Ikmah Mountain Brings Ancient Inscriptions to Life Under AlUla’s Winter Skies

ALULA: Ikmah Mountain, also known as Jabal Ikmah, is offering visitors a unique hands-on experience this week as part of AlUla’s Winter at Tantora festival, which runs until Jan. 10. Located near the ancient city of Dadan, Ikmah Mountain underscores AlUla’s historical importance as a cultural and religious hub centuries before the rise of the Nabataeans. As part of the seasonal programming, the site is being activated after dark, allowing visitors to explore its heritage under the stars. Often referred to as an “open-air library,” Ikmah is famed for the hundreds of ancient inscriptions etched into its canyon walls thousands of years ago. The new experience invites visitors to engage directly with this legacy by carving their own names in an ancient alphabet onto a stone block, which they can take home as a souvenir. The initiative offers a rare blend of history and interaction, bringing AlUla’s ancient past into a modern cultural setting while highlighting the region’s enduring significance.