Wadi Rum: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 29°35′35″N 35°25′12″E / 29.59306°N 35.42000°E / 29.59306; 35.42000
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{{Short description|Valley in southern Jordan}}
{{Infobox protected area
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Wadi Rum
| name = Wadi Rum
| iucn_ref =
| iucn_ref =
<!-- images -->
<!-- images -->
| photo = Mountain in Wadi Rum, Jordan.jpg
| photo = Wadi Rum in December.jpg
| photo_caption = A Wadi Rum vista
| photo_caption = Typical Wadi Rum vista
<!-- map -->
<!-- map -->
| map = Jordan
| map_image =
| map_image =
| map_size =
| map_caption = Location in Jordan
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| relief = 1
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| location = [[Aqaba Governorate|Aqaba]], [[Jordan]]
| location = [[Aqaba Governorate|Aqaba]], [[Jordan]]
| nearest_city =
| nearest_city =
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<!-- website, embedded -->
<!-- website, embedded -->
| website = [http://www.wadirum.jo Wadi Rum]
| website = [http://www.wadirum.jo Wadi Rum]
| embedded ={{designation list | embed = yes
| embedded =
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| designation1 = WHS
| designation1_offname = Wadi Rum Protected Area
| designation1_date = 2011
| designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1377 1377]
| designation1_criteria = iii, v, vii
| designation1_type = Mixed
| designation1_free1name = Region
| designation1_free1value = Arab States
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}}
}}
}}
'''Wadi Rum''' ({{lang-ar|وادي رم}} ''Wādī Ramm'', also ''Wādī al-Ramm''), known also as the '''Valley of the Moon''' ({{lang-ar|وادي القمر}} ''Wādī al-Qamar''), is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern [[Jordan]], near the border with [[Saudi Arabia]] and about {{Convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east of the city of [[Aqaba]]. With an area of {{convert|720|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} it is the largest [[wadi]] (river valley) in Jordan.<ref name="Mannheim2000">{{cite book|last=Mannheim|first=Ivan|title=Jordan Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LWh_GohTy6AC&pg=PA293|access-date=30 May 2012|date=1 December 2000|publisher=Footprint Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-900949-69-9|page=293}}</ref>
'''Wadi Rum''' ({{lang-ar|وادي رم}} ''Wādī Ramm''), known also as the '''Valley of the Moon''' ({{lang-ar|وادي القمر}} ''Wādī al-Qamar''), is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern [[Jordan]] {{Convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}} to the east of [[Aqaba]]; it is the largest [[wadi]] in Jordan.<ref name="Mannheim2000">{{cite book|last=Mannheim|first=Ivan|title=Jordan Handbook|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LWh_GohTy6AC&pg=PA293|access-date=30 May 2012|date=1 December 2000|publisher=Footprint Travel Guides|isbn=978-1-900949-69-9|page=293}}</ref>


Wadi Rum Protected Area was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.
Several prehistoric civilizations left [[Petroglyph|petroglyphs]], rock inscriptions and ruins in Wadi Rum. Today it is a tourist attraction, offering guided tours, hiking and rock climbing. The Wadi Rum Protected Area has been a [[UNESCO World heritage site|UNESCO World Heritage site]] since 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2011-06-25 |title=World Heritage Committee inscribes five new sites in Colombia, Sudan, Jordan, Italy and Germany |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/771/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Wadi Rum Protected Area |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1377/ |access-date=2022-12-27 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref>


==Toponym==
==Name==
Wadi Rum or Wadi Ramm is believed to get its name from the early name of [[Iram of the Pillars]]<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Laurent Tholbecq|url=https://www.academia.edu/1184253|title=The Nabataeo-Roman Site of Wadi Ramm (Iram): A New Appraisal|journal=Academia|pages=241–254|date=1998}}</ref> (also called Irum ({{lang-ar|إرم}})), a [[lost city]] mentioned in the [[Quran]].
'''Wadi Rum''' most likely gets it name from the early name of [[Iram of the Pillars]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.academia.edu/1184253}}.</ref>


==Geography==
==History==
⚫
[[File:Camp in jordan.jpg|thumb|253x253px|Desert camp for tourists in Wadi Rum]]
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The area is centered on the main valley of Wadi Rum. The highest elevation in Jordan is [[Jabal Umm ad Dami]] at {{Convert|1840|m|ft|abbr=on}} high (SRTM data states 1854 m), located 30 kilometers south of Wadi Rum village. It was first located {{when|date=June 2019}} by Difallah Ateeg, a Zalabia [[Bedouin]] from Rum. On a clear day, it is possible to see the [[Red Sea]] and the Saudi border from the top.
⚫
[[File:WadiRumPetroglyphFamily.jpg|thumb|left|Petroglyphs at Wadi Rum]]
[[File:Eghabsläger.jpg|thumb|Secluded camp protected by mountains]]
Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the [[Nabataeans]]–leaving their mark in the form of petroglyphs, inscriptions, and temple.
⚫
In the West, Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer [[T. E. Lawrence]], who passed through several times during the [[Arab Revolt]] of 1917&ndash;18.<ref name="HamGreenway2003">{{cite book|last1=Ham|first1=Anthony|last2=Greenway|first2=Paul|title=Jordan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5x2pJuvWeOQC&pg=PA212|access-date=30 May 2012|year=2003|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74059-165-2|page=212}}</ref> In the 1980s one of the rock formations in Wadi Rum, originally known as Jabal al-Mazmar (''The Mountain of (the) Plague''), was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom," after [[Seven Pillars of Wisdom|Lawrence's book]] penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book have no connection with Rum.<ref>[https://www.roughguides.com/destinations/middle-east/jordan/aqaba-southern-desert/wadi-rum/seven-pillars/ The Seven Pillars?] ''roughguides.com'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>


⚫
Lawrence described his entrance into the Valley of Rumm, "The hills on the right grew taller and sharper, a fair counterpart of the other side which straightened itself to one massive rampart of redness. They drew together until only two miles divided them: and then, towering gradually till their parallel parapets must have been a thousand feet above us, ran forward in an avenue for miles. The crags were capped in nests of domes, less hotly red than then body of the hill; rather grey and shallow. They gave the finishing semblance of Byzantine architecture to this irresistible place: this processional way greater than imagination."<ref name="TE">{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=T.E. |title=Seven Pillars of Wisdom |url=https://archive.org/details/sevenpillarsofwi00lawr |url-access=registration |date=1935 |publisher=Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. |location=Garden City |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sevenpillarsofwi00lawr/page/351 351]}}</ref>
⚫
[[Jabal Ram]] or Jebel Rum ({{Convert|1734|m|ft}} above sea level) is the second highest peak in Jordan and the highest peak in the central Rum,<ref name="Scheck1997">{{cite book|last=Scheck|first=Frank Rainer|title=Jordanien: Völker und Kulturen zwischen Jordan und Rotem Meer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMVut1r9Y8YC&pg=PA12|access-date=30 May 2012|year=1997|publisher=DuMont Reiseverlag|isbn=978-3-7701-3979-8|page=12|language=de}}</ref> rising directly above Rum valley, opposite Jebel um Ishrin, which is possibly one meter lower.


