The town of DhofarWhere history and culture meet [Archives:2004/784/Culture]

Ismail Al-Ghabiri
Dhofar is the capital of Sheba Kingdom and Dhi Raidan (Hemyarites). It is located in al-Seddah district (al-Arafah Isolation), South of Yerim town approximately 17 kms.
Dhofar is a name of several towns in Yemen – Dhofar Dhi Bayn or Dhofar al-Dhaher in Amran Governorate, and Dhofar Amman is called Dhofar al-Huboodhi which is currently within the political boundary of Oman Sultanate.
As well, there are two areas with same name in Ibb Governorate: Dhofar Village in al-Adhareb, Ba'dan, and Dhofar in Jebel Khadhra', in Hubaish District.
Dhofar also carries three names – Dhofar Yerim, Dhofar Minketh, and Dhofar Hemyar.

Political centre
The historical significance of Dhofar town lies in it being in the past as a capital of Sheba Kingdom and Dhi Raidan (Hemyar) since the beginning of its establishment, as the Hemyarite villages considered it a political center from which it kicked off towards unifying Yemen in general.
Due to its economical and military importance, Dhofar town was selected as a strategic capital, which was planned for previously and absolutely perfect as it is above a number of wadis with running water such as Wadi Bana, Wadi Dhofar, Wadi al-Haf, and Qa' el-Haql.
Due to the significance of this town being the capital of Sheba Kingdom and Dhi Raydan, it was mentioned in a number of historical sources from abroad and inside Yemen similarly.
It was mentioned by the Classical Historian Belinoos in the sixth chapter of his book “Natural History” that showed the mention of Dhofar refers back to the second half of the first century, as he had mentioned it within a number of the Arabian Felix towns.
Then, it had consecutively been mentioned within a number of books and other writings such as “Wandering About the Eriterian Sea (Red Sea)” written by unknown author, as a Capital of Hemyarites kings.
And Dhofar was mentioned by the Classical Historian Batlimous that it was within the interior towns of Arabian Felix. He described it as a Capital.
The 'Tongue of Yemen', the Historian Abu Muhammad al-Hassan al-Hamdani who lived in the Hijrah century, has mentioned it lengthily by describing it and its ruins as well as its location.
He had mentioned that it is located at the peak of a hill at the upper most of Qitab (currently a book). That it had nine gates (Babs in Arabic ) – Bab Wala, Bab al-Aslaf, Bab Khurfah, Bab Ma'abeh, Bab Hedwan, Bab Khoban, Bab Howzah, Bab Sayd and Bab al-Haql.
The most important of all aforementioned gates is “Bab al-Haql” on which the bells (alMa'aher) were hanging. The bells ring and can be heard from far away , if the gate “Bab al-Haql” is opened. The archaeological surveys have showed that that fence had extended in an irregular path protecting the area situated between a height (al-rahdeh) in the South until the Northern boundaries of Raydan fort.
Dhofar had played an important role in the religious side being one of the Christianity religious centers in Yemen as the Greek churches missions had arrived it in the Year 354 A.D. (middle of the fourth century A.D.) and could succeed in constructing an important famous charch known by the historians besides the church existed in Najran.
And because of that church existence, Christianity could spread fortifiedly in Yehsob area, in general.
It was destroyed in the Year 523 A.D. by the Yemeni King Yousuf Asar Yethar, known by the Historians as (Dhi Nuwas) who is mentioned in the al-Okhdud story in the Holy Qura'an verses. (al-Berooj Verses in the Holy Qura'an) as he was a Jew in religion.

Archaeological landmarks
Considering Dhofar town as the political capital for Sheba and Dhi Raydan for a long period, the kings of that Kingdom paid much care in fortifying it and constructing the general buildings in it such as temples, markets, dams in addition to special buildings such as palaces and homes which ruins are still existing apparently to the sight. Some of the existing ruins are of most significant palaces.

The palaces
A number of palaces were built in the town mentioned, most significant of which is Raydan, Shouhtan, and Kawkaban. According to the historians, Raydan Palace acquired great fame, because of Hemyarites' relationship to it, due their famous King title (King of Sheba and Dhi Raydan) whereby they perpetuated his name on the general buildings and the currencies.
Raydan palace was as a political palace for holding alliances and confederations among the Hemyarite tribes. The existing remains show its greatness, as it was built with stones of different colors and with mica materials, bluish, sky blue, green and al-hebsh (blackish) in color besides the tiles with various colors such as the red, yellowish, and black.

Water institutions
Because of the agricultural area nature, kings of Sheba and Dhi Raydan constructed a number of water institutions with different functions, most prominent of which are the dams in Dhofar and the surrounding area such as al-Owar and al-Oqlah dam, Lahej dam in Aras, and al-Sha'bani dam in al-Arafah, Hararah, and al-Asbahi in Jurf Naji, and Touf dam in Jebel Hajjaj in addition to the irrigation network and water pounds (al-Kuroof), and water reservoirs chiseled in the foot of the hills surrounding the area which is used for storing the water to be utilized throughout the year for drinking and agricultural irrigation purposes.

Crops stores
As a result of the economical activity and agricultural products availability, kings of Sheba and Dhi Raydan built crops stores in the rocks besides the royal palaces in Dhofar town with various shapes to save the surplus crops of the agricultural seasons, and to use it when necessary, especially, during the wars and political disturbances because of the military nature of such kingdom.

Graveyards
Graveyards had spread in a number of the areas in Dhofar, and the most of which are grave pieces within the rocks in the slopes of hills with various shapes displaying the importance of the grave owner and his social status. There are special royal graves for the kings and the high-ranking people who were of higher excellency than the graves which were provided for the common citizens.
Those graves enlightened us by archaeological evidences of essential information that it contained and which helped in leading us to understand the burying customs in that town. Personal effects of the dead persons were found besides their corpses such as dresses, pots, jewels, the matter which proves their faith in returning to life again.

Tourism Components
In addition to the historical importance of that town which is the most important of the tourism components, Dhofar and al-Seddah District in general are enjoying weather and other natural characteristics increasing its importance as an attractive tourism area for tourists from inside Yemen and abroad.
There are a number of beautiful wadis (valleys) and are always green, out which are Wadi Bana, Wadi Hajjaj, Wadi al-A'amas, and Qa'el Huq in addition to the existence of a number of water falls which provide more beauty to those wadis (valleys).
The area is enjoying several number of heights and hills with greenish foot and beautiful scenes, out of which are Jebel al-Hebaly, Jebel al-arafah, Jebel Esam, Jebel Hajjaj, and Jebel al-Aseeby.
The variety of the undulations among the hills, the wadis, the plains, and the plateaus are adding beauty to the area and contributes in putting on the permanent greenness which depend on the rain water, and the permanent waterfalls.
Beautiful villages of original Yemeni architectural characteristic and heights are spreading by the hills foot as if they are pearls giving pleasure to whom are looking at them, and raises joyfulness and happiness into the hearts.
And what adds to that factor is the pardoning (forgiveness) nature of the local natives and the hospitality that they offer to the visitor to that area.
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