// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Bedul a good sleeper? It's a bed deal.
Bdul/Bdoul | |
|---|---|
| Total population | |
| 1000-1500[1][2] (2010) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Jordan | |
| Languages | |
| Levantine arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| arabs, jews, Bedouins, Palestinians |
The Bedul (also known as Bdul, Bdoul) are an indigenous Jordanian Bedouin tribe of possible Nabbatean or Jewish origins based primarily in Wadi Musa and other surrounding areas of Petra. The Jordanian government has in multiple instances forcibly displaced Bedul from their native homes, firstly in 1985 and in the current wave beginning in 2024. After this forced displacement many now live in Umm Seyhoun near Wadi Musa.[3] The Bedul traditionally farm cattle and also conduct agriculture of wheat and barley.[4] They have also been called the "natural guardians of Petra", and variations,[5] and continue to use the ancient cisterns and caves near Petra.[6] According to one source,[7] the Bedul number about a thousand people, however according to the Jordanian government they number about 1500.[2]
History
[edit]Late Ottoman period
[edit]In 1894 Sheikh 'Arar ibn Jazi led a revolt against expanding Turkish authority, resulting in the deaths of several soldiers. But in 1895 he had to flee north alongside his followers. he was subsequently imprisoned at Damascus. During the Arab revolt the Liyathna noted that the Bedul were an impoverished people, likely as a result of the events of the late 1800s.
1920-1980
[edit]in the late 1920s and 1930s, soldiers were posted at Petra due to ongoing fighting between the Bedul and their neighbor, the Liyathna.
1980-present
[edit]In 1985 Petra was designated a world heritage site and the resident Bedul were displaced to Umm Seyhoun. A similar event occurred in 2024, when the Jordanian government forced 24 Bedul out of caves and tents in al-Nabi Harun Mountain (al-Stooh) under the guise of preserving Petra.[8] Remaining residents now have to commute 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) to reach water, in Umm Seyhoun, in which the water is polluted and not safe to drink.[9]
Origins
[edit]Various theories exist for the origins of the Bedul, the first states that they descend from Jews and/or Nabbateans, who historically resided in their present area.[2] The second carries little evidence, and states that they arrived in Petra in the 18th-19th centuries.[10] Yet another theory suggests Roma descent.
References
[edit]- ↑ "The Bedul Bedouin of Petra, Jordan: Traditions, Tourism and an Uncertain Future". Culturalsuyrvival.org. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- 1 2 3 Kenneth W. Russell. "ETHNOHISTORY OF THE BEDUL BEDOUIN OF PETRA" (PDF). Publication.doa.gov.jo. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ "Jordan: Petra's Bedul Bedouin Community Displaced | Human Rights Watch". Hrw.org. 21 July 2025.
- ↑ Simms, Steven; Kooring, D. (January 1, 1996). "The Bedul Bedouin of Petra, Jordan: Traditions, tourism, and an uncertain future". Cultural Survival Quarterly. 19: 22–25 – via ResearchGate.
- ↑ "The Bedoul - the Soul of Petra". Seepetra.com. 12 December 2025.
- ↑ "Cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi Rum - UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage". Ich.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 2026-01-31. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ "The Bedul Bedouin of Petra, Jordan: Traditions, Tourism and an Uncertain Future | Cultural Survival". Culturalsurvival.org. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ Hussein, Hussam; Mason, Olivia (2024). "Preserve Petra and Bedouin rights in Jordan". Science. 386 (6724): 859–860. Bibcode:2024Sci...386..859H. doi:10.1126/science.ads0004. PMID 39571032.
- ↑ "Jordan: Petra's Bedul Bedouin Community Displaced". Thenewsintel.com. 2025-07-21. Retrieved 2026-07-20.
- ↑ "The Bedul Bedouin of Petra, Jordan: Traditions, Tourism and an Uncertain Future | Cultural Survival". Culturalsurvival.org. 2010-03-19. Retrieved 2026-07-20.