⚫
Lawrence also described his encounter with the spring, Ain Shalaaleh, "On the rock-bulge above were clear-cut Nabathaean inscriptions, and a sunk panel incised with a monogram or symbol. Around and about were Arab scratches, including tribe-marks, some of which were witnesses of forgotten migrations: but my attention was only for the splashing of water in a crevice under the shadow of the overhanging rock. I looked in to see the spout, a little thinner than my wrist, jetting out firmly from a fissure in the roof, and falling with that clean sound into a shallow, frothing pool, behind the step which served as an entrance. Thick ferns and grasses of the finest green made it a paradise just five feet square."<ref name=TE/>{{rp|355}}
⚫
Khaz'ali Canyon in Wadi Rum is the site of [[petroglyphs]] etched into the cave walls depicting humans and antelopes dating back to the [[Thamud]]ic times. The village of Wadi Rum itself consists of several hundred [[Bedouin]] inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses and also their four-wheel vehicles, one school for boys and one for girls, a few shops, and the headquarters of the [[Desert Patrol]].<ref name="HowardTaylor1997">{{cite book|last1=Howard|first1=Tony|last2=Taylor|first2=Di|title=Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fweY0lTEJogC&pg=PA20|access-date=30 May 2012|date=May 1997|publisher=Cicerone Press Limited|isbn=978-1-85284-254-3|page=20}}</ref>


⚫
The discovery of the Nabataean Temple (located walking distance from the Rest House) in 1933 briefly returned the spotlight to the desert. A French team of archaeologists completed the excavations in 1997.
==Geology==
[[File:Wadi Rum Desert 01.jpg|thumb|left|A large vertical rock formation at Wadi Rum.]]
Wadi Rum is located within the Sandstone Mountain and Valley Region of southern Jordan the area is characterized by tall, near vertical mountains of iron-rich, erosion resistant, Umm Ishrin [[Sandstone]], separated by flat-bottom valleys of [[alluvial]] sediments, [[aeolian sand]]s, and [[salt pan (geology)|salt pans]]. The Umm Ishrin is the thickest [[formation (geology)|formation]] in the [[Lower Palaeozoic]]-[[Upper Cretaceous]] [[Nubian Sandstone]], underlying the Disi and Umm Sahn sandstone formations, and overlying the Salib [[Arkosic]] Formation. The Salib in turn overlies the eroded Aqaba Complex of [[plutonic]] [[granitoid]]s. An [[aquifer]] forms along this lithologic contact, with [[spring (hydrology)|springs]] forming on the eastern mountain slopes. [[Alluvial fan]]s compose most of the alluvial sediments. Aeolian systems include [[tafoni]], [[natural bridge]]s, and [[sand dune]]s. Sand dunes include [[barchan|barkhan]]s, climbing dunes consisting of sand ramps that reach the tops of hills, and echo dunes consisting of sands that have crawled over a hill to be deposited on the lee side.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cordova |first1=Carlos |last2=DeWitt |first2=Regina |last3=Winsborough |first3=Barbara |title=Geology, Landforms, and Depositional Systems in Wadi Rum, in The Sands of Time, The Desert Neolithic Settlement at Ayn Abu Nukhayla |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303817923 |website=ResearchGate |access-date=12 January 2023 |date=2014}}</ref>


==History==
==Geography==
⚫
The area is centered on the main valley of Wadi Rum. The highest elevation in Jordan is [[Jabal Umm ad Dami]] at {{Convert|1840|m|ft|abbr=on}} high (SRTM data states 1854 m), located 30 kilometres south of Wadi Rum village. It was first located {{when|date=June 2019}} by Difallah Ateeg, a Zalabia [[Bedouin]] from Rum. On a clear day, it is possible to see the [[Red Sea]] and the Saudi border from the top.
⚫
[[File:WadiRumPetroglyphFamily.jpg|thumb|upright|Petroglyphs at Wadi Rum]]
Various human cultures have inhabited Wadi Rum since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the [[Nabataeans]]–leaving their mark in the form of [[petroglyph]]s, inscriptions, and temple ruins. Currently, the majority is made up by the Zalabieh Bedouins who arrived to the region around 1980. The word "Bedouin" comes from the Arabic word for desert, pronounced ''badiya'' in the Arabic language. The root of this word is ''bad’a'', which translates to "clear" and "obvious" in Arabic. One central characteristic for Bedouin tribes is the sense of belonging that tribe members feel.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2017 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.22381/crlsj9120178 |journal=Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=132 |doi=10.22381/crlsj9120178 |issn=1948-9137|title=The Social Ontology of Institutions: A Reassessment }}</ref>


⚫
[[Jabal Ram]] or Jebel Rum ({{Convert|1734|m|ft}} above sea level) is the second highest peak in Jordan and the highest peak in the central Rum,<ref name="Scheck1997">{{cite book|last=Scheck|first=Frank Rainer|title=Jordanien: Völker und Kulturen zwischen Jordan und Rotem Meer|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMVut1r9Y8YC&pg=PA12|access-date=30 May 2012|year=1997|publisher=DuMont Reiseverlag|isbn=978-3-7701-3979-8|page=12|language=de}}</ref> rising directly above Rum valley, opposite Jebel um Ishrin, which is possibly one metre lower.
When they first arrived, the Zalabieh bedouins lived in tents. Their village held about 700-800 people. 80% of those people were either retired from the army or the police.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2017 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.22381/crlsj9120178 |journal=Contemporary Readings in Law and Social Justice |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=132 |doi=10.22381/crlsj9120178 |issn=1948-9137|title=The Social Ontology of Institutions: A Reassessment }}</ref>


