Dumat al Jundal in Saudi Arabia (also spelled Jandal) is the name of a historical city of ruins. The many interesting features in the area make it one of the top tourist spots in the country.
Location
The site can be found at the north area of the Great Nafud Desert. You can get to the site by taxi, bus or other modes of transport. The place is in the Al Jawf province in the northwest area of the Al Jawf province.
What to See
The place is located in a lovely oasis, which makes the place even more enthralling to visit. The ruins in the site date back to the 10th century. In Akkadian inscriptions it is known as Adummatu. It was referred to as the Arab kingdom’s capital.
The site is probably best known for being the site of a temple to the goddess Ishtar. Dumat al Jundal in Saudi Arabia also has a lot of Roman-Nabataean pottery sherds.
History
According to archaeologists, human beings have been living in the area for 20,000 years. Due to the climate, there were no permanent settlements made early on. Most of the land that would make up Saudi Arabia today was populated by nomadic tribes.
The only exception were urban trading settlements like Medina and Mecca. However, there were cultures around the area. These included the Thamud north of the Hejaz and the Dilmun on the Persian Gulf.
The oldest known events in the history of the country were migrations by various tribes. While Islam arose with the preaching of Muhammad beginning in 610, the first Arabian state only emerged in 1744.
In the 19th century, the area came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. In 1916, the Arabs revolted against Ottoman rule, leading to the establishment of the nation.
Cost
A traveler on a budget can make do with 50 USD in Saudi Arabia. A midrange budget is around 100 USD. If you have a daily budget of 200 USD, you can go on a splurge.
Other Info
Another interesting feature here is the Mard Castle in Dumah. If you are staying at the site for a long time, you can relax in any of the fine hotels nearby.
A visit to Dumat al Jundal in Saudi Arabia will give you a chance to see the ancient ruins of the country. It offers a nice contrast between the modern city and how it used to be.
