Saudi Arabia: `Bir Hadaj` is one of the oldest wells in the Arabian Peninsula

ArabiaWeather.com - The Hadaj well is considered one of the most important landmarks of the famous ancient city of Taima in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , and its ancient heritage symbol. He described the giving man as "Hadaj Tayma", and it is located within a circular frame of tall palm trees.

The Haddaj well derives its importance from the role it played in the lives of the ancients and the modern, as it made the city of Tayma an agricultural city with many palm trees, huge orchards, due to its capacity, abundance, and sweetness of its water. The water from it reaches the farms through thirty-one channels that start from the edges of the well and branch out to the orchards at their various locations, which made Taima a paradise in the desert.

It is believed that the well of Hadaj was dug in the middle of the first millennium BC, that is, around the middle of the sixth century BC, based on the comparison of its construction method with many archaeological monuments dated such as the palaces of Al-Rudham, Al-Sur and Al-Hamra, which date back to the Babylonian era in northern Saudi Arabia.

Saudi antiquities expert Dr. Abd al-Rahman al-Ansari believes that the origin of the name of the well of Hadaj is due to the existence of a link between the term "Hadag" and the name "Hadad" or "Adad", the water god of the Semites, especially the Arameans, who settled in Taima in the early first millennium BC. This is the most likely opinion of archaeologists.

The Well of Hadaj was mentioned in many poems of Arabic poetry and was sung by poets, both ancient and modern. We mention here, for example, but not limited to, a verse from the poetry of al-Samuel, the ruler of Tayma in the fifth century AD, who says proudly of the Tayma Well and its fort: “He built me a strong fortress and water whenever I wanted.” I lay down."

Drought threatened Bir Hadaj during the past years, as it witnessed a remarkable fluctuation in its water level. Because the farmers adjacent to the well dug artesian wells inside their farms, which caused the water level to drop somewhat. And he witnessed his worst case when the owners of the neighboring properties established new projects, which led to the burial of the places of roses and the export of camels and Suwanis, and the introduction of structural elements not similar to what was used in their construction; Which damaged the well a lot.

The condition of the well caught the attention of the Emir of the Tabuk region, Prince Fahd bin Sultan Al Saud, who ordered King Saud’s project to restore the well with his own funding and initiative. This resulted in the Municipality of Taima, with the participation of the people and the Department of Antiquities of Taima, restoring the dilapidated parts of it in the same manner used in folding the well, and it was paved The edges of the well, then an iron fence was placed to prevent any encroachment or dumping of waste into it.