, previously called ( Raqmat ) , is considered one of the most important archeological sites in Najran region
The location of city is the same location where the old Najran city existed. It lies at the Al-Qabel village at the southern adge of the Najran valley. The site consists of a city surrounded by a wall 235 meters in length and 220 meters in width.
founded as early as the 7th centuty BC, this former farming community survived possibly until the 10th century AD
The name means 'the ditch', sometimes 'the trench', sometimes 'the groove
is mentioned in the ( Holy Quran ) as being the site of a massacre of in Christians in (525) 101BH. This event is sometimes referred to as the massacre of the Najran martyrs.
(( Cursed were the People of the Ditch . Of fire fed with fuel . When they sat by it . And they witnessed what they were doing against the believers . And they had no fault except that they believed in Allah , the Almighty , Worthy of all praise ! To Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth ! And Allah is Witness over everything ))
The Frankincense Trade Route from Yemen passed through (the town now known as Najran) on its way to Makkah,Madinah and then on to palestine,Syria. the Arabian Gulf and Mesopotamia
Cities along the main caravan routes were able to levy taxes on the merchants, and in this way they became rich. At its peak, was one of the most important trading cities in Southern Arabia and its wealth was demonstrated by the high quality construction of the main buildings. There still remain substantial areas of dressed stone, and ornate bronze drain spouts.
declined in importance when trades discovered how to sail to India on the monsoon winds. Around the same time there was a decline in demand for frankincense when christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire in 235BH (395).
The resurgence of Najran and the settlements around was mainly due to the rise of Christianity in the area and the influence of Byzantium in the centuries before Islam.Dhu Nuwas laid siege to . When the town capitulated, the inhabitants were given an impossible choice - convert or die. They chose the latter and thousands were thrown into a burning ditch.
The ditch (which may be a defensive moat) is still visible, and archaeologists have found evidence of burning which supports the written accounts of the tragedy
In revenge for this attack the Ethiopians (Abyssinians) invaded and deposed Dhu Nuwas. For the next few decades, the area was under Abyssinian rule
The castel represents the main period of settlement in , which may have continued till the end of the third century. This area coincided with the flourishing of the civilization of south of the Arabian peninsula as well as the period after the civilization of south of the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic civilization period
contains a lot of sculptures, wonderful drawings, Sabaeans and Kuffis Calligraphist. although picking your way through the crumbling stone walls and searching for Thaumidic inscriptions can be a pleasant way to pass a time.
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