The Expanded Narrative
Known in inscriptions as Yathill, Baraqish was the religious capital of the Kingdom of Ma’in.
Value and significance
Known in inscriptions as Yathill, Baraqish was the religious capital of the Kingdom of Ma’in. Its double walls and guarded gates proclaim the city’s authority over the caravan passages, while its temples and inscriptions narrate the system of tithing, vows and endowments.
Engineering and fortification
- A wall encircling the hill, 14 metres high, with 57 towers and two gates
- Gates with winding passages for control and inspection
- Channels protecting the inner plain from floods
- A layout linking the square with temples and stores
Historical context
Baraqish/Yathill acted as a junction in the Minaean caravan economy; some of its walls were restored in later eras, and it remains a witness to a prosperity that linked al-Jawf to the Hijaz and the Levant.
The religious capital of the Kingdom of Ma’inA 14-metre wall with 57 towers and two gatesKnown in inscriptions as YathillA junction in the Minaean caravan economy
