This exhibition marks an important milestone in the history of Saudi Arabia, as it coincides with the 15th anniversary of the designation of Hegra as the first site of the Unesco world heritage in the country.

The reconstruction was carried out by a team of archaeologists, forensic scientists and model makers, under the aegis of the Royal Saudi Commission for AlUla (RCU). The reconstructed woman was baptized hinat and his remains were discovered in 2015, at a burial site in the city of Hegra. It was once an important trading center for the Nabateans, a people who lived in the southern Levant and northern Arabian Peninsula from the 4th century BCE. C. until the 2nd century AD. C., showed his impressive abilities to design and control the trade routes that passed through his territory. .

What makes this find even more significant are the items found alongside Hinat’s remains, including a silver mirror, a set of ivory combs, and a necklace of gold and precious stones. These artifacts suggest that she held an important position in Nabataean society. In the latter, women played an active role in the economy, held positions of authority in their communities, participated in religious ceremonies, and also had access to education and training in various fields, including music and poetry.

Helen McGauranhead of the reconstruction project, said: “For many people, this civilization is still quite mysterious.”

“I hope this project allows people to engage with the faces, the characters and the history of the Nabateans in a much deeper way than perhaps has been done before,” he said.

Who were the Nabateans?

The Nabataean kingdom, where Hinat’s remains were discovered, was once a major trading center that controlled the lucrative South Arabian incense trade. The capital of the kingdom was Petra, an ancient city located in present-day Jordan, famous for its impressive rock-cut architecture and its unique script, used to write Aramaic, the lingua franca of the ancient Near East.

The Nabataean script is considered the forerunner of the modern Arabic script, and many of its letters and features are found in the modern script. The script was also used for inscriptions on tombs, buildings, and other public structures, as well as for business and administrative purposes, such as recording business transactions and tracking taxes and financial transactions.