Wadi Maghara is located in the southwest of the Sinai Peninsula to the east of Abu Rudeis on the coast road and just to the north of Wadi Feiran. Several rock faces in the wadi have relief inscriptions of early rulers of Egypt which document their expeditions to mine the precious minerals, primarily turquoise and copper, found in the area. These minerals were brought down from the gebel on an ancient track which still exists today, to the port of Markha to be transported by boat into Egypt. Turquoise was especially precious because it was used in jewellery and statuary in ancient Egypt. The mines at Wadi Maghara were a profitable source of turquoise and copper until at least the New Kingdom.