Rafha, Cairns, known as rjum in Arabic, are much more than just heaps of stones scattered throughout the desert. These landmarks have significant importance in the lives of Bedouins and desert travelers, serving as silent guides and ancient monuments.
Shaped as pyramidal or circular heaps of stones, cairn marks valleys, ravines, and deserts across the region. Their strategic placement atop hills or elevated grounds provides a vantage point, revealing hidden landscapes to those who venture near.
Bedouins hold great reverence for cairns, which help visual exploration and are places for contemplation for lovers, enthusiasts, and poets.
Each cairn has its own secrets, hiding places, and unique features. Some bear names, possibly attributed to their builders or reflective of specific geographical locations. The care and preservation of cairns remain a priority for the Bedouin community, ensuring that their legacy endures for generations to come.
Archaeology and heritage researcher Abdulrahman Mohammed Al-Tuway
jiri said in an interview with the Saudi Press Agency that these landmarks are constructed using stones of varying sizes with diameters ranging from 2 to 3 meters and heights measuring between 2 and 3 meters. Most of the stones have deteriorated in time, now measuring about 1 to 2 meters in height. Some cairns have become piles of fallen stones along the roadside.
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Harbi, an early geographer, had documented the landmarks and mile markers that guided the Hajj pilgrimage route from Kufa to Makkah. These landmarks are spaced approximately two kilometers (one mile) apart, with closer intervals at road intersections and divergences to ensure that travelers maintain their direction.
Cairns were typically built on natural hills and elevations to ensure that they are visible from a distance.
Cairns serve far more purposes than simply guiding travelers. These silent stone structures designated resting areas for weary explorers on long journeys, functioned as gathering points for nomadic tribes,
and potentially even indicated the presence of water sources. They also aid in observing distant lightning flashes at nighttime, and have various other functions.
Source: Saudi Press Agency