Jabal Sais
Syrian desert fortification
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jabal Sais (Arabic: جبل سايس also known as Qasr Says is a Umayyad desert fortification or former palace in Syria which was built 707-715 AD. The fortification sits near an extinct volcano.[1] Jabal Says is mountain peak next to the fortification which sits 621 meters above sea level.[2]
| Jabal Sais جبل سايس | |
|---|---|
  Location within Syria | |
| General information | |
| Location | Rif Dimashq, Syria |
| Coordinates | 33.303116°N 37.359575°E |
| Technical details | |
| Material | adobe |
History
Built from 707-715 AD and located in the Syrian Desert.[3] The location was dependent on the seasonal supply of water which pooled next to the volcano crater. The palace is now just a vestige.[4] The settlement at Jabal Says has existed since 528 AD.[5] According to the historian Jere L. Bacharach, al-Walid I built Jabal Says, likely as a Bedouin summer encampment between his base of operations in al-Qaryatayn and another of his desert forts, Qasr Burqu'.[6]
Jebel Usays inscription
The site contains a famous inscription known as the Jebel Usays inscription composed either in 528 or 532/3 AD. It describes the Jafnid leader Al-Harith ibn Jabalah with the leader al-malik, corresponding to how the title is spelt in Syriac texts from the time.[7][8]
See also
