Off we go again!
Another autumn, another departure! Almost a year after we first set foot on Saudi soil, we are now ready for the second field season. This time, we arrive in two waves a week apart, each group travelling in pairs. There’s a greater sense of awareness this time, but challenges are always around the corner.
As true Italians, we packed our suitcases full of Parmesan, coffee, and spaghetti, but left plenty of room in our stomachs for dates upon arrival. The first team departs on the night of September 26, armed with more pieces of luggage than hands to carry them. The journey begins with some challenges at Milan Malpensa Airport, continues with an almost sleepless night, and ends with a warm welcome from the security staff at AlUla International Airport—who are apparently very interested in our tools and materials—and the promise to visit us at the Hegra site.
Exactly one week later, the second team catches the same flight to join us the following morning in AlUla. New journey, new challenges: while our colleagues arrive on schedule, their luggage decides to enjoy a leisurely stopover in Doha. Thankfully, we also had relaxing plans for ourselves. Dressed in borrowed clothing and full of high expectations, we head towards the Harrat Plateau. This vast volcanic summit, with its high, flat terrain, offers stunning views of the wadi below, the unique rock formations, and the AlUla Oasis. A bus takes us to the top, where we enjoy a sunset yoga session in the middle of this almost lunar landscape. The day concludes with stargazing and ancient stories about how nomadic peoples used the stars as reference points for their pilgrimages and the beliefs associated with them. It felt like the perfect (second) kick-off to our new field season.
Home, sweet home
Now back to it. Entering Hegra’s gate feels like entering a second home. Every corner is full of past memories, but at the same time, you rush to check that everything is still in place and functioning as expected. A quick reconnaissance allows us to reset our minds on the goal and organise the activities for the days ahead.
This season, among the most important activities is training local conservators. The aim is to work with three young Saudi professionals, teaching them best practices for site preservation and monitoring its conservation. Although the activities began slowly due to some language barriers, we soon realised they had a lot to teach us as well.
One of them, for example, shares with us the history of his family, particularly his grandfather, who was once a citizen of Hegra and later moved when the site was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now, through his work, little by little, the grandson was able to call home what was once home for his grandfather.
These three conservators, who work for the Royal Commission for AlUla, will be supporting us in field activities over the coming months, and we look forward to sharing our conservation methods with them as much as learning from them about interesting facts about the site and local traditions.
