Antiquities in Jazan Province

The Antiquities in Jazan Province are the material remains and legacies of ancient human civilizations in Jazan Province, located in the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where archaeological sites have been discovered indicating different historical periods.

Jazan Province possesses environmental diversity that has granted it civilizational importance throughout various prehistoric periods. The province includes multiple environments, such as marine environments, coastal plains represented by the Tihama Plains, salt flats, volcanic rock areas, and key valleys that traverse the province, including Wadi Baysh, Wadi al-Sir, and Wadi Jazan. Additionally, the province contains several archaeological sites dating back to various cultural periods.

- The Oldowan civilization: Evidence of the Oldowan civilization has been found in the southern Arabian Peninsula, including Jazan Province. The province's living conditions were conducive to early settlement, in addition to being suitable for the coexistence of human groups due to the availability of coastal and terrestrial food resources.

- The Acheulean civilization: Among the sites in the province that date back to the Acheulean civilization are locations east of Abu 'Arish, Jabal Akwa, two sites in Wadi Jazan, and Mafraq Mahayil. The pattern of their distribution indicates that the living and social aspects of life were based on marine food sources, particularly fishing and gathering oysters and shells.

- The Mousterian civilization: The findings from the Mousterian civilization are notable for the abundance of sites, with some displaying Acheulean characteristics. The Levallois technique was also commonly used at other sites. The discoveries include various types of stone flakes, in addition to discoid and convex-shaped cores, as well as denticulates and scrapers made from rhyolite, quartzite, and volcanic rocks available in the province.

Among the archaeological sites is the village of al-Sehi, a small village whose inhabitants rely on fishing. Excavations there have uncovered pottery artifacts, such as bowls of various shapes and sizes, shallow three-legged pots, several types of jars, vessels, small cups, and various stone mills. Excavation results and studies have shown that the history of al-Sehi dates back to the second millennium BCE.

Jazan occupies an important part of the Tihama Plains between Hejaz to the north and Yemen to the south. Due to its religious and commercial connections, Jazan served as a transit and crossing area, granting it historical and economic significance. It formed part of the trade and pilgrimage routes between Yemen and Hejaz, passing through Jazan. Among these routes were the Tihama route, known as "the coastal route," and the central route, called "al-Jada al-Sultaniya," which commercial caravans followed along specific paths that intersected at certain points.

In Jazan Province, there are numerous sites and historical landmarks dating back to the Islamic periods, including:

-Al-Sharjah: An Islamic coastal city that served as a port with commercial ties to the ports of Yemen, Hejaz, and Abyssinia. Its ruins are now located on al-Mawsim coast near the Saudi-Yemeni border. The city was known as a stop on the coastal pilgrimage route and as a port serving the region of al-Mikhlaf al-Sulaymani. Evidence suggests that the city thrived until the fifteenth century. Among its remains are a large cemetery, the foundations of architectural units, and scattered stone remnants likely belonging to ruined buildings. Nearby is a rectangular inlet from the sea with tightly arranged stones, believed to have once formed part of the harbor quay or one of its facilities.

- The site west of Abu 'Arish: This site is part of the village of al-Harra, located west of Abu 'Arish Governorate. Foundations of mud-brick buildings were discovered there, along with two types of pottery. The first is pottery coated with red clay, and the second features hand-painted designs, known as "Chinese Celadon," a type of fine, delicate, and well-crafted pottery. Fragments of vessels made from soapstone were also found. The site dates back three hundred years.

- The Main Mosque: Located in Abu 'Arish City, the mosque is rectangular in shape with eighteen domes. The interior is divided into four naves, separated by three rows of columns. Its walls are adorned with recessed gypsum decorations. The mosque was built three hundred years ago.

- The Abu 'Arish Military Castle: One of the fortified castles in the region, it is located within Abu 'Arish City. The castle is square-shaped with sides measuring forty m in length. It consists of circular towers at the corners, and the upper part of the outer wall features openings for surveillance and defense. It was constructed using burnt brick, known as "Ajer." The castle dates back two hundred to three hundred years.

- Sites at the lower part of Wadi Jazan: The delta of Wadi Jazan contains several archaeological sites, including al-Adeinah, al-Manarah, and al-Minjarah. The oldest of these is al-Adeinah, which is now a buried village. Al-Manarah, adjacent to it, consists of sandy hills covered with pottery and decorative fragments, with its history spanning from the first millennium BCE to the Abbasid era. Al-Minjarah site features pottery examples, and silver dirhams were also found there, including two dating back to the Umayyad era. Another site, al-Rayan, located near a village of the same name, revealed pottery fragments in blue and green, glass rims, bases, and painted pottery handles. Its history extends from the late first millennium BCE to the Abbasid era.

- Upper Jazan City: The ruins of Upper Jazan City are located to the northeast of Abu 'Arish City and are known as "al-Darb." The city flourished, and its famous castle, al-Thurayya, was built during the reign of the founder of the Qutbi family in 1438–1439. Inscriptions on tombstones have also been found in the area.

The archaeological sites in Jazan Province vary between ancient cities and towns, forts, houses, mosques, rocks, columns, pottery, inscriptions, writings, and decorations.
The Farasan Islands, which date back approximately nine thousand years and are located forty km from Jazan City at the southeastern tip of the Red Sea, contain several archaeological sites. Among them is Jabal Luqman, composed of large, ruined stones, indicating the presence of an ancient castle, with some old graves nearby. On Qumah Island lies the Jarmal House, and there are several other historical houses, such as al-Rifai House. In addition, Wadi Matar, located south of Farasan Island, features large rocks inscribed with Himyarite writings. The archaeological village of al-Qessar contains more than four hundred houses built from stone and clay.

From the antiquities of al-Qessar Village in Jazan. (Saudipedia)

Jazan Province is renowned for its archaeological forts, including al-Dosariyah Castle, overlooking the Red Sea. It is one of the prominent forts in the province, serving as a tourist museum atop a mountain peak in the center of Jazan City. The fort dates back to the period following the fall of Andalusia. It is located at an elevation of approximately two hundred m and covers an area of about nine hundred m. The castle consists of two floors and four cylindrical towers, with numerous openings in the towers and walls for military purposes. In addition, southern and western ramparts were added as primary defensive lines. Its location suggests that it was used as a monitoring center. Other notable forts in the region include al-Hima Castle and al-Khutm Castle.

Aerial view of al-Dosariyah Castle in Jazan. (SPA)