Madian revealed? Assessing the history and archaeology of the oasis of al-Badʿ in northwestern Arabia

Abstract

The location of Madian (or Midian), a toponym or ethnonym mentioned many times in the Old Testament and the Qurʾān, has been the subject of intense scientific debate since the 19th century. In this article, we provide an overview of textual sources and field data leading many researchers to identify Madian with the oasis of al-Badʿ in Northwest Arabia. The extent and variety of remains on this archaeological site-explored for the first time by a Franco-Saudi mission (2017-2021)-confirm a long and rich history that remained forgotten until today. The reassessment of scientific arguments tends to show, without much doubt, that the oasis of al-Badʿ was indeed Madyan in Islamic times, and most likely Madiama at the turn of the first millennium ce. The oasis was likely part of a large Midianite tribal confederation in the first millennium bce and possibly even earlier, at the end of the second millennium bce. The oldest traces of the occupation of the oasis date back to the seventh millennium bce.