Al-'Ula

An ancient oasis city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, occupying the site of the biblical city of Dedan. It served as a key stop on the incense trade route linking India and the Gulf to the Levant. The area was ruled by the Dedanite kingdom (7th-6th c. BC), then the Lihyanite kingdom (5th-2nd c. BC), before the Nabataeans established nearby Hegra, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hegra reached its peak under Aretas IV (9 BC-40 AD) and features over 100 monumental rock-cut tombs carved into sandstone outcrops.