Page 79 - Arabiab Studies (IV)

Early sites ofJabal ‘Iyal Yazid 69
On the site itself are signs of a large and perhaps important
settlement. On the surface are some stones decorated with pecked
squares and rectangles and at least two very fine polished columns.
At each end of the site are the remains, still standing to a height of
several courses, of two large buildings constructed of great blocks
of dark stone which are functional rather than decorative in
appearance. A short search over the site did not reveal any
inscribed stones, but of all the sites on the mountain this one might
best repay investigation.

Al-Qa$r
377752
Closely associated with al-Madlnah and about 4 km. north of it is a
smaller ruin site on the track to al-Sawd. The rubble reveals little
of immediate interest, although I was shown a single well made of
bordered stone with a word inscribed on it. Of particular note,
however, is a square building in the middle of the rubble field
which to a height of four or five feet on the southern (entrance)
side and even more on the eastern side would seem to be
undisturbed pre-Islamic or certainly early masonry. The northern
and western sides are less well preserved, but from inspection of
the interior of the building (the floor of which is below the outside
ground level) the size of the original building has been preserved.
This building is now used as a house and was cleared of rubble
and altered by its present occupant some years ago when he was
made homeless. The old walls were as they are today. He built a
first floor, supporting it on arches and re-using many old blocks in
its walls, and he lives there now with his family. The oldest walls
are made of undecorated but neatly squared dark stone blocks
which were seen at al-Madlnah. The eastern side has three large
recesses which night have been for decoration, and there are no
spaces or windows for light to enter the building on this wall.
Inside the building there are some steps leading down to a small
reservoir below. This is supplied by a perennial stream which
descends from a small valley to the east of the structure.

Hind and Hunaydahl These two sites, al-Madlnah and al-Qa$r are
almost certainly the Hind and Hunaydah of the $ifah although
al-Hamdanl suggests that they are to be found in Qa‘ah (above).8
There is no evidence there to suggest that there were buildings
there worthy of being listed among al-mashhur min mafriifid
al-Yaman wa-qu$uri-ha al-qadlmah.9 The names of Hind and