The walled city of AlUla was founded in the 6th century BC, an oasis in the desert valley, with fertile soil and plenty of water. It was located along "Incense Road", the network of routes that facilitated the trading of spices, silk and other luxury items through Arabia, Egypt and India. AlUla stands on the site of the Biblical city of Dedan but was founded with the ancient North Arabian Kingdom of Lihyan, which ruled from the 5th to 2nd century BC.[5] The older history of the oasis has been divided into several phases.