Al-Ukhdud Archaeological Site

An ancient South Arabian town on the southern bank of Wadi Najran in Saudi Arabia, with artifacts ranging from the Stone Age through the Islamic period [1] [2]. The site was a major trade center at the crossroads of incense routes linking Hadhramaut to the Hejaz and Mesopotamia [2] [3]. It is infamous as the location where Himyarite king Dhu Nuwas massacred Najran's Christian population in the 520s AD, referenced in the Quran as the People of the Ditch [1] [2]. Excavations have uncovered glass, metals, pottery, bronze artifacts, and ancient inscriptions [2] [4].