A journey through time: Tahlel Museum’s tribute to Asir’s culture 

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The Tahlel Museum, located in a small traditional house atop Soudah Mountain, was created by an Asiri woman named Halima Asiri. (AN photos by Rahaf Jambi)
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Updated 25 May 2024
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A journey through time: Tahlel Museum’s tribute to Asir’s culture 

  • The museum is home to many heritage pieces, including coins, traditional costumes, wood art, and agricultural tools
  • It also includes the owner's artistic works of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, geometric shapes, and tribal symbols painted in vibrant colors 

ASIR: Perched atop the Souda Mountains in the Abha region of Asir province in southern Saudi Arabia is a modest museum created by an Asiri woman called Halima Asiri. 

Passionate about old Saudi heritage, Asiri established the Tahlel Museum in a small traditional house. 




Halima Asiri is a woman who is passionate about old Saudi heritage, which led her to establish the Tahlel Museum. The museum is a small house in the shape of old Saudi buildings. (AN photo by Rahaf Jambi)

It includes many heritage pieces, including coins, traditional costumes, wood art, and agricultural tools. It also includes her artistic works of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, geometric shapes, and tribal symbols painted in vibrant colors. 

“This is my small museum, where I exhibit the work of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, a kind of natural color painting that have been certified by UNESCO as part of the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Each pattern has a name and a symbolic meaning. Men do not practice this art, thus women are the only ones who specialize in it,” Asiri told Arab News. 

Asiri is one of the few women who still uses natural materials to create the art of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri. These colors are extracted from coal, rice, turmeric, pomegranate peel, stones and other sources. 

“I take 24 colors from nature, such as clover, coal, stone, and leaves, grind them into a paste, and use that paste to paint canvases and walls,” she said.

Ancient coffee and teapots, clay cups, copper household utensils, and other artifacts are on display in one of the rooms. 




Tahlel Museum owner Halima Asiri is one of the few women who still uses natural materials to create the art of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri. (AN photos by Rahaf Jambi)

“The handcrafted items found here date back to 400-500 years, and the people of the Asir region used them all,” Asiri said. 

She incorporated a model of the old town in which she formerly resided in the museum. The town has since fallen into ruin. 

“The old roads were difficult, and women had to carry wood, walk, and climb mountains to get to their homes. The model that I constructed depicts the hardship and strength of women in Asir,” she explained. 

The museum also features the traditional attire worn by women in the Asir region. 

“I have items of clothing that Asir women wear on their wedding night. I also have regular clothes, like straw hats,” she added. 

Asiri started collecting antiques that date back centuries when she was young, and she made sure to collect antiques and present them in her museum in a unique way. 

There are numerous kinds of swords, weapons, and clothing that the locals used in battle displayed on the walls. 

The location also features a workshop where guests can learn how to paint Al-Qatt Al-Asiri works, in addition to selling her artwork on commission. 

“I teach Al-Qatt Al-Asiri art as a trainer. I frequently get big groups of people, and not so long ago, I trained a group of foreign women,” she said. 

The museum is also linked to a cafe where she serves traditional Asiri dishes like areekah using natural honey. 

“Many foreigners have visited, including ambassadors and ministers,” she said. 

Asiri greets visitors when entering the museum with a famous Asiri phrase, “a thousand welcomes.”

Owing to its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage, the Asir region is highly sought-after by those seeking to explore unspoiled landscapes, wander through charming villages, and explore historic castles. 
 


Riyadh man faces prosecution for selling counterfeit pharmaceuticals

Updated 8 sec ago
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Riyadh man faces prosecution for selling counterfeit pharmaceuticals

  • SFDA said that violations pose a great risk to the health and safety of consumers
  • SFDA also requested the public’s cooperation by reporting any observable violations

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has referred the representative of a commercial establishment in Riyadh to the Public Prosecution after he was found to be involved in the sale of a counterfeit pharmaceutical product.

The act is a direct violation of the Pharmaceutical and Herbal Establishments and Products Law in the Kingdom, which mandates a penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of SR10 million ($2.6 million), the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The SFDA highlighted the importance of strictly adhering to the laws and regulations put in place to ensure the safety and quality of products circulating in the Saudi market.

The authority said that violations pose a great risk to the health and safety of consumers, warranting the enforcement of legal penalties against offenders.

The SFDA also requested the public’s cooperation by reporting any observable violations in establishments under its supervision to the toll-free line 19999, in an effort to strengthen oversight and safeguard public health.


Saudi students display robotic inventions at Robocon 2025

Updated 25 min 11 sec ago
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Saudi students display robotic inventions at Robocon 2025

  • Event was attended by student inventors, investors and technology companies
  • Several panel discussions focused on ways in which robotics can affect society

RIYADH: Saudi students displayed their robotic inventions at King Abdulaziz University Robocon 2025, which was held at the university’s King Faisal Convention Center from Tuesday to Thursday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the university’s Deanship of Student Affairs, the event was attended by student inventors, investors and technology companies.

