Some Thoughts on Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, its Dam, its Monastery and the Ghassanids

Abstract

This article is intended as a revision of the pre-Islamic period at Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi, one of the most famous Umayyad “desert castles”, excavated during the 1930s. The date and interpretation of several structures will be discussed. It will be shown that the Harbaqa dam is more likely to be Umayyad than Roman. The tower and other structures pre-dating the palace will be interpreted as forming a single building of Byzantine date, very probably a monastery. The discussion of this monastery and of its inscribed lintel discovered during the excavations will finally allow the nature and importance of the architecture attributed to the Jafnid dynasty of the Ghassan tribal group to be briefly reconsidered.

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