⚫
Khaz'ali Canyon in Wadi Rum is the site of [[petroglyphs]] etched into the cave walls depicting humans and antelopes dating back to the [[Thamud]]ic times. The village of Wadi Rum itself consists of several hundred [[Bedouin]] inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses and also their four-wheel vehicles, one school for boys and one for girls, a few shops, and the headquarters of the [[Desert Patrol]].<ref name="HowardTaylor1997">{{cite book|last1=Howard|first1=Tony|last2=Taylor|first2=Di|title=Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fweY0lTEJogC&pg=PA20|access-date=30 May 2012|date=May 1997|publisher=Cicerone Press Limited|isbn=978-1-85284-254-3|page=20}}</ref>
The camel is the favorite animal of the Zalabieh bedouins. It is a symbol for male pride. Camel racing is an important sport for the Bedouins. These races allow Bedouins to engage in male competition, and establish manhood and power within the community.<ref>{{Citation |title=19 Changing Sex Roles in Bedouin Society in Syria and Lebanon |date=1978-12-31 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674733091.c22 |work=Women in the Muslim World |pages=399–415 |publisher=Harvard University Press |doi=10.4159/harvard.9780674733091.c22 |isbn=9780674733091 |access-date=2022-12-03}}</ref>


Recently, [[Geoff Lawton]] has achieved success in establishing a [[Wadi Rum Consultancy|permaculture ecosystem]] in Wadi Rum.<ref>[http://permaculturenews.org/2014/02/01/desert-oasis-4-years-jordan/ Craig Mackintosh: FROM DESERT TO OASIS IN 4 YEARS (JORDAN)] 1 February 2014 ''permaculturenews.org'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>
⚫
Wadi Rum was documented by British officer [[T. E. Lawrence]], who passed through several times during the [[Arab Revolt]] of 1917&ndash;18.<ref name="HamGreenway2003">{{cite book|last1=Ham|first1=Anthony|last2=Greenway|first2=Paul|title=Jordan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5x2pJuvWeOQC&pg=PA212|access-date=30 May 2012|year=2003|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74059-165-2|page=212}}</ref> In the 1980s one of the rock formations in Wadi Rum, originally known as "Jabal al-Mazmar" (''The Mountain of (the) Plague''), was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom," after [[Seven Pillars of Wisdom|Lawrence's book]] penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book have no connection with Rum.<ref>[https://www.roughguides.com/destinations/middle-east/jordan/aqaba-southern-desert/wadi-rum/seven-pillars/ The Seven Pillars?] ''roughguides.com'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>

⚫
Lawrence described his entrance into the Valley of Rumm: "The hills on the right grew taller and sharper, a fair counterpart of the other side which straightened itself to one massive rampart of redness. They drew together until only two miles divided them: and then, towering gradually till their parallel parapets must have been a thousand feet above us, ran forward in an avenue for miles. The crags were capped in nests of domes, less hotly red than the body of the hill; rather grey and shallow. They gave the finishing semblance of Byzantine architecture to this irresistible place: this processional way greater than imagination."<ref name="TE">{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=T.E. |title=Seven Pillars of Wisdom |url=https://archive.org/details/sevenpillarsofwi00lawr |url-access=registration |date=1935 |publisher=Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. |location=Garden City |pages=[https://archive.org/details/sevenpillarsofwi00lawr/page/351 351]}}</ref>

⚫
Lawrence also described his encounter with the spring, Ain Shalaaleh, "On the rock-bulge above were clear-cut Nabathaean inscriptions, and a sunk panel incised with a monogram or symbol. Around and about were Arab scratches, including tribe-marks, some of which were witnesses of forgotten migrations: but my attention was only for the splashing of water in a crevice under the shadow of the overhanging rock. I looked in to see the spout, a little thinner than my wrist, jetting out firmly from a fissure in the roof, and falling with that clean sound into a shallow, frothing pool, behind the step which served as an entrance. Thick ferns and grasses of the finest green made it a paradise just five feet square."<ref name=TE/>{{rp|355}}

⚫
The discovery of the Nabataean Temple (located walking distance from the Rest House) in 1933 briefly returned the spotlight to the desert. A French team of archaeologists completed the excavations in 1997.


==Activities==
==Tourism==
===Tourism===
⚫
[[File:Camp in jordan.jpg|thumb|Desert camp for tourists in Wadi Rum]]
Desert scenes of Wadi Rum in ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' from 1962 kick-started Jordan's tourism industry.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/the-complete-guide-to-lawrences-arabia-564189.html The Complete Guide to Lawrence's Arabia] 22 May 2004, ''independent.co.uk'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>
Desert scenes of Wadi Rum in ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' from 1962 kick-started Jordan's tourism industry.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/the-complete-guide-to-lawrences-arabia-564189.html The Complete Guide to Lawrence's Arabia] 22 May 2004, ''independent.co.uk'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>


Wadi Rum is one of Jordan's most popular tourist sites, attracting 162,000 tourists in 2017.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bani Mustafa |first1=Ahmed |title='97 per cent increase in Wadi Rum visitors, 13 per cent for Aqaba' |url=https://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/97-cent-increase-wadi-rum-visitors-13-cent-aqaba%E2%80%99 |access-date=16 May 2023 |publisher=Jordan Times |date=Jan 29, 2018}}</ref> Wadi Rum is home to the Zalabieh tribe, who developed eco-adventure tourism and services throughout the protected area. Using local guides and services brings many benefits to the protected area. In particular, it enables people to continue earning a living from the land and helps to ensure that the protected area remains protected.
Wadi Rum is one of Jordan's most popular tourist sites and attracts a number of foreign tourists. Wadi Rum is home to the Zalabieh tribe, who developed eco-adventure tourism and services throughout the protected area. They provide tours, guides, accommodation and facilities. They also run restaurants and small shops in the villages that provide meals and basic supplies for visitors. Their guide services include highly experienced mountain and trekking guides who have an unmatched knowledge of the local area and often speak fluently in one or two languages. Using local guides and services brings many benefits to the protected area. In particular, it enables people to continue earning a living from the land and helps to ensure that the protected area will always be protected.


