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Dadan lies in the site called al-Khuraybah, north-east of AlUla. It was an oasis town on the incense route. Caravans passed through it with incense, myrrh and spices (experiencealula.com; World History Encyclopedia).
The town was inhabited at least from the 8th to the 1st century BC (World History Encyclopedia). It was the capital of the kingdom of Dadan, then of the kingdom of Lihyan. The exact dates of these kingdoms vary between sources. According to Asharq al-Awsat, quoting the authorities, Dadan ruled the region in the 7th century BC, and Lihyan from the 6th to the 2nd century BC.
Excavations have found a large temple dedicated to Dhu Ghabat, the main deity of the Lihyanites. Large statues were also found there, up to 2.6 metres high. They may represent kings or priests (World History Encyclopedia).
The “lion tombs” are carved into the cliff. Sculpted lions guard their entrance. According to experiencealula.com, they may have belonged to the elite of Dadan. Some tombs are set nearly 50 metres up.
Excavations are ongoing. In 2020, the Royal Commission for AlUla launched a mission with King Saud University and French teams (Arab News).
These peoples worshipped idols. The inscriptions and temples bear witness to this. The Quran reminds us that all the messengers called people to worship Allah alone.
Visiting
According to experiencealula.com, the visit is made on an organized tour, often together with Jabal Ikmah. Prices and opening hours: to be checked on experiencealula.com.What is certain and what is not
- Certain: Dadan was the capital of the kingdoms of Dadan and Lihyan (RCU, experiencealula.com).
- Certain: the lion tombs are carved into the cliff, with sculpted lions.
- Historians' account: the dates of the kingdoms vary between authors (8th to 1st century BC overall).
- Uncertain: who was buried in the lion tombs. The sources say “perhaps the elite, perhaps kings”.
Sources
1. Experience AlUla (RCU), Dadan. https://www.experiencealula.com/en/places-to-go/dadan
2. World History Encyclopedia (supplementary), Fiona Richards, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2850/dadan-tayma-khaybar-qurh--old-town-alula/
3. Asharq al-Awsat, « نقوش الحضارة اللحيانية تزيّن جبال الخريبة في السعودية », 12 May 2017. https://aawsat.com/node/924696
4. Arab News, “International archaeological team ready to discover secrets of AlUla”, 2020. https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1675136
5. Saudipedia, Lion Tombs (to be read with caution: the page mixes Nabataean and Dadanite elements). https://saudipedia.com/en/lion-tombs