415. ‘Unayza | عنيزة

Ma‘ān Governorate

Ḥājj fort / Qal‘at

JADIS no. 2298001

MEGA no. 11618 / 58991

Coordinates: 30°29'17.5"N 35°47'43.5"E

30.488194, 35.795417

Plan: The preserved fort of almost square plan has been set in a larger older structure of which traces can be seen in the S and W environs (fig. 415.2). The entrance is in the N sector of the E wall; on both sides of it staircases in the interior to the second floor. The interior of the enclosure walls is lined by rows of square to rectangular rooms with barrel vaulted ceilings framing a square courtyard with a pool.

Measurements: unknown.

Exterior: 27.2 x 28.00 m (Petersen 2012).

Interior: unknown.

Building Materials: basalt and creamy white limestone.

Construction details: see Petersen 2012.

Preservation: ruined.

Inscription(s): none known.

Date(s): 16th century, at the site of a Roman station, with four construction phases until the late 20th century (see here figs. 415.3-4).

Traveler Reports: “In 971 H /1563 AD Mustafa Pasha lists the site of Khan ‘Unaiza ...between Hasa..and Ma‘an ... It is not clear whether this is the Ottoman fort which still stands, or the remains of the Roman caravanserai which may have been reused in the first years of Ottoman rule. However, Barbir, following Mehmed Edib, suggests that the fort was built in, or soon after, 1576, by Sulayman Pasha.... In any case the fort is mentioned by Katip Çelebi (died in 1656) indicating that it was built before the early 17th century, probably during the reign of Murad III (reigned 1574-95). When Evliya Çelebi visited the fort in 1672, he described it as being located in a desolate area with neither villages, nor towns...” (Petersen 2012). Further visits are reported by Murtarda ibn ‘Ala’wan in 1709, by Mehmed Edib in 1779 and by engineers working for Muḥammad ‘Alī Pasha in the early 19th century. Further descriptions are known by Burckhardt, Doughty and Grey Hill, while E. Brünnow and von Domaszewski (Provincia Arabia) refer to it only cursory as a modern Turkish castle (full record on traveler reports is published by Petersen 2012; Shqour 2015, 1980-200; Shqour 2019, 374-376).

Bibliography: Burckhardt I, 1822, 409; Provincia Arabia I, 7; Housan 2008, 160-172; Petersen 2012, 95-195 figs. 26-28 pls. 80-88; Shqour 2015, 194-202; Tabbah - Taylor 2016, 290; Shqour 2019, 370-377; Schick 2020, no. 137.