Mahlab al-Naqa lies within the archaeological zone of Khuraybah, identified as the capital of the ancient Lihyanite Kingdom. The basin is a circular cistern-like feature carved directly into the rock, measuring approximately 3.75 metres in diameter and about 2.15 metres in depth. Three stone steps are cut into its northern interior wall, allowing descent to the base.

Local oral tradition connects the structure to the legendary she-camel of the prophet Ṣāliḥ, claiming the basin once held the animal’s milk, a narrative that gave rise to its Arabic name. Scholarly interpretation, however, regards the basin as a ritual installation rather than a mythic relic. Archaeological analysis places it within the context of a Lihyanite temple complex, where it likely served religious or ceremonial functions—possibly for ablution, water purification, or offerings connected to temple rituals.

It dates to the 6th century BCE and is associated with the kingdom of Lihyan, one of the key early polities of north-western ancient Arabia.

circa 600 BCE

The diameter of the ancient cistern is 3.75 meters and depth is 2.15 meters, with a capacity of some 6000 (2400 liters) gallons of water. Three steps have been hewn inside the basin on the northern side of the cistern to facilitate access. It was most likely built to be used in religious rituals, as it is located adjacent to a religious structure.

Architecturally, the basin exemplifies the Lihyanite approach to monumental carving, where ritual installations were integrated into the natural rock rather than built from masonry blocks. Its considerable volume, sufficient to hold several thousand litres of liquid, and the presence of interior steps indicate it was meant for active human use rather than mere storage.

The workmanship of the basin demonstrates a high level of technical skill in stone excavation and finishing. The precision of its circular plan and the careful cutting of its steps suggest deliberate design within a broader religious architectural layout. The structure’s proximity to the remains of what is interpreted as a temple underscores its ritual purpose, while its permanence and scale emphasize the importance of water in the ceremonial and symbolic practices of the Lihyanite religious system.

circa 600 BCE

The basin is situated within the wider Khuraybah archaeological complex, the principal site of the Dadanite and Lihyanite kingdoms that flourished between the 7th and 2nd centuries BCE. The site contains temples, rock-cut tombs, inscriptions in the Lihyanite script, and numerous monumental remains that attest to the political and religious prominence of the region during that era.

Within this setting, Mahlab al-Naqa occupies a distinctive position as a focal feature of ritual architecture. Its function parallels other rock-hewn basins in the Near East and north-west Arabia used for purification or libation ceremonies. The steps carved into its side suggest repeated ritual interaction, perhaps for priests or initiates entering the basin as part of sacred rites. The Lihyanite sanctuary complex in which it stands is thought to have been dedicated to deities such as Dhu-Ghābah or Dhighrybah, figures attested in inscriptions from the same region.

Over time, as the Lihyanite civilization declined and later populations reinterpreted the remains, the basin’s utilitarian and religious functions became absorbed into local legend. The mythic association with the she-camel of Ṣāliḥ transformed the structure from a temple component into a site of folkloric reverence. Nevertheless, archaeologically and architecturally, Mahlab al-Naqa remains a key witness to the ritual landscape of pre-Islamic north-western Arabia and provides crucial evidence for the ceremonial use of water and carved stone in the Lihyanite religious sphere.