Despite age, Al-Ashmour district forts remain inhabited [Archives:2006/975/Last Page]

By: Saddam Al-Ashmori
“I've lived here since I was born in 1901. I wish I could live another 105 years in order to stay in this fort,” said Hajj Hussein Al-Naghib, who still lives in Al-Kuber Fort. “My children built new and modern houses outside the fort, but I refuse to live with them because I like living in my house inside the fort,” he added.

Al-Kuber Fort is located in Al-Ashmour district, west of Amran governorate. Al-Ashmour district is 125 km. from Sana'a and is famous for its unique and unconquerable forts as well as their exceptional architecture. Although most were built six centuries ago, they have been and remain standing and inhabited.

Besides Al-Kuber Fort, other forts like Halamlam, Al-Shara'ei and Al-Darb were built sometime between the 14th and 15th centuries. These forts were built in a similar design because they were built on hard-to-reach areas, with three inaccessible sides, while the fourth was accessible as the only gate through which inhabitants could enter and leave the fort. A wall was built around the three inaccessible sides, while the fourth contained a door that was closed at night.

Within every fort was a building slightly taller than the others, built in a rounded manner, and used for grain storage. Additionally, every fort wall and building had small holes for observing the movements of the enemy or those outside the fort and above the fort's main door was a small hole enabling the guard to see who was knocking.

Mosques were built outside the forts and pools dug beside them to provide water. Further, upper pools stored water for various uses. Whenever there was a water shortage in the lower pools, outlets were opened in the upper ones to fill the lower ones.

While wandering about the fort, also noticeable is a tunnel through which water passed into the fort, thus enabling its inhabitants to have water for prayer and other uses if the fort came under siege.

The fort was divided into zones and every zone belonging to a certain family was fortified and equipped with a strong door. The zone incorporating the fort's center belonged to the family to which the fort's sheikh belonged. This zone had the largest diwan (a place able to hold all inhabitants during meetings, weddings, consultancies and receiving guests) and the sheikh had the keys to it.

The fort's ground floors were allocated for sheep, cows and other domestic animals and some were used for such animals' food or as horse stables, particularly at the fort's gate.
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