The Mahlab al-Naqa (محلب الناقة), also spelled Mahlib Annaqa, is a sixth century BCE carved stone-basin, located in the Khuraybah area of al-Ula Governorate, Saudi Arabia. It was most likely a purification basin carved in front of a Lihyanite temple. The name means the "milking bowl of the camel", referring to a local tradition of this being the basin which used to be filled with the milk of prophet Saleh's camel.
circa 953 CE
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.
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The Madain Project is an online archive of Abrahamic History and Archaeology.
Abrahamic History & Archaeology is the study of history and archaeology with respect to the three Abrahamic Faiths without considering the religious and theological aspects. The goal of Abrahamic History is to understand how and why the religious doctrines and behaviours have evlovled and changed over time. Searching for patterns in the evolution of significant cultural events such as the development of farming, the emergence of cities, or the collapse of major civilizations for clues of why and how these have influenced the three major Abrahamic religions.
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