The Darb Zubaydah is the first pilgrimage route from the east towards the holy cities of Makkah and Medinah. It was the sponsored by Zubaydah who was the wife of Haroun Rashid, king of Baghdad.  It is one of the most significant archaeological records in the history of Islam.

Our project was carried out during 2023 for the Heritage Commission and the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia. The project involved the production of major Conservation Management Plans for three stations on the historic pilgrimage route. The work was needed as part of the UNESCO nomination for the Darb Zubaydah World Heritage site.

The documents included a full archaeological appraisal for each site, working from existing archaeological record but adding further archaeological analysis particularly in the defined buffer zones. For each site, we carried out a condition appraisal, a significance appraisal and mapping and action plan. For each site, there was also a general presentation of conservation and heritage principles for archaeology and conservation in Saudi Arabia with a specific explanation about how these principles should be applied to the conservation of the particular sites.

Our documents included guidelines about conservation in its broadest sense which includes condition, archaeology, visitor management, interpretation, community consultation and monitoring.

For each of the sites, we included drawn suggestions about how new buildings could be constructed for appropriate visitor management. This included concept designs for new viewpoint at An Nuqrah, and for new visitor centre and retail at Al ʻAqiq and Fayd. We also produced the scope for a new archaeology centre at Fayd.

Subsequent work at these sites has involved repairs drawings and schedules for contract works and monitoring and advising on the World Heritage Site nomination inscription documents.