In brief: At the World Heritage Al-Hasa oasis we found more than palms nurtured by plentiful spring water. We tapped into the flow of Saudi history as well.
Lured by the World Heritage status of the Al-Hasa oasis at Al Hofuf, we decided to venture into this part of eastern Saudi Arabia during our stay at the neighboring Gulf states of Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. And, as usual, we found more than an oasis: fascinating historical and cultural hallmarks as well.
By the 20th century, the eastern region of the Arabian Peninsula, Al-Hasa, has been allied with the Ottomans for centuries. Al-Hasa prospered from two advantages: it had access to the Persian Gulf for trade and it had abundant agriculture because it contained the largest oasis in the world. In 1913, Abdulaziz (or Ibn Saud), the pre-eminent 20th century founder of the modern, unified Saudi Arabia, made this his first major conquest outside of his base in Riyadh.
The Oasis
We’ve seen other oases in northern Africa and the Middle East, but here in particular private ownership of the farms has divided up the lots behind walled enclosures, so the palms are seemingly held in captivity. Still, the scale of the place is incredible. The oasis contains some 2.5 million date-bearing palms with over 100 different types.
Hundreds of springs water the oasis. Not so long ago, these springs reportedly sent 11 million gallons per hour to the surface. Because of various diversions, urban expansion, and climate changes, that flow is down to 3 million gallons per hour, still an appreciable amount. With such abundance of water, the inhabitants of Al-Hasa have developed extensive agricultural usage beyond dates – fruits and vegetables, flowers like the fragrant roses in this garden, and – most remarkably – rice, both a savory white type and a famous red one.
The major springs have been harnessed with storage vats and irrigation channels. This channel, however, takes the water that runs-off from the farms to a huge lake some 40 kilometers away. Largely, there is no need for any pumping; the force of the springs and the natural contour of the landscape handle the chore.
The owner of the date palm grove, flower gardens, and rice fields we visited. Many locals came by while we were visiting to buy his products from an open stall manned by his assistant. On a chilly morning, he sat with the refreshments – tea, coffee, dates of various sorts – at this table in a pleasantly shaded structure lined with comfy benches. We tried quite a lot, including the Arabic coffee with cardamom and tea with rose petals fresh from the garden. He conducted a very animated conversation with our guide, repeating an odd expression over and over again. We asked what that word was. “Listen to me!,” we were told, because he was insisting on attention from the guide.
The two trees in the foreground, with the bit of wispy leaf in between, show three generations of palm trees. The grandmother is the large one on the left, a bit aged now for fruit-bearing. Her offspring is the one leaning a bit too much to her right, but still going strong. The new baby is that set of fronds between them, formed from an offshoot of the mother’s roots, and it will be transplanted after a while.
We learned a lot about the palm trees in the oasis – how to tell age, not by rings, but by the number of palm leaves cut off to make those lovely patterns on the trunks (the grandma in the photo is about 40); the utility of the wooden chunks left on the trunk for heating and oven fires; the use of the leaves for fibers to weave in various ways; how each root of the tree corresponds to one leaf; how to breed more palm trees; and so on.
The History
The Ibrahim Palace dates from Ottoman occupation of the region in the 16th century. This is the broad plaza within the walled structure. Hardly a palace, it is more aptly called a fort (qasr) because it served over the years as barracks for whichever force controlled the region, either local leaders or the Ottoman troops. Here Abdulaziz successfully defeated the forces opposing him at Al-Hasa in 1913, and made the fort his own. The large building to the right is a very Ottoman style mosque. In the foreground, in front of it, was the water source for the fort, with drinking stalls still visible. To the left, with its own domes, was the residence of the military governor. During the cold of the winter, he descended beneath the small dome in front of it so he could work comfortably in the steady temperatures underground.
This 19th century Khuzam Palace, with its unusual trapezoidal towers, long hovered on the edge of the desert until the urban expansion of Al-Hasa encircled it. Its role was to keep the Bedouin tribes from harassing the townspeople or each other when they came to trade.
The interior of the walled Khuzam Palace (qasr) where the “policing” forces were stationed at the edge of Al-Hasa. The tree marks the presence of a natural spring that provided water for the troops. Another spring nearby watered the Bedouin tribes trading with or harassing the local population.
The mosque within the Khuzam Palace/fort features a dazzling carpet of Arabic decoration and old roofing made from date palms.
The ancient Jawatha Mosque, built in the form of a fortress, dating back to just seven years after Muhammad’s founding of Islam, some 1500 years ago. The builders apparently were even more dedicated to Islam than the population in Medina, site of the first mosque. The usual domes and watchtowers were not typical features then. This building had evidently been renovated since then, including the addition of air conditioners. Nearby, the old town of Jawatha lies under desert sands, yet to be researched by archaeologists.
(To enlarge any picture above, click on it. Also, for more pictures from Saudi Arabia, CLICK HERE to view the slideshow at the end of the itinerary page.)