Saudi student Samar Awad Al-Rabi, from the Faculty of Medical Rehabilitation Sciences at King Abdulaziz University, presented a smart temperature-monitoring device, aimed at protecting sensitive environments from sudden thermal changes.

Rania Al-Mukhtar Al-Sheikh, from Taibah University, presented an innovative treatment for dry macular degeneration, an eye disease that affects vision.

The device treats and repairs damaged cells, reduces inflammation, and improves bloodflow without damaging healthy tissues with the hope of restoring or improving vision.

Exhibition activities included a range of qualitative competitions, including the “Saqr” competition, which is the first engineering competition focused on drone technologies.

In another competition — the Robocup —robots battled it out on a miniature football pitch.

The event also featured the launch of the innovtech Hackathon, a coding challenge that will include four main tracks focusing on technology in education, tourism, manufacturing and the financial sector.

Several panel discussions focused on ways in which robotics can affect society — including one titled Turning Point: Transforming Tech Ideas into Successful Projects, which explored how to market technological inventions.

The exhibition offered a range of interactive experiences, including virtual reality exhibits and practical workshops that contributed to the skill development of participants.

An interactive game invited attendees to collect stamps from different attractions to win a prize, and visitors were served Arabic coffee by robots.

The university said that the event reflects its vision of empowering students and building a generation that will lead the future of robotics and smart technologies.


KAUST researchers join Africa marine research expedition

Updated 48 min 17 sec ago
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KAUST researchers join Africa marine research expedition

  • Mission began in Moroni, Comoros, with the team sailing south through the Indian Ocean to Cape Town, South Africa
  • Researchers focused on assessing biodiversity at several seamounts — underwater mountain formations

RIYADH: Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology joined the Saudi non-profit foundation OceanQuest on its first marine expedition around Africa aboard the research vessel OceanXplorer.

The mission began in Moroni, Comoros, with the team sailing south through the Indian Ocean to Cape Town, South Africa.

Researchers focused on assessing biodiversity at several seamounts — underwater mountain formations.

A second phase, designed for early-career oceanographers, proceeded north to Walvis Bay in Namibia before concluding scientific operations in Mindelo, Cabo Verde.

The KAUST research team, comprising two PhD candidates from the Marine Microbiome Lab and one from Earth Science and Engineering, conducted research in biodiversity assessment, seamount studies and chemical analysis.

The team compared seamount formation in the Indian Ocean with similar geological phenomena in Saudi waters.


Ministry of Tourism inspects hospitality facilities ahead of Hajj

Saudi Arabia’s tourism ministry conducted an inspection of Hajj hospitality facilities. (SPA)
Updated 56 min 36 sec ago
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Ministry of Tourism inspects hospitality facilities ahead of Hajj

  • Al-Mazyad is assessing whether preparations and procedures of multiple hospitality establishments are following the tourism law and its executive regulations

RIYADH: Deputy Minister of Licensing and Classification at the Ministry of Tourism Abdulmuhsen Al-Mazyad has been conducting field tours of hospitality facilities in Makkah to ensure readiness for receiving pilgrims during the Hajj season.

Al-Mazyad is assessing whether preparations and procedures of multiple hospitality establishments are following the tourism law and its executive regulations.

The deputy minister is especially concerned about whether these establishments have obtained the proper operational licensing from the Ministry of Tourism.

As part of its efforts to grow sustainable partnerships with the tourism sector, the ministry’s delegation has also sat with hospitality investors and operators at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce.

Enhancing the quality of service in Makkah and the rest of the Kingdom, managing hardships faced by investors and operators, and the ministry’s commitment to combating those hardships, have all been discussed during the meetings.


Thunderstorms expected across Saudi Arabia until Sunday

Updated 59 min 12 sec ago
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Thunderstorms expected across Saudi Arabia until Sunday

  • Makkah province is expected to see moderate to heavy rainfall with potential flash floods, hail, and dust-stirring winds
  • Riyadh province will also experience light to moderate rainfall, flash floods, hail, and dust-stirring winds

RIYADH: Thunderstorms are expected across most of Saudi Arabia throughout the weekend until Sunday, according to the General Directorate of Civil Defense.

Makkah province is expected to see moderate to heavy rainfall with potential flash floods, hail, and dust-stirring winds, affecting areas like Taif, Maysan, Al-Muwayh, Turbah, Al-Khurmah and Ranyah.

Riyadh province will also experience light to moderate rainfall, flash floods, hail, and dust-stirring winds, affecting areas including Afif, Al-Dawadmi, Al-Quwayiyah, and Shaqra.

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in Jazan, Aseer, Al-Baha, and Madinah regions, with moderate rain in Hail and light to moderate rain in Najran and Qassim.

The directorate advised caution, avoiding flood-prone areas such as valleys, and refraining from swimming in them.

It also encouraged staying informed about the latest weather updates through official media channels and social media platforms.