The Bedul (Arabic: البدول, also transcribed Bdul, Badul, Bedoul, B'doul or Budul) is a small Bedouin tribe residing in the vicinity of Petra, Jordan.^[1] The origins of their name suggest a possible conversion to Islam at a later period, with scholars proposing Jewish^[2][3] or Nabatean^[4][1] ancestry based on oral traditions. Early 20th-century accounts depict their nomadic lifestyle, traditions, and conflicts with the dominant Liyathnah tribe.^[1]

In the 1980s, the Jordanian government forcibly relocated the Bedul from Petra, establishing the nearby Umm Sayhoun as a permanent settlement for them. While this relocation improved access to education and healthcare, it also curtailed their traditional agricultural activities. This led to a greater reliance on tourism for income, although they still practice goat herding and cereal farming.^[1][5]

The Bedul are part of the Bedu tribes in Petra and Wadi Rum whose cultural heritage and traditional expertise were recognized by UNESCO, listed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2005, officially inscribed in 2008.^[6]

The name "Badul" means "the changing ones",^[2] "changer",^[7] or "those who converted",^[3] which may indicate their conversion to Islam at a later period.^[2][3] It is possible that they are of Jewish^[2][3] or Nabatean^[4][1] ancestry.

Frederick Gerard Peake argued that the name "Badul", which he translates to "the changing ones", suggests their conversion to Islam at a later time.^[2][3] He wrote that local Arabs still point to Umm al-Biyarah, a place situated south of Qasr al-Bint, in close proximity to Petra, as the site of conversion.^[2][7]

Tawfiq Canaan recounts the following origin tale about the Bedul as narrated by the Liyathnah, the predominant tribe in the Petra region:^[4]

"When Moses and the children of Israel surrounded Petra, Moses declared war against the inhabitants because they refused to accept his religion. He conquered and slaughtered them all, except for twelve who hid themselves in a cave on the top of the mountain, which is now called Umm al-Biyarah. Moses ordered them to come down. They answered in Arabic: "Inna abdalna, ya Nabi Allah!" ("We have changed, O Prophet of God!"). "What have you changed?" asked Moses. "Our religion, for we accept yours", was the answer. Since that time, they are known as al-Badul — the people who became changed, or altered.^[4][3]

Canaan interpreted this as evidence of Nabatean ancestry.^[4]

Peake posited that the Jews from Maqna, El-Adhruh and Jarba, who made peace with Muhammad in Tabuk in AH 9, migrated to the Sela region where they eventually converted to Islam, becoming known as the "Badul", i.e. "the changing ones".^[2] Ben Zvi supports this theory as more plausible, noting that El-Adhruh and Jarba now lie in ruins between Shoubak and Ma'in. Ben Zvi asserts that Umm al-Biyara is not the site of their conversion to Judaism, but rather to Islam.^[3]

Ben Zvi mentions a visit by Eliyahu Eilat during Passover in 1935, noting that the majority of the tribe is absent from Petra during this time and only returns later. According to their narrative, they numbered seventy individuals at that time. While they lack clear recollections of their Jewish heritage, they maintain the purity of their lineage and abstain from intermarriage with Arab tribes.^[3]

A. Musil credits the Badul or Al-Badan to the Howeitat bin-Gad, also known as the Alawin, who reside in Al-Hamsi.^[8]

According to Bedul tradition cited by Ohannessian-Charpin, their ancestral tale recounts the flight of five (or seven) forebears from pursuing Muslims, seeking refuge in Petra. Eventually, compelled by circumstances, they surrendered and adopted Islam, hence earning their name from the Arabic phrase "baddalu dinuhum" ("they exchanged their religion"). Ohannessian-Charpin suggests that the Bedul strategically claim Nabatean lineage, seeking to use their supposed ties to the creators of Petra as a means to resist expulsion and establish themselves as rightful inheritors of the property.^[9]

The ethnohistoric study confirms the Bedul's presence in the Petra Valley since at least the early 19th century.^[1] While oral history and archaeological evidence suggest continuity prior to that, lack of direct testimony makes specific claims for earlier periods difficult.^[1]

Abdullah I of Jordan met with sheikhs of the Badul in 1923, led by Hweimel Salem 'Eid. They opted for government trusteeship of Petra's territory in exchange for maintaining traditional rights, avoiding taxation they couldn't afford.^[1]

In the mid-20th century, Ben Zvi described the Badul as the most impoverished among all Bedouin tribes in Transjordan, sustaining themselves by guiding tourists through the remnants of Petra.^[3]

According to Tawfiq Canaan, writing in 1930, the Bedul seldom ventured beyond their territory. During the winter months, they dwell in the caves of Petra for up to three months. As spring arrives, they move their encampment near the wadis, while in the summer, they ascend to the lofty rock peaks or nearby hills.^[4]

In 1985, the Jordanian government forcibly relocated the Bedul to Umm Sayhoun (Arabic: أم صيحون), a new town north of Petra. While this move provided better access to education and healthcare, it also limited their traditional livelihoods. The dense settlement strained resources and led many to rely more on tourism for income.^[1][5]

In 1996, their population was reported to be 1000 people, belonging to five distinct lineages.^[1]

The Bedul belong to one of the Bedouin tribes whose cultural heritage and traditional skills were proclaimed by UNESCO on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2005 and inscribed in 2008.^[6]

Despite increasing international interest and tourism in Petra, the Bedul persisted in traditional activities like goat herding and cereal farming. In the late 1980s, their farming methods remained traditional, relying on manual labor without mechanization. Dairy production, especially the processing of goat milk into yogurt (laban) and subsequently into a dried form, plays a significant role.^[1]

Traditional Bedul dwellings included black goat hair tents, masonry structures in rock shelters, and occupation of Nabataean tombs, with recent focus on the latter due to tourist visibility. However, their habitation patterns, including dwelling in Petra's tombs, have likely been diverse and extensive for centuries.^[1]

Ben-Zvi mentioned that the Bedul make an annual pilgrimage to the Tomb of Aaron.^[3]

The Bedul tribe's existence is marked by a longstanding conflict with the Liyathnah tribe, settled in the town of Wadi Musa near Petra. The Liyathnah have benefited from the touristic and industrial development of the area, while the Bedul have had limited involvement due to historical tensions. Their engagement in tourism, primarily through souvenir sales and guide services, remains minimal compared to the Liyathnah's dominance.^[1]

The 1980s relocation of the Bedul improved access to education and healthcare while constraining their traditional livelihoods, leading to a shift towards reliance on tourism for income due to limited participation in traditional agricultural and pastoral activities.^[1][5]

• Mother and baby of the Bedul tribe before their cave home in ed-Der Valley
• Bedouin and wife of the tribe
• Bedul Bedouins performing an incantation over a sick man

• Ta'amreh, another Bedouin tribe with traditions of Jewish ancestry, based in Jerusalem and the Negev