Qasr Burqu' is a set of

ruins Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...

and an

archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...

in the ''badia'' of eastern

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

and is the site of one of the earliest of the

Umayyad The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by the ...

desert castles The Umayyad desert castles, of which the desert castles of Jordan represent a prominent part, are fortified palaces or castles in what was the then Umayyad province of Bilad al-Sham. Most Umayyad "desert castles" are scattered over the semi-arid ...

Background

Under the

Umayyad Caliphate The Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE; , ; ar, ٱلْخِلَافَة ٱلْأُمَوِيَّة, al-Khilāfah al-ʾUmawīyah) was the second of the four major caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. The caliphate was ruled by th ...

, nobles and wealthy families belonging to the

Umayyad dynasty Umayyad dynasty ( ar, بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ, Banū Umayya, Sons of Umayya) or Umayyads ( ar, الأمويون, al-Umawiyyūn) were the ruling family of the Caliphate between 661 and 750 and later of Al-Andalus between 756 and 1031. In the ...

erected new complexes or adapted preexisting ones for a multitude of purposes, many being suggested: to control the roads, monitor and tax the seasonal movement of people and their

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...

, impress travellers and local tribes, establish nuclei for the development of new cities, develop agriculture in semi-arid areas, and enjoy desert retreats for relaxation and hunting (see

Desert castles The Umayyad desert castles, of which the desert castles of Jordan represent a prominent part, are fortified palaces or castles in what was the then Umayyad province of Bilad al-Sham. Most Umayyad "desert castles" are scattered over the semi-arid ...

History

Ghadir Burqu ( ar, غدير البرقع) has been occupied since prehistoric times, with archaeological surveys documenting sites dating to the

Epipalaeolithic In archaeology, the Epipalaeolithic or Epipaleolithic (sometimes Epi-paleolithic etc.) is a period occurring between the Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic during the Stone Age. Mesolithic also falls between these two periods, and the two are som ...

, Early Neolithic, and Late Neolithic periods.Betts, A.V. G. (ed), ''The Harra and the Hamad: Excavations and Explorations in Eastern Jordan,'' Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield, UK, Chapter 1 The most substantial prehistoric remains are from the Late Neolithic period ( 7th–6th millennium BCE), when the lake was used by nomadic herders to pasture flocks of sheep and goat, probably in the summer months when water was scarce elsewhere. Archaeological excavations reveal that a Roman fort was established on the site and a monastery was built there during the Byzantine period. It became an Umayyad castle complex in around 700 CE when

al-Walid I Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ( ar, الوليد بن عبد الملك بن مروان, al-Walīd ibn ʿAbd al-Malik ibn Marwān; ), commonly known as al-Walid I ( ar, الوليد الأول), was the sixth Umayyad caliph, ruling from O ...

, who was still

emir Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...

, rather than

caliph A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...

, either built it, or repaired existing structures to form a new palace complex. Qasr Burqu' is one of the earliest of the Umayyad

in Jordan.Helms, S., "A New Architectural Survey of Qaṣr Burquʽ, Eastern Jordan", Vol. 71, September 1991 , pp 191-215; Helmes, S., "A New Architectural Survey of Qasr Burqu', Eastern Jordan, ''The Antiquaries Journal,'' Volume 71, xford University Press 1991, pp 191-193

Location and description

Although it is often described as one of the Umayyad desert castles, Svend Helms notes "it is neither a castle, nor is it in the desert" and most of the structures predate the Umayyad Caliphate. It counts as one of the lesser desert castles in Jordan. Qasr Burqu' is located in the far northeast of Jordan and is one of a number of Umayyad desert castles in the semi-arid region. It is situated in the black basalt desert, about 100 km east of ad-Diyatheh, 70 km south-east of an-Namara, and about 2 km from the Wadi Minqat, which holds water from the winter rains. It sits on the edge of an oasis formed on the edge of a basalt region in eastern Jordan. The site was important due to its natural shallow basin, which collected rain waters in ponds.Kennedy & Riley, p. 71 Various water-catchment systems, of uncertain origin and unknown date, have been added to the site over time, in order to sustain larger populations that may have lived in the area at different times. The site's most significant surviving structure is a 5-metre tower, probably of Roman origin, and originally estimated to have been 13 metres in height. The early Islamic palace complex was constructed around the Roman tower. The enclosures are constructed of basalt, and were used to pen animals by nomadic peoples attracted to the location to water their herds. Rock-carved inscriptions show that Bedouin tribes used the site as a seasonal encampment each spring throughout the Medieval period.

Conservation and tourism

The Burqu Nature Reserve, a 900 km²

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

centred on Burqu', was established by the

Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature The Royal Society for The Conservation of Nature (RSCN) is an independent voluntary organization that is devoted to the conservation of Jordan's natural resources; it was established in 1966 with the late King Hussein as Honorary President. R ...

(RSCN) in 2020. The RSCN hopes to encourage

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

in the area, opening an eco hotel near Qasr Burqu' and promoting it together with Azraq Wetland Reserve and

Shaumari Wildlife Reserve The Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is a Jordanian nature reserve near the town of Azraq, approximately east of Amman. It is a regionally important reserve created in 1975 by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature as a breeding center for e ...

as part of the "Eastern Badia Trail". Previously, the site was not well-known and difficult to access, being located nearly 20 km from the nearest paved road.

References

External links