Popular activities in the desert environment include 4x4 tours, camel rides, camping under the stars, riding Arabian horses, hiking and [[Climbing|rock-climbing]] among the massive rock formations. Travellers staying in the area can overnight in Bedouin Camps located in the desert and glamping hotels. Hikers and adventurous travellers may also opt to camp outdoors under the stars. Tour operators offering this experience provide sleeping equipment, meals and transport.
Bedouins in Wadi Rum allow tourists to stay overnight in their traditional camps, and provide activities, meals and transport throughout the desert. They also run restaurants and small shops in the villages that provide meals and basic supplies for visitors. Popular activities in Wadi Rum include 4x4 tours, camel rides, hiking, and camping.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Experiences |url=https://seewadirum.com/our-experiences/ |website=See Wadi Rum |access-date=16 May 2023}}</ref>


[[Dima and Lama Hattab]] coordinate an annual [[marathon]] in the region called Jabal Ishrin.
[[Dima and Lama Hattab]] coordinate an annual [[marathon]] in the region called Jabal Ishrin.


===Rock climbing===
==Rock climbing==
[[File:Flight of Fancy, Jebel Rum.jpg|thumb|upright|Climber on Jabal Ram]]
[[File:Flight of Fancy, Jebel Rum.jpg|thumb|left|Climber on Jabal Ram]]
Local [[Bedouin]] have climbed in the [[sandstone]] mountains of Wadi Rum for many generations. Many of their 'Bedouin Roads' have been rediscovered and documented by modern climbers. Several are included in the climbing guidebook by Tony Howard, and online by Liên and Gilles Rappeneau.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gilles|first=Rappeneau|title=Les Voies Bedouin du Wadi Ramm|url=http://wadiram.userhome.ch/|work=website|access-date=5 February 2014}}</ref>
Local [[Bedouin]] have climbed in the [[sandstone]] mountains of Wadi Rum for many generations. Many of their 'Bedouin Roads' have been rediscovered and documented by modern climbers. Several are included in the climbing guidebook by Tony Howard, and online by Liên and Gilles Rappeneau.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gilles|first=Rappeneau|title=Les Voies Bedouin du Wadi Ramm|url=http://wadiram.userhome.ch/|work=website|access-date=5 February 2014}}</ref>


In 1949, Sheikh Hamdan took surveyors to the summit of Jabal Ram. The first recorded European ascent of Jabal Ram took place in November 1952, by Charmian Longstaff and Sylvia Branford, guided by Sheik Hamdan. The first recorded rock climbs started in 1984, with the first of many visits by English climbers Howard, Baker, Taylor and Shaw. This group repeated many of the Bedouin routes, accompanied by locals and independently, including, in 1984, Hammad's Route on Jebel Rum, and, in 1985, Sheikh Kraim’s Hunter’s Slabs and Rijm Assaf on Jebel Rum.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Howard |first1=Tony |title=Climbing the Bedouin routes of Wadi Rum |url=https://www.cicerone.co.uk/climbing-the-bedouin-routes-of-wadi-rum |access-date=26 March 2016 |website=Cicerone Press }}</ref> Many new routes were climbed in the 1980s, by this team, French guide Wilfried Colonna, by the Swiss Remy brothers, and by Haupolter and Precht.<ref>{{cite book|last=Howard|first=Tony|title=Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum|year=1987|publisher=Cicerone Press|location=Milnthorpe, England|isbn=1-852841354|pages=192}}</ref> The first dedicated climbing guide book, ''Treks and Climb in Wadi Rum'', by Tony Howard, was first published in 1987. Some of the many Bedouin routes have been documented online by Lien and Gilles Rappeneau.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rappeneau|first1=Gilles|title=Les Voies Bedouines des Wadi Ramm|url=http://wadiram.userhome.ch/|website=Les Voies Bedouines des Wadi Ramm|access-date=26 March 2016}}</ref> A new routes book for climbers is held at the Wadi Rum Guest House.
In 1949, Sheikh Hamdan took surveyors to the summit of Jabal Ram. The first recorded European ascent of Jabal Ram took place in November 1952, by Charmian Longstaff and Sylvia Branford, guided by Sheik Hamdan. The first recorded rock climbs started in 1984, with the first of many visits by English climbers Howard, Baker, Taylor and Shaw. This group repeated many of the Bedouin routes, accompanied by locals and independently, including, in 1984, Hammad's Route on Jebel Rum, and, in 1985, Sheikh Kraim’s Hunter’s Slabs and Rijm Assaf on Jebel Rum.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Howard|first1=Tony|title=Climbing the Bedouin routes of Wadi Rum|url=http://www.cicerone-extra.com/article/index.cfm?articleid=217#.VvbQJ3Cy9NE|website=Cicerone Extra|publisher=Cicerone Press 2016|access-date=26 March 2016}}</ref> Many new routes were climbed in the 1980s, by this team, French guide Wilfried Colonna, by the Swiss Remy brothers, and by Haupolter and Precht.<ref>{{cite book|last=Howard|first=Tony|title=Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum|year=1987|publisher=Cicerone Press|location=Milnthorpe, England|isbn=1-852841354|pages=192}}</ref> The first dedicated climbing guide book, ''Treks and Climb in Wadi Rum'', by Tony Howard, was first published in 1987. Some of the many Bedouin routes have been documented online by Lien and Gilles Rappeneau.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rappeneau|first1=Gilles|title=Les Voies Bedouines des Wadi Ramm|url=http://wadiram.userhome.ch/|website=Les Voies Bedouines des Wadi Ramm|access-date=26 March 2016}}</ref> A new routes book for climbers is held at the Wadi Rum Guest House.


The route Guerre Sainte was climbed in 2000 by Batoux, Petit and friends. This was the first route in Wadi Rum to be entirely equipped using bolt protection. The route, on the East Face of Jebel Nassarani North, is {{convert|450|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, and graded F7b or F7aA0.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Guerre Sainte | url=http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/53974/fr/djebel-nassrani-sommet-n-la-guerre-sainte | publisher=CamptoCamp.org | access-date=17 September 2014}}</ref>
The route Guerre Sainte was climbed in 2000 by Batoux, Petit and friends. This was the first route in Wadi Rum to be entirely equipped using bolt protection. The route, on the East Face of Jebel Nassarani North, is {{convert|450|m|ft|abbr=on}} long, and graded F7b or F7aA0.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Guerre Sainte | url=http://www.camptocamp.org/routes/53974/fr/djebel-nassrani-sommet-n-la-guerre-sainte | publisher=CamptoCamp.org | access-date=17 September 2014}}</ref>


