ThePlace: The ancient mining sites of Saudi Arabia’s Bisha

Photo/Saudi Tourism

• Al-Abla retained its mercantile role after the rise of Islam as it was an important stop on the pilgrimage route linking Sanaa to Makkah

Al-Abla is one of the most important ancient mining sites in Bisha, in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia.
A dedicated archaeological mission in the Department of Archeology and Museums at the Ministry of Tourism has attached priority to the research on this site as it depicted a model of old mining industrial town.
The site bears witness to the economic activity of the ancient southern kingdoms of Arabia, a role that thrived during the peak of trade by the Quraish, a tribe of merchants in Makkah. Additionally, its role in agricultural activity and trading is very visible in the region.
Al-Abla retained its mercantile role after the rise of Islam as it was an important stop on the pilgrimage route linking Sanaa to Makkah, in addition to its economic role as a mining colony, in particular during the first few centuries of Islam.