3,000 years ago. People from all over the world used to bring their animals and rest here; it had a river so it had some water and everything.

Omer Mohammad, AlUla local

The gorge is an elevated path with candles lighting the way on both sides.

“In the scripts and descriptions you’re going to see (in the mountains), you will get to know more about Dadani lives and what they used to do here,” he said.

After the hike down, visitors from both groups join at the gathering point where everyone is encouraged to rest, mingle and enjoy small bites such as dates and other goodies, as well as tea. 

While it is a new experience, the tradition is old. 

“Storytelling was such an important thing here 3,000 years ago. People from all over the world used to bring their animals and rest here; it had a river so it had some water and everything,” he said.

Dressed in garb from olden times and speaking in poetic prose, Mohammad and his peers guided us to see the light in the dark night.

“It is significant to me personally to work on this project to get people to come here and get excited (about) what’s happening, enjoy our stories and know more about Dadani life,” he said.

On a personal note, Mohammad is grateful to know more about his own history and wants to continue passing on that newfound knowledge to all generations — both younger and older than his own — and be part of the unfolding story of the land and its people.

“I guess you can say that this is the land of my ancestors. I really love history, and I really would like to know more about history — and my history,” Mohammad said. “But I just learned about this ancient history three years ago when I started working here.

“I never had the experience before, so when I knew more about it, I was so happy. And it was so good. Everyone should come,” he said.