Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Amidst the unique rock formations of the Hasma desert, which was formed over millions of years, a rocky pool of water hides that may have been a watering station for caravans throughout the civilizations in Saudi Arabia thousands of years ago.
And the blogger of travel experiences in the Kingdom, Sheila Russell, discovered this rocky pond, which is carefully hidden between the folds of the “Hasma” mountains, which are located in northwest Saudi Arabia, in the Tabuk region, within the “NEOM” project, by chance.
The British blogger seeks to explore hidden gems by studying maps of the sites she visits, she said in an interview with CNN in Arabic.
Russell explains that she was on a trip to explore the “Hasma” desert, which according to the Saudi Press Agency “SPA”, is considered an open natural museum of geological formations, adding that she saw at the time “a wonderful mixture of red sand colors covering the desert and the surrounding sandy mountains,” explaining The majestic desert landscape intertwined with the magnificent rock structures towering over the sand.
And between the folds of one of the rocks of the mountains I came across this rocky pool full of water.
Russell points out that the pond has a narrow channel that allows the flow of rainwater that falls on the rocks of the mountains and collects in the rocky pond below.
Because the pond is located in a shaded corner with little exposure to direct sunlight, its water is always cold and undergoes minimal evaporation.
“I can only imagine how many people have come here over the years to quench their thirst and water their animals,” Russell says.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, “SPA”, the Hasma desert has been a stop on the ancient trade route to and from the Arabian Peninsula since time immemorial, and convoys passed through it along successive human civilizations, which explains the diversity of archaeological inscriptions on the rocks of its high mountains.