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Interesting Facts 27 Nov 2023

Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans

The remote tomb of Qasr al-Farid, situated in the Saudi Arabian desert, dates back to the 1st Century CE. It was built by the Nabataean people, who also built Petra in Jordan. This site has remained largely undisturbed.

Because of its location, which allowed it to control the Incense Route that went through the Arabian Peninsula, the Nabataean Kingdom ruled over a vast territory that stretched from the southern Levant to northern Arabia. Due to this profitable trade, the Nabataeans became extremely powerful and wealthy. The monuments they erected are one example of how wealthy they were. The al-Khazneh in Petra, Jordan, is arguably the most famous Nabataean monument. That being said, there are many examples of the Nabataeans’ exceptional rock-carving skills found all over their kingdom. The Qasr al-Farid is one such monument.

The Qasr al Farid the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans 1
The Nabataeans were skilled craftsmen who carved their monuments out of solid rock (Wikimedia Commons)

The Qasr al-Farid, also referred to as the “Lonely Castle,” is situated in the northern Saudi Arabian region of Madâin Sâlih, an archaeological site also called al-Hijr or Hegra. The Qasr al-Farid, despite being called a castle, was actually a tomb built in the first century AD. The Madâin Sâlih is home to 111 massive tombs, of which the Qasr al-Farid is just one. The site was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2008.

Ninety-four of these tombs have decorations. Because of its complete isolation from the other tombs in the vicinity, the Qasr al-Farid is regarded as one of the most well-known tombs in Madâin Sâlih. Considering that the majority of the massive tombs in Madâin Sâlih were discovered to have been constructed in groups, this is unusual. These consist of the tombs of Qasr al-Bint, Qasr al-Sani, and the Jabal al-Mahjar region.

The Qasr al Farid the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans 2
The archaeological site of Madâin Sâlih, Saudi Arabia (Wikimedia Commons).

It is said that the Qasr al-Farid is four stories tall. Larger monuments were unquestionably better because they were intended to serve as a symbol of the social standing and wealth of the individuals who commissioned them. The quantity of pilasters on the façade of the Qasr al-Farid is another remarkable feature. There are just two pilasters on each of the other Madâin Sâlih tomb façades: one on the left and one on the right. On the other hand, the façade of the Qasr al-Farid is supported by four pilasters—two in the center and one on each side. This could provide more proof that the occupant of the tomb was a very powerful and affluent person in Nabataean society.

The mysterious Nabataeans were formerly a nomadic tribe, but some 2,500 years ago they started constructing large towns and cities, which flourished from the first century BC to the first century AD. One such city is the stunning city of Petra in Jordan. Along with their agricultural endeavors, they also created political structures, works of art, engineering, astronomy, stonemasonry, and an incredible level of hydraulic proficiency through the building of cisterns, aqueducts, and wells.

The Qasr al Farid the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans 3
Unlike other structures in Madâin Sâlih, the Qasr al-Farid has four pillars rather than two (Wikimedia Commons).

The fact that the construction of the Qasr al-Farid was never finished may therefore come as a surprise. It is, regrettably, very unlikely that we will ever learn who this tomb was constructed for. We will also not be aware of the reason behind the workers’ and project owner’s departure. However, the incompleteness of the Qasr al-Farid reveals something intriguing about its construction. It has been proposed that the monument was fashioned from the top down because the lower portion of the tomb’s façade has rougher quality work. It’s also possible that other monuments with comparable features were created in a similar way.

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The Qasr al Farid the Lonely Castle of the Nabataeans 4
Qasr al-Farid, the Lonely Castle (Wikimedia Commons)

The Incense Route was in decline by the third century A.D. as a result of the Roman Empire’s political and economic problems. The decline in trade would therefore have an impact on a large number of the towns along the trade route. Not even Medain Salih, which had been a significant staging area on the main caravan route running north-south, was spared, eventually becoming little more than a village. For example, the Arab traveler from the tenth century described Madâin Sâlih as little more than a tiny oasis where the locals’ lives revolved around their wells and peasants.

This is undeniably a stark contrast compared to the site’s heyday during the Nabataean period, when merchants and camels laden with the incense of Arabia would have thronged its streets on their way to the north. Still, the Qasr al-Farid and the other tombs built by the Nabataeans remain as a testimony to the greatness that the Madâin Sâlih once was.

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