Maʾrib dam
Quick Summary
The Ma'rib Dam, located in present-day Yemen, was a significant ancient structure central to the pre-Islamic Sabaean kingdom (950ā115 BCE). This dam, constructed of stone and masonry, was approximately 1,800 feet (550 meters) long and regulated water from the Wadi Sadd. It irrigated over 4,000 acres, supporting a thriving agricultural region and contributing to the city of Ma'rib's prosperity as a key trading hub for frankincense and myrrh. The dam, mentioned in the Qur'an as the "flood of Arim," was improved over centuries but ultimately destroyed, possibly in the 7th century CE.12
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ArabiaYemenā¦and the ruins of the Maʾrib dam, the greatest monument of that age, still stand there. The seaward descent from the mountains of Al-Kawr at the southern end of Yemen is precipitous.
Read Moreā¦and the ruins of the Maʾrib dam, the greatest monument of that age, still stand there. The seaward descent from the mountains of Al-Kawr at the southern end of Yemen is precipitous.
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history of ArabiaSabaeansā¦area watered by the great Maʾrib Dam, which controlled the flow from the extensive Wadi Dhana basin.
Read Moreā¦area watered by the great Maʾrib Dam, which controlled the flow from the extensive Wadi Dhana basin.
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MaʾribMaʾrib Dam (Arabic: Sadd Maʾrib) was built to regulate the waters of the Wadi (watercourse) Sadd, called Wadi Sabaʾ in antiquity. The ancient dam, about 1,800 feet (550 metres) long and pyramidal in cross section, was of fine stone-and-masonry construction, with sluice gates to controlā¦
Read MoreMaʾrib Dam (Arabic: Sadd Maʾrib) was built to regulate the waters of the Wadi (watercourse) Sadd, called Wadi Sabaʾ in antiquity. The ancient dam, about 1,800 feet (550 metres) long and pyramidal in cross section, was of fine stone-and-masonry construction, with sluice gates to controlā¦
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YemenThe pre-Islamic periodā¦the failure to maintain the Great Dam at Maʾribāthe heart of a monumental irrigation project and one of the engineering marvels of the ancient world. Its rupture sometime in the 6th century ce constitutes the symbolic end to the long era of the Yemeni trading kingdoms.
Read Moreā¦the failure to maintain the Great Dam at Maʾribāthe heart of a monumental irrigation project and one of the engineering marvels of the ancient world. Its rupture sometime in the 6th century ce constitutes the symbolic end to the long era of the Yemeni trading kingdoms.
Read More
