Wadi Rum
| Wadi Rum | |
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| Native name وادي رم | |
 Mountains of Wadi Rum |
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| Location | Aqaba Governorate, Jordan |
| Coordinates | 29°34′35.4″N 35°25′11.74″E / 29.576500°N 35.4199278°ECoordinates: 29°34′35.4″N 35°25′11.74″E / 29.576500°N 35.4199278°E |
| Area | 720 km2 (280 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,750 m (5,741 ft) |
| Settled | 8000 BC |
| Governing body | Aqaba Special Authority |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, iii, iv |
| Designated | 2011 (35th session) |
| Reference No. | 1377 |
| State Party |  Jordan |
| Region | Arab States |
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IUCN Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve)
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| Designated | 1998 |
| Area | 720 km2 |
 Location of Wadi Rum in Jordan
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Wadi Rum (Arabic: وادي رم) also known as The Valley of the Moon (Arabic: وادي القمر) 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] The name Rum most likely comes from an Aramaic root meaning 'high' or 'elevated'.[2] To reflect its proper Arabic pronunciation, archaeologists transcribe it as Wadi Ramm.
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History [edit]
Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the Nabateans–leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples.
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 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.
Geography [edit]
The area is centred on the main valley of Wadi Rum. The highest elevation in Wadi Rum is Mount Um Dami at 1,840 m (6,040 ft) high and was first located 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 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,[4] covered with snow and 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.[5]
Tourism [edit]
Wadi Rum is home to the Zalabia Bedouin who, working with climbers and trekkers, have made a success of developing eco-adventure tourism, now their main source of income. The area is now one of Jordan's important tourist destinations, and attracts an increasing number of foreign tourists, particularly trekkers and climbers, but also for camel and horse safari or simply day-trippers from Aqaba or Petra. Popular activities in the desert environment include camping under the stars, riding Arab horses, hiking and rock-climbing among the massive rock formations.
Dima and Lama Hattab coordinate an annual marathon in the region called Jabal Ishrin.
Filming location [edit]
The area has been used as a background setting in a number of films:
- Lawrence of Arabia - David Lean filmed much of this 1962 film on location in Wadi Rum.[6]
- Red Planet - Wadi Rum was used as the surface of Mars in this 2000 film.
- Passion in the Desert - The area was also used for scenes in this 1998 film.
- The Face - BBC Film, Rock climbing in Rum
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Represented as being in Egypt
- The Frankincense Trail - scenes from train, and aerial filming too
- Prometheus - Scenes for the Alien Planet[7]
- 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.
Gallery [edit]
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Wadi Rum desert
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View from the top of Jabal Rum
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The "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" rock formation
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Thamudic inscriptions in Wadi Rum
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The Wadi Rum Visitor Center
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A Nabatean temple in Wadi Rum
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A sandstone formation carved by the elements in Jordan's Wadi Rum
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Jabal Umm Fruth Rock Bridge is one of several rock bridges in Jordan's Wadi Rum
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wadi Rum |
References [edit]
- ^ Mannheim, Ivan (1 December 2000). Jordan Handbook. Footprint Travel Guides. p. 293. ISBN 978-1-900949-69-9. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ tours in Wadi Rum
- ^ Ham, Anthony; Greenway, Paul (2003). Jordan. Lonely Planet. p. 212. ISBN 978-1-74059-165-2. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Howard, Tony; Taylor, Di (May 1997). Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan. Cicerone Press Limited. p. 20. ISBN 978-1-85284-254-3. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ "Touristic Sites - South of Amman". Kinghussein.gov.jo. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela (June 1, 2012). "Box Office Report: 'Prometheus' Opening Ahead of 'Snow White' in the U.K.". The Hollywood Reporter (Prometheus Global Media). Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
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