Sadd al-Khanaq Dam – Hijaz (Khaibar Oasis northern dam)
Al-Khanaq Dam · Khanuq Dam
Late Pre-Islamic to Early Islamic·Nabataean–Himyarite to Umayyad·🇸🇦 Al-Madinah Region, Wadi al-Khanaq, Khaibar oasis north, Saudi Arabia
About
About Sadd al-Khanaq Dam – Hijaz (Khaibar Oasis northern dam)
A 110-m long, 7-m high early Islamic–pre-Islamic hybrid dam blocking Wadi al-Khanaq on the basalt–sandstone interface north of the Khaibar oasis. Built in two phases: an early rubble core with Himyarite–Nabataean masonry (400 BCE–400 CE) reused as foundation for an 8th-century Umayyad ashlar facing with gypsum mortar and stepped spillway. The dam created a 120,000 m³ reservoir feeding the northern Khaibar date gardens via a 6-km qanat–canal hybrid (jush). Gillmore et al. 2015 dated lower core by OSL to 320±90 BCE, linked to Khaibar Jewish oasis agriculture prior to Islamic conquest.
Why it mattersShows continuity of Khaibar oasis hydraulic from Jewish pre-Islamic to Umayyad.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Jewish vs Nabataean authorship of core
Theories
- 01Oasis refuge hydraulic
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.320 BCE (Nabataean/Himyarite core), rebuilt c.720 CE (Umayyad)
- Period
- Late Pre-Islamic to Early Islamic
- Culture
- Nabataean–Himyarite to Umayyad
- Builders
- Khaibar oasis farmers, later Umayyad state
- Purpose
- Oasis northern flank reservoir and palm irrigation
- Abandoned
- c.900 CE
- Rediscovered
- 2015 Gillmore Khaibar survey
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
320 BCE
Initial rubble core with early ceramics
720 CE
Umayyad ashlar refacing and jush canal
On the ground
Structures & features
25.1200° N · 39.3200° E · 720 m · 2 mapped features
Dam Crest al-Khanaq
hydraulic110-m rubble-ashlar dam with Umayyad facing
25.1210° N · 39.3210° EJush Canal Head
hydraulic6-km qanat–canal hybrid feeding northern palms
25.1180° N · 39.3180° E