Locals call it Mahram Bilqis, the sanctuary of the Queen of Sheba, though the real name of the builders' god was Almaqah, the moon deity of the Sabaeans. The Awwam Temple stands in the sands a few kilometers south-east of Ma'rib, a huge oval enclosure with walls of fine stone and a row of tall pillars that rise out of the sand like the teeth of a comb. It is among the largest and oldest religious sites in southern Arabia, built around the seventh century BC and used for well over a thousand years.
Most of the structure still lies under sand, and excavations have uncovered a wide oval wall, a portico with eight tall monolithic pillars and an inner courtyard that once held altars and offerings. Inscriptions record the rulers who restored and expanded it, and a necropolis nearby holds thousands of graves. For ancient pilgrims, it was the heart of a religious calendar tied to the harvest and the moon. Foreign archaeologists did substantial work here in the twentieth century, including a team from the American Foundation for the Study of Man in the 1950s.
The setting is stark, and that is its power. The temple sits in open desert, with flat ground in every direction and hills in the distance, and the pillars cast long shadows in the early and late hours. The stones glow warm yellow in the evening, and the wind carries a faint scent of dust and old stone.
The question of access has to be faced directly. Ma'rib has been a conflict zone for years, with fighting and risks that go far beyond ordinary travel concerns, and the area around the temple has seen damage and military use. Foreign governments advise against travel, and no rider should plan a visit without trusted, current local information, which at present suggests staying away. Think of the temple, for now, as something to read about rather than to ride to.
When conditions allowed, visitors came from Ma'rib town, which offered fuel, tea and small restaurants, and many hired a local driver with a four-wheel-drive for the short sandy approach. Bring water, a hat and a great deal of patience with the sun.