Ancient City of Timna

Timna (modern Hajar Kahlan) is an archaeological site located in Bayhan District, Shabwah Governorate, southern Yemen. It was founded by at least the 7th century BC and served as the first capital of the Kingdom of Qataban. Strategically positioned at the entrance of a wadi opening toward the desert, Timna combined access to agricultural resources supported by seasonal rainfall with control over major trans-desert caravan routes. The city occupies an elevated terrace about 20 meters above the wadi bed and features an elliptical urban layout with gates, religious buildings, residential quarters, marketplaces, and defensive structures. As one of the largest Qatabanian cities, Timna played a central political and economic role in southern Arabia until the capital later shifted to other centers.

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