===Filming location===
==Filming location==
The area has been used as a background setting in a number of films. Filmmakers are particularly drawn to it for science fiction films set on [[Mars]].<ref name="Slate The Martian review">{{cite news|last=Stevens|first=Dana|title=Saving Astronaut Watney|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2015/10/matt_damon_in_the_martian_reviewed.html|publisher=[[Slate (website)|Slate]]|date=1 October 2015|access-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>
The area has been used as a background setting in a number of films. Filmmakers are particularly drawn to it for science fiction films set on [[Mars]].<ref name="Slate The Martian review">{{cite news|last=Stevens|first=Dana|title=Saving Astronaut Watney|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2015/10/matt_damon_in_the_martian_reviewed.html|publisher=[[Slate (website)|Slate]]|date=1 October 2015|access-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>


The Location Managers Guild recognized the [[Royal Film Commission – Jordan|Jordanian Royal Film Commission]] with its [[Location Managers Guild Awards|LMGI Award]] for Outstanding Film Commission in 2017 for its work on ''[[Rogue One]]'', which was filmed at Wadi Rum. The RFC was previously nominated for its work with ''[[The Martian (film)|The Martian]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=RFC bags 'Outstanding Film Commission' Award|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/rfc-bags-outstanding-film-commission’-award|publisher=Jordan Times|date=10 April 2017}}</ref>
The Location Managers Guild recognized the [[Royal Film Commission – Jordan|Jordanian Royal Film Commission]] with its [[Location Managers Guild Awards|LMGI Award]] for Outstanding Film Commission in 2017 for its work on ''Rogue One'', which filmed at Wadi Rum. The RFC was previously nominated for its work with ''The Martian''.<ref>{{cite news|title=RFC bags 'Outstanding Film Commission' Award|url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/rfc-bags-outstanding-film-commission’-award|publisher=Jordan Times|date=10 April 2017}}</ref>


* ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' – [[David Lean]] filmed much of this [[1962 in film|1962]] film on location in Wadi Rum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/tourism6e.html#Wadi%20|title= Touristic Sites – South of Amman|publisher=Kinghussein.gov.jo|access-date=30 May 2012}}</ref>
* ''[[Lawrence of Arabia (film)|Lawrence of Arabia]]'' – [[David Lean]] filmed much of this [[1962 in film|1962]] film on location in Wadi Rum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/tourism6e.html#Wadi%20|title= Touristic Sites – South of Amman|publisher=Kinghussein.gov.jo|access-date=30 May 2012}}</ref>
* ''[[Red Planet (film)|Red Planet]]'' – Wadi Rum was used as the surface of [[Mars]] in this [[2000 in film|2000]] film.
⚫
* ''[[Prometheus (2012 film)|Prometheus]]'' – scenes for the Alien Planet<ref>{{cite news | last1=Galloway| first1=Stephen | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ridley-scott-prometheus-alien-324981 | title=Return of the 'Alien' Mind | work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | date=16 May 2012 | access-date=22 August 2015}}</ref>
* ''[[Passion in the Desert]]'' – The area was also used for scenes in this [[1998 in film|1998]] film.
⚫
* ''[[The Last Days on Mars]]'' – filmed for exterior shots representing the surface of the [[Mars|titular planet]] for this [[2013 in film|2013]] film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/features/ruairi-robinson-the-last-days-on-mars/5056819.article|title=Ruairi Robinson, The Last Days On Mars|last=Forde|first=Leon|work=[[Screen Daily]]|date=2013-05-28|access-date=2015-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/features/features/last-days-on-mars/5044494.article|title=Last Days On Mars|last=Cooper|first=Sarah|work=[[Screen Daily]]|date=2012-07-19|access-date=2015-02-09}}</ref>
* '' The Face'' – BBC Film, Rock climbing in Rum, featuring Wadi Rum pioneers Tony Howard and Di Taylor.
⚫
* ''[[The Martian (film)|The Martian]]'' – filming for the [[Ridley Scott]] film began in March 2015, for shots that stood in for the surface of Mars.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ridley Scott's The Martian moves to Jordan|url=http://www.kftv.com/news/2015/01/27/ridley-scotts-the-martian-moves-to-jordan|access-date=19 February 2015|publisher=kftv.com|date=27 January 2015}}</ref> [[Matt Damon]] on Wadi Rum:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/movies/ridley-scott-and-matt-damon-on-going-to-jordan-to-230136329.html|title=Ridley Scott and Matt Damon on Going to Jordan to Recreate Mars|access-date=2015-10-08|date=2015-09-30|work=Yahoo!}}</ref>
* '' [[Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen]] '' – represented as being in Egypt
* '' [[imdbtitle:2056414|The Frankincense Trail]] '' – scenes from train, and aerial filming too
⚫
* '' [[Prometheus (2012 film)|Prometheus]] '' – scenes for the Alien Planet<ref>{{cite news | last1=Galloway| first1=Stephen | url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ridley-scott-prometheus-alien-324981 | title=Return of the 'Alien' Mind | work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | date=16 May 2012 | access-date=22 August 2015}}</ref>
* '' [[Krrish 3]] '' – The [[Bollywood]] song ''Dil Tu Hi Bataa'' was partly shot on locations in Wadi Rum.
* '' May in the Summer'' – a film by [[Cherien Dabis]] presented at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Long shots of Wadi Rum set the mood for the film, it's a place where the main character finds peace away from the world and within herself.
⚫
* '' [[The Last Days on Mars]] '' – filmed for exterior shots representing the surface of the [[Mars|titular planet]] for this [[2013 in film|2013]] film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/features/ruairi-robinson-the-last-days-on-mars/5056819.article|title=Ruairi Robinson, The Last Days On Mars|last=Forde|first=Leon|work=[[Screen Daily]]|date=2013-05-28|access-date=2015-02-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screendaily.com/features/features/last-days-on-mars/5044494.article|title=Last Days On Mars|last=Cooper|first=Sarah|work=[[Screen Daily]]|date=2012-07-19|access-date=2015-02-09}}</ref>
⚫
* '' [[The Martian (film)|The Martian]] '' – filming for the [[Ridley Scott]] film began in March 2015, for shots that stood in for the surface of Mars.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ridley Scott's The Martian moves to Jordan|url=http://www.kftv.com/news/2015/01/27/ridley-scotts-the-martian-moves-to-jordan|access-date=19 February 2015|publisher=kftv.com|date=27 January 2015}}</ref> [[Matt Damon]] on Wadi Rum:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/movies/ridley-scott-and-matt-damon-on-going-to-jordan-to-230136329.html|title=Ridley Scott and Matt Damon on Going to Jordan to Recreate Mars|access-date=2015-10-08|date=2015-09-30|publisher=Yahoo!|work=Yahoo!}}</ref>
::{{cquote|I was in awe of that place. It was really, really special. One of the most spectacular and beautiful places I have ever seen, and like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else on Earth.}}
* ''[[Theeb]]'' – Filmed mostly in Wadi Rum, as well as Wadi Araba.<ref>[http://www.thenational.ae/arts-lifestyle/film/naji-abu-nowar-talks-about-exploring-the-bedouin-way-of-life-in-his-first-feature-theeb Kaleem Aftab: Naji Abu Nowar talks about exploring the Bedouin way of life in his first feature Theeb] 25 August 2014, ''thenational.ae'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>
* ''[[Theeb]]'' – Filmed mostly in Wadi Rum, as well as Wadi Araba.<ref>[http://www.thenational.ae/arts-lifestyle/film/naji-abu-nowar-talks-about-exploring-the-bedouin-way-of-life-in-his-first-feature-theeb Kaleem Aftab: Naji Abu Nowar talks about exploring the Bedouin way of life in his first feature Theeb] 25 August 2014, ''thenational.ae'', accessed 19 June 2018</ref>
* ''[[Rogue One|Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]]'', used for scenes set on [[Jedha]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jolin|first1=Dan|title=Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — The complete history, Part III|url=http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/rogue-one-star-wars-story-complete-history-part-iii/|website=Empire|access-date=14 December 2016|language=en|date=14 December 2016}}</ref>
* ''[[Rogue One|Rogue One: A Star Wars Story]]'', used for scenes set on [[Jedha]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Jolin|first1=Dan|title=Rogue One: A Star Wars Story — The complete history, Part III|url=http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/rogue-one-star-wars-story-complete-history-part-iii/|website=Empire|access-date=14 December 2016|language=en|date=14 December 2016}}</ref>
*Recording of the album Deserto de Revelação of the Brazilian ministry of praise [[Diante do Trono]] in 2017.
* ''[[Aladdin (2019 film)|Aladdin]]'', 2019 live action remake of the 1992 Disney animated film of the [[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|same name]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Aladdin: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Cave Of Wonders|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=7 December 2021|url=https://screenrant.com/aladdin-cave-wonders-facts/|language=en|access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>
* ''[[Aladdin (2019 film)|Aladdin]]'', 2019 live action remake of the 1992 Disney animated film of the [[Aladdin (1992 Disney film)|same name]].
* ''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker]]'', used for the desert planet Pasaana.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Arvedon |first1=Joe |title=Star Wars: We Now Know the Name of The Rise of Skywalker's Desert Planet |url=https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-pasaana/ |website=[[CBR.com]] |access-date=24 May 2019 |date=22 May 2019}}</ref>
* ''[[Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker]]'', used for the desert planet Pasaana.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Arvedon |first1=Joe |title=Star Wars: We Now Know the Name of The Rise of Skywalker's Desert Planet |url=https://www.cbr.com/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-pasaana/ |website=[[CBR.com]] |access-date=24 May 2019 |date=22 May 2019}}</ref>
* ''[[Dune (2021 film)|Dune]]'' (2021), used as a location for the [[desert planet]] [[Arrakis]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dune: Josh Brolin Reveals Arrakis Shooting Location in New Video|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=8 April 2019 |url=https://screenrant.com/dune-josh-brolin-reveals-arrakis-shooting-location-new-video/|language=en|access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref> [[Timothée Chalamet]] on Wadi Rum:<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-31|title=Dune: Timothée Chalamet On The 'Awe-Inspiring' Desert Shoot – Exclusive Images|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/dune-timothee-chalamet-on-the-awe-inspiring-desert-shoot-exclusive-images/|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Empire|language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[Dune (2021 film)|Dune]]'' (2021), used as a location for the [[desert planet]] [[Arrakis]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Dune: Josh Brolin Reveals Arrakis Shooting Location in New Video|url=https://screenrant.com/dune-josh-brolin-reveals-arrakis-shooting-location-new-video/|language=en|access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref> [[Timothée Chalamet]] on Wadi Rum:<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-31|title=Dune: Timothée Chalamet On The 'Awe-Inspiring' Desert Shoot – Exclusive Images|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/dune-timothee-chalamet-on-the-awe-inspiring-desert-shoot-exclusive-images/|access-date=2020-08-31|website=Empire|language=en}}</ref>
::{{cquote|That part of the Wadi Rum is so awe-inspiring, you might as well be getting chased by that cliff in the background.
* ''[[Dune: Part Two]]'', used as a location for filming the upcoming movie.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: Dune Part 2 to film in Jordan end of this year |url=https://www.kftv.com/news/2022/05/26/exclusive-dune-part-2-to-film-in-jordan-end-of-this-year |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=www.kftv.com}}</ref>
⚫
}}
* ''[[Aadujeevitham (film)|Aadujeevitham]]'' – The desert scenes of the 2020 [[Malayalam film]] were mostly shot on locations in Wadi Rum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/prithviraj-sukumaran-and-aadujeevitham-team-to-return-to-kerala/articleshow/75850160.cms|title=Prithviraj Sukumaran and 'Aadujeevitham' team to return to Kerala - Times of India|website=The Times of India}}</ref>
* ''[[Aadujeevitham (film)|Aadujeevitham]]'' – The desert scenes of the 2020 [[Malayalam film]] were mostly shot on locations in Wadi Rum.<ref>https://m.timesofindia.com/entertainment/malayalam/movies/news/prithviraj-sukumaran-and-aadujeevitham-team-to-return-to-kerala/articleshow/75850160.cms</ref>
* ''[[Moon Knight (miniseries)|Moon Knight]] (2022)'', used for the scenes outside [[Ammit]]'s tomb.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Moon Knight Directors Had To Avoid Dune & Star Wars Filming Locations|website=[[Screen Rant]]|date=2 April 2022|url=https://screenrant.com/moon-knight-filming-locations-dune-star-wars-production/|language=en|access-date=31 May 2022}}</ref>
* ''[[The Amazing Race 34]]''<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.paramountpressexpress.com/cbs-entertainment/shows/the-amazing-race/releases/?view=101076-for-the-first-time-in-amazing-race-history-teams-travel-to-the-kingdom-of-jordan-on-the-amazing-race-wednesday-oct-19|title=FOR THE FIRST TIME IN "AMAZING RACE" HISTORY, TEAMS TRAVEL TO THE KINGDOM OF JORDAN, ON "THE AMAZING RACE," WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19|publisher=[[CBS]]|via=Paramount Press Express|date=October 13, 2022|access-date=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
* ''[[John Wick: Chapter 4]]'' (2023), used for a desert scene while John Wick is on the move.<ref>{{Cite web |last=IT |first=SCEEN |title=John Wick: Chapter 4 at Wadi Rum - filming location |url=https://www.sceen-it.com/sceen/6995/John-Wick-Chapter-4/Wadi-Rum |access-date=2023-05-19 |website=www.sceen-it.com |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="100">
<gallery mode=packed heights="140px" >
File:GabelRum01 ST 07.JPG|View from the top of Jabal Ram
File:GabelRum01 ST 07.JPG|View from the top of Jabal Ram
File:Seven Pillars 2008 e5.jpg|The "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" rock formation
Image:Seven Pillars 2008_e5.jpg|The "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" rock formation

