Qaryat Al Faw was the capital of the first Kindah kingdom. It is located about 100 km south of Wadi ad-Dawasir, and about 700 km southwest of Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The Al Faw archeological site reveals various features such as residential houses, markets, roads, cemeteries, temples, and water wells. It is home to a 1st century BC Old Arabic inscription written in the Ancient South Arabian script which is one of the oldest of its kind in South Arabia.
Al Faw village is located on the northwestern border of the Empty 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.
On July 27, 2024, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia succeeded in inscribing “The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area” in the Riyadh region on UNESCO’s World Heritage List as a cultural site of exceptional global value for human heritage.
Researchers know little about the city. According to archaeological excavations, the city dates to the fourth century BC. 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 of Kindah and Madh’hij. It is also known by the names of Qaryat al-Hamraa (Red City) and Dhat 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 the inscription of Namara mention the expedition of Imru’ al-Qays ibn ‘Amr into Najran where he reached Qaryat al-Faw and drove the ruling tribe of Madh’hij from the city. It was never mentioned after that incident again, except in a brief account by al-Hamdani.
Archaeological digging revealed that the city developed from a small caravan passing station, into an important commercial, religious, and urban centre in central Arabia, Najd.
