Roads of Arabia

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ROADS OF ARABIA
The Discovery of al-Rabadha, a City in the Early Days of Islam
The residential area mosque
Discovered in the residential area (401), this mosque differs from the preceding one by its
architectural layout. Its surface is 12.30 x 10.30 metres; it has a square mihrab hollowed out
of a cavity. In spite of its small size the mosque is remarkable for the thickness of its walls:
it has four massive square pillars which once supported the ceiling. Judging by the ruins that
were found, the walls of the mosque seem to have been covered with a layer of painted plaster.
The mosque had four small doors; level with the west door there is an architectural pile
that may have been the base of the minaret.
Given the urban layout of this housing area this mosque was probably used exclusively
by the population of al-Rabadha and visitors. Given the density and variety of the habitation
units we assume there were other mosques that disappeared and of which no trace has
been found.
Hydraulic structures
The city counted on rainwater and streams; the wells, over a dozen of them, were dug inside
the urban perimeter. The inhabitants also took advantage of two tanks close to the city on
the Darb Zubayda pilgrimage route, of those placed higher up, of wells dug in the perimeter
of al-Rabadha, as well as of springs and water retained in rock crevices. However, in the
housing units of al-Rabadha the most striking feature is the presence of water cisterns dug
out under the floors of the rooms and inner courtyards. They all had the same architectural
design: dug out of the ground, they were 2 metres deep and approximately the same
length; their sides were built of stone and covered with a thick layer of plaster. They were
hermetically closed with rectangular slabs of stone. Each reservoir had an opening at the top
with a stone coping and lid. There were two ways to fill these cisterns: either by the ceramic
canalizations used to store the rainwater which flowed into the reservoirs from the roofs
(some were fitted with filters), or by direct transport of water from the tanks and wells to
the cisterns when it was needed or outside the rainy season. The conception of the reservoirs
guaranteed the city’s water supply and is evidence of the early Muslim architects’
expertise. This highly developed technique for storing water is explained by the great number
of pilgrims’ caravans which could include between fifteen and twenty thousand camels.
Inscribed bones (ostraca) were also unearthed: these are commercial receipts featuring
names of weights and measures (cat. no. 274). Fragments of inscribed pottery going back to
the Abbasid period (cat. no. 252) were also found.
The archaeological finds were plentiful and varied: coins, common or glazed pottery,
metal and stone items, wood and bone articles, glass containers, jewellery.
These finds provided information about the material culture during the three or more
centuries when the city was inhabited. Some pieces were manufactured on the spot; the
coins are unquestionable proof of the city’s great wealth: gold dinars and copper dirhams on
which were incised the names of the caliphs, the viziers and the cities of the empire where
coins were minted, such as Mecca, Kufa, Baghdad, Balkh, Kirman and Nishapur. These
coins date to several periods: the Umayyad era and the Abbasid golden age. The caliphs’
names appearing on the coin or of which the date of striking might coincide with the periods
of their reign are al-Walid ibn ‘Abd al-Malik (705–715), Abu Ja‘far al-Mansur
(754–775), Harun al-Rashid (786–809) and al-Mu‘tadid bi-llah (892–902), among others.
Conclusion
In light of what precedes, we can state that al-Rabadha was one of the great Islamic cities in
the heart of the Arabian Peninsula.
It was an important economic and cultural centre and a main stopping place on the pilgrimage
route before being destroyed and deserted after 932. A period of sedition and insecurity
began which coincided with the beginning of the Arab tribes’ emigration from the
peninsula.
Subsequently other routes than Darb Zubayda were followed, diverting the pilgrims
from al-Rabadha. However the basins and wells continued to be used by the neighbouring
populations.
Thus, generally speaking, the information yielded by the al-Rabadha site enlightened
us on the nature of the civilization in the peninsula in the early days of Islam.
Dirham (silver coins) found at al-Rabadha
Bibliography:
Ibn Khurradadhbih; Ibn Rustah; Al-Jasir 1386 H./1967;
Al-Muqaddasi; Al-Rashid 1406 H./1986;
Al-Rashid 1414 H./1993; Al-Tabari.
Aerial view of water tanks
Archaeological material and other discoveries
During the excavations many items were unearthed in the area within the al-Rabadha
perimeter. Countless inscribed objects and stone inscriptions are proof of the settlement
process in al-Rabadha. Some were found on Mount Sinam, an important site north of al-
Rabadha mentioned at the beginning of this essay when we spoke of al-Farra’ who died at
al-Rabadha. Rock inscriptions were found on the outcrops west of the residential area as
well: prayers invoking forgiveness and mercy for the persons whose names are inscribed in
these sculptures: “‘Abdallah ibn Khabab, Karim ibn Hattab”.
Inscriptions on the rock façade south of al-Rabadha were also found citing the name
“Durayd ibn ‘Abd Rabbihi”, as well as inscriptions on the rock reliefs on the edge of the
residential area, on the north-west side. The names Sa‘d ibn Zayd, Habab ibn Zayd,
Muhammad ibn Nafi‘ can be seen there alongside others.
Inscriptions, usually illegible, on the plaster facing of some walls and tombstones complete
the epigraphic material discovered at al-Rabadha. Among them, two tombstones dedicated
to a woman named “Umm ‘Asim daughter of ‘Abdallah”. This ‘Asim might be the son
of the Caliph ‘Umar, who died in al-Rabadha in 689–690.
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