File:WadiRumPetroglyphs.jpg|[[Thamudic language|Thamudic]] inscriptions in Wadi Rum
File:WadiRumPetroglyphs.jpg|[[Thamudic language|Thamudic]] inscriptions in Wadi Rum
File:Wadi Rum BW 6.JPG|A [[Nabatean]] temple in Wadi Rum
File:Wadi Rum BW 6.JPG|A [[Nabatean]] temple in Wadi Rum
File:Wadi Rum rock formation.jpg|Wadi Rum rock formation
File:Wadi Rum Formation.jpg|A sandstone formation carved by the elements in Wadi Rum
File:Wadi Rum in Jordan.JPG|Wadi Rum desert
File:Wadi Rum in Jordan.JPG|Wadi Rum desert
File:Wadi Rum, Jordan, The Wadi Rum Visitor Center.jpg|The Wadi Rum Visitor Center
File:20100927 wadi rum007.JPG|The Wadi Rum Visitor Center
File:Wadi Rum Protected Area, Jordan.jpg|In 2011
File:Wadi Rum Protected Area, Jordan.jpg|In 2011
File:Mountain in Wadi Rum, Jordan.jpg|Mountain in Wadi Rum
File:Mountain in Wadi Rum, Jordan.jpg|Mountain in Wadi Rum
File:Wadi Rum rock formations along with Bedouin camps, Jordan.jpg|Wadi Rum rock formations along with Bedouin camps
File:Wadi Rum rock formations along with Bedouin camps, Jordan.jpg|Wadi Rum rock formations along with Bedouin camps
File:Eghabsläger.jpg|Secluded camp protected by mountains
File:Jordan, Wadi Rum Desert, Khor al Ajram.jpg|Plants in arid Wadi Rum landscape
File:Jordan, Wadi Rum Desert, Khor al Ajram.jpg|Plants in arid Wadi Rum landscape
File:Jordan, Wadi Rum Desert, Jebel Khazali.jpg|Khazali canyon
File:Jordan, Wadi Rum Desert, Jebel Khazali.jpg|Khazali canyon
Line 154: Line 151:
{{Commons category}}
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Wadi Rum}}
{{wikivoyage|Wadi Rum}}
* [http://wadirum.jo/ Official website]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20051212075657/http://www.wadirum.jo/ Official website]
* [https://acor.digitalrelab.com/index.php?s=filter=place_name:Wadi%20Rum%20(Jordan) Photos of Wadi Rum], The American Center of Research
* [https://www.manar-al-athar.ox.ac.uk/pages/collections_featured.php?parent=6204 Photos of Wadi Rum] from the [[Manar al-Athar]] photo archive


{{Nature reserves in Jordan}}
{{Nature reserves in Jordan}}
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[[Category:Wadis of Jordan|Rum]]
[[Category:Wadis of Jordan|Rum]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Jordan]]
[[Category:Levant]]
[[Category:Levant]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in Jordan]]
[[Category:Nature reserves in Jordan]]
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[[Category:Aqaba Governorate]]
[[Category:Aqaba Governorate]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Nabataean sites in Jordan]]
[[Category:Iram of the Pillars]]

Revision as of 20:54, 1 October 2023

Wadi Rum
Typical Wadi Rum vista
Map showing the location of Wadi Rum
Map showing the location of Wadi Rum
Location in Jordan
LocationAqaba, Jordan
Coordinates29°35′35″N 35°25′12″E / 29.59306°N 35.42000°E / 29.59306; 35.42000
Area720 km2 (280 sq mi)
Elevation1,750 m (5,740 ft)
Named forArabic for "Valley of (light, airborne) sand"
OperatorAqaba Special Economic Zone Authority
WebsiteWadi Rum

Wadi Rum (Arabic: وادي رم Wādī Ramm), known also as the Valley of the Moon (Arabic: وادي القمر Wādī al-Qamar), is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan 60 km (37 mi) to the east of Aqaba; it is the largest wadi in Jordan.[1]

Wadi Rum Protected Area was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.

Name

Wadi Rum most likely gets it name from the early name of Iram of the Pillars.[2]

History

Desert camp for tourists in Wadi Rum
Petroglyphs at Wadi Rum
Secluded camp protected by mountains

Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the Nabataeans–leaving their mark in the form of petroglyphs, inscriptions, and temple. In the West, Wadi Rum may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence, who passed through several times during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18.[3] In the 1980s one of the rock formations in Wadi Rum, originally known as Jabal al-Mazmar (The Mountain of (the) Plague), was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom," after Lawrence's book penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book have no connection with Rum.[4]

Lawrence described his entrance into the Valley of Rumm, "The hills on the right grew taller and sharper, a fair counterpart of the other side which straightened itself to one massive rampart of redness. They drew together until only two miles divided them: and then, towering gradually till their parallel parapets must have been a thousand feet above us, ran forward in an avenue for miles. The crags were capped in nests of domes, less hotly red than then body of the hill; rather grey and shallow. They gave the finishing semblance of Byzantine architecture to this irresistible place: this processional way greater than imagination."[5]

Lawrence also described his encounter with the spring, Ain Shalaaleh, "On the rock-bulge above were clear-cut Nabathaean inscriptions, and a sunk panel incised with a monogram or symbol. Around and about were Arab scratches, including tribe-marks, some of which were witnesses of forgotten migrations: but my attention was only for the splashing of water in a crevice under the shadow of the overhanging rock. I looked in to see the spout, a little thinner than my wrist, jetting out firmly from a fissure in the roof, and falling with that clean sound into a shallow, frothing pool, behind the step which served as an entrance. Thick ferns and grasses of the finest green made it a paradise just five feet square."[5]: 355 

The discovery of the Nabataean Temple (located walking distance from the Rest House) in 1933 briefly returned the spotlight to the desert. A French team of archaeologists completed the excavations in 1997.

