Al-Rajajil

The Rajajel Columns are a group of sandstone pillars found at an archaeological site 6,000 years back. It is situated in Saudi Arabia's Al Jawf Region. It is located in the Qara neighborhood south of Sakakah.

This site is made up of 50 groups of constructed stone columns known as Rajajil. Some current columns are almost three meters tall and only 60 cm thick. 'Rajajil,' which means 'men,' is derived from the fact that it resembles a man when viewed from a distance. The site, according to archaeologists, dates to the fourth millennium B.C.

These columns resemble Stonehenge in Britain, which was constructed in the third millennium B.C.

How to explore Al-Rajajil?

• About 50 groups of upright stone pillars may be found at the location, along with a few damaged ones lying on the ground. These clusters are arranged in a sizable circle above a broad sandy plain.
• Each group consists of two to 10 columns, the tallest of which is about three meters.
• The Al-Rajajil stones have inscriptions in Thamudic. The term Thamudic refers to the language and literature of the Thamudic tribe, which were used in numerous inscriptions in ancient North Arabia. This alphabet has not yet undergone thorough analysis. These texts can be found all across, from Yemen to southern Syria.
• According to current scholarly speculation, this location was a complex of many temples frequented by human tribes outside the area for religious rites.
• Popular explanations for the 'enigma' of the site's standing stones have included tales of superstition and dread or the idea that the location served astronomical purposes. It was said to be a sanctuary for the dead.
• The monolithic blocks can recognize numerous burials at this location, each over 3 meters long and positioned close to one another in the ground. It is possible to locate over 50 graves, ranging from simple trench tombs to buildings with multiple funerary rooms.
• Tools including fan scrapers, pen campsites, and insulation material (coating of troughs) from the well/watering complex were discovered during excavations. View the excavations here.
• Go mountain driving in a jeep or SUV in this region.