Heritage Dams: The Arabian Peninsula was not characterized by ...

It is located 140 km south-east of Taif in Bani al-Harith land in the Dama Valley. It was built by
using big and locally cut red rocks arranged in long rows. The dam was made of four zigzag walls
and its length reaches to 11.30 meters, width 2 meters and its height 4 meters. It has terraced
tops at the south-eastern side. Also it has an un-dated inscription on one of the rocks at a
height.
Grygeer Dam:
It is located in the Grygeer Valley, which represents integrated building style with the exception
of some rocks that spread beneath it. This dam is considered to be a unique in its design and its
top surface serving as the outlet and the flood drainage channel in its base. Its length is about 37
meters, 2 meters width and a height of 18 meters.
Al Lusb Dam:
It is located to the east of the highway about 10 km from the Waddi Ardah. It represents a thick
built wall. It was built on a rocky outcrop in the middle of a narrow channel of five meters width.
Now it is completely destroyed in the middle, leaving only a small part on the eastern side. The
remaining antiquities show the height of the dam must have been over than 50 meters. Along
its neighborhood are the remains of some abandoned houses. Pottery bits have been found at
sites dating back to the pre-Islamic era.
Thalbah Dam:
This dam is located about seven kilometers from Taif. It was built of cut square stones, in the
form two parallel walls covered by sand and lime mortar. When built, its length is believed to
have been 78.9 meters, width 9.60 meters and a height of 9 meters at its maximum altitude in
the middle.
Seesid Dam:
It is located in the Seesid Valley in the north-east of Taif. It is built of stones as large rectangular
building blocks laid horizontally. The dam has a length of 58 meters, 4.10 meters width and 8.5
meters height. The dam is popular because it was built in the era of Umayyad Caliph Muawiya
bin Abi Sufyan, that is revealed on an inscription dating back to the year 58 H/677-678 CE,
stating the text ion as follows:
This dam is for Abdullah Muawiya
Commander of the Faithful, built by Abdullah bin Saqr
In the name of the God in the fifty-eighth year
God forgive Abdullah Muawiya