Geography

The area is centered on the main valley of Wadi Rum. The highest elevation in Jordan is Jabal Umm ad Dami at 1,840 m (6,040 ft) high (SRTM data states 1854 m), located 30 kilometres south of Wadi Rum village. It was first located [when?] by Difallah Ateeg, a Zalabia Bedouin from Rum. On a clear day, it is possible to see the Red Sea and the Saudi border from the top.

Jabal Ram or Jebel Rum (1,734 metres (5,689 ft) above sea level) is the second highest peak in Jordan and the highest peak in the central Rum,[6] rising directly above Rum valley, opposite Jebel um Ishrin, which is possibly one metre lower.

Khaz'ali Canyon in Wadi Rum is the site of petroglyphs etched into the cave walls depicting humans and antelopes dating back to the Thamudic times. The village of Wadi Rum itself consists of several hundred Bedouin inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses and also their four-wheel vehicles, one school for boys and one for girls, a few shops, and the headquarters of the Desert Patrol.[7]

Recently, Geoff Lawton has achieved success in establishing a permaculture ecosystem in Wadi Rum.[8]

Tourism

Desert scenes of Wadi Rum in Lawrence of Arabia from 1962 kick-started Jordan's tourism industry.[9]

Wadi Rum is one of Jordan's most popular tourist sites and attracts a number of foreign tourists. Wadi Rum is home to the Zalabieh tribe, who developed eco-adventure tourism and services throughout the protected area. They provide tours, guides, accommodation and facilities. They also run restaurants and small shops in the villages that provide meals and basic supplies for visitors. Their guide services include highly experienced mountain and trekking guides who have an unmatched knowledge of the local area and often speak fluently in one or two languages. Using local guides and services brings many benefits to the protected area. In particular, it enables people to continue earning a living from the land and helps to ensure that the protected area will always be protected.

Popular activities in the desert environment include 4x4 tours, camel rides, camping under the stars, riding Arabian horses, hiking and rock-climbing among the massive rock formations. Travellers staying in the area can overnight in Bedouin Camps located in the desert and glamping hotels. Hikers and adventurous travellers may also opt to camp outdoors under the stars. Tour operators offering this experience provide sleeping equipment, meals and transport.

Dima and Lama Hattab coordinate an annual marathon in the region called Jabal Ishrin.

Rock climbing

Climber on Jabal Ram

Local Bedouin have climbed in the sandstone mountains of Wadi Rum for many generations. Many of their 'Bedouin Roads' have been rediscovered and documented by modern climbers. Several are included in the climbing guidebook by Tony Howard, and online by Liên and Gilles Rappeneau.[10]

In 1949, Sheikh Hamdan took surveyors to the summit of Jabal Ram. The first recorded European ascent of Jabal Ram took place in November 1952, by Charmian Longstaff and Sylvia Branford, guided by Sheik Hamdan. The first recorded rock climbs started in 1984, with the first of many visits by English climbers Howard, Baker, Taylor and Shaw. This group repeated many of the Bedouin routes, accompanied by locals and independently, including, in 1984, Hammad's Route on Jebel Rum, and, in 1985, Sheikh Kraim’s Hunter’s Slabs and Rijm Assaf on Jebel Rum.[11] Many new routes were climbed in the 1980s, by this team, French guide Wilfried Colonna, by the Swiss Remy brothers, and by Haupolter and Precht.[12] The first dedicated climbing guide book, Treks and Climb in Wadi Rum, by Tony Howard, was first published in 1987. Some of the many Bedouin routes have been documented online by Lien and Gilles Rappeneau.[13] A new routes book for climbers is held at the Wadi Rum Guest House.

The route Guerre Sainte was climbed in 2000 by Batoux, Petit and friends. This was the first route in Wadi Rum to be entirely equipped using bolt protection. The route, on the East Face of Jebel Nassarani North, is 450 m (1,480 ft) long, and graded F7b or F7aA0.[14]

Filming location

The area has been used as a background setting in a number of films. Filmmakers are particularly drawn to it for science fiction films set on Mars.[15]

The Location Managers Guild recognized the Jordanian Royal Film Commission with its LMGI Award for Outstanding Film Commission in 2017 for its work on Rogue One, which filmed at Wadi Rum. The RFC was previously nominated for its work with The Martian.[16]

I was in awe of that place. It was really, really special. One of the most spectacular and beautiful places I have ever seen, and like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else on Earth.

That part of the Wadi Rum is so awe-inspiring, you might as well be getting chased by that cliff in the background.

Gallery

  • View from the top of Jabal Ram
    View from the top of Jabal Ram
  • The "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" rock formation
    The "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" rock formation
  • Thamudic inscriptions in Wadi Rum
    Thamudic inscriptions in Wadi Rum
  • A Nabatean temple in Wadi Rum
    A Nabatean temple in Wadi Rum
  • A sandstone formation carved by the elements in Wadi Rum
    A sandstone formation carved by the elements in Wadi Rum
  • Wadi Rum desert
    Wadi Rum desert
  • The Wadi Rum Visitor Center
    The Wadi Rum Visitor Center
  • In 2011
    In 2011
  • Mountain in Wadi Rum
    Mountain in Wadi Rum
  • Wadi Rum rock formations along with Bedouin camps
    Wadi Rum rock formations along with Bedouin camps
  • Secluded camp protected by mountains
    Secluded camp protected by mountains
  • Plants in arid Wadi Rum landscape
    Plants in arid Wadi Rum landscape
  • Khazali canyon
    Khazali canyon

See also

References

  1. ^ Mannheim, Ivan (1 December 2000). Jordan Handbook. Footprint Travel Guides. p. 293. ISBN 978-1-900949-69-9. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  2. ^ https://www.academia.edu/1184253. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help).
  3. ^ Ham, Anthony; Greenway, Paul (2003). Jordan. Lonely Planet. p. 212. ISBN 978-1-74059-165-2. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  4. ^ The Seven Pillars? roughguides.com, accessed 19 June 2018
  5. ^ a b Lawrence, T.E. (1935). Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Garden City: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. pp. 351.
  6. ^ Scheck, Frank Rainer (1997). Jordanien: Völker und Kulturen zwischen Jordan und Rotem Meer (in German). DuMont Reiseverlag. p. 12. ISBN 978-3-7701-3979-8. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wadi Rum.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Wadi Rum.
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