Sufaynah Village

Sufaynah Village is one of the historical archaeological villages in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has been known by this name since the pre-Islamic era. It is located as-Suwayriqiyyah in Mahd adh-Dhahab Governorate, at 225 km southeast of al-Madinah al-Munawwarah. Zubaydah Trail passes through it, which is considered one of the most important ancient pilgrimage and trade routes, and its ruins still remain. This road connects the city of Kufa in Iraq to Makkah al-Mukarramah.

Sufaynah Village has been known by this designation since the pre-Islamic era. It is the hometown of the poet al-Khansa, and it is referred to as the Village of al-Khansa in reference to Poet Tamadir Bint Amr Bin al-Harith Bin al-Sharid al-Sulamiyah. Sufaynah was also mentioned in the poetry of al-Khansa, who referenced it several times while lamenting the loss of her brothers Sakhr and Muawiyah. She expressed her sorrow in the following translated words:

News of the passing resonated in Sufaynah one morning,

and an Imam from Bani Amr lamented the loss

The guardian of truth and the defender

in the face of eternal calamities

Sufaynah is an oasis with abundant fresh water. This is because it has many ancient wells, which were used to provide water for pilgrims. It also has watchtowers built over the wells, like the well of Wazarezah.

The village of Sufaynah contains heritage buildings made of mud and tree stumps and consisting of one floor, and there are three buildings consisting of two floors, with a total area of about five thousand m. It also has fifty to sixty houses, distinguished by their construction of mud and flat roofs. It is surrounded by a wall that is still standing, and the houses remain visible.

Sufaynah Palace has stood for many decades, featuring forts and gates on its three sides. It comprises forts and castles encircled by a wall, constituting a cluster of adjacent buildings and rooms. The walls are constructed from mud bricks. A stone foundation of basalt, approximately one m in height, was laid, upon which the wall's construction was completed using mud bricks. The ceilings were constructed with beams crafted from tamarisk trunks, covered with a layer of palm leaves, and coated with clay to prevent rainwater seepage.

Sufaynah Village was famous in the past for its crops and palm trees. Pilgrims coming from Iraq and the Gulf used to cross it on the historical Zubaydah Trail. It is the source of water that feeds the city of Mahd adh-Dhahab and the gold mine, situated fifty km away to the south.