Stops on the Incense Road   Gaza(Jenysos) Elusa Ruheiba Obodat Wadi Fiqreh Wadi Arabah Sela Rekem, (Petra) Ayl Gryn Hawara Wadi Rumm Al Uyaynah Northern Desert Trek Tayma Meda'in Saleh Dedan Khaybar Medina Southern Desert Trek Najran Sa'ada Yathul Marib (Saba) Timna (Qatraban) Shibam(Hadramaut) Ubar   Further Information Camels The Incense Sea Route       To learn more about Marib click here.

Marib The Sabaean kingdom in ancient Yemen developed through their trade in Incense. In time they built a huge earth filled dam in the second half of the 6th century BC to hold back some of the water that came down the wadi. From the lake that developed behind the dam, they developed a splendid irrigation system that watered about 25, 0000 acres. The picture on the left shows the ancient sluice gates. Most of the quarter mile long dam has now been destroyed. Left: The view from the modern dam as it was built just upstream from the old dam. When the ancient reservoir re-filled with water, hundreds of old dry wells and water canals scattered through the desert below the dam suddenly filled with water again. The ancient farmlands, that for centuries had lain deserted, were suddenly usable again.