Tayma
Qasr al-Ablaq is a fortress on a mound south-west of Tayma, named for the mix of white and red stone in its walls. It is attributed to Adiya, ancestor of the…
Qasr al-Ablaq is a fortress on a mound south-west of Tayma, named for the mix of white and red stone in its walls. It is attributed to Adiya, ancestor of the pre-Islamic poet al-Samaw'al ibn Adiya, who is remembered in Arab tradition for his loyalty, and it is also called the Palace of al-Samaw'al. Excavations show settlement here from the first millennium BCE, and the geographer Yaqut described the palace in the thirteenth century. The site has been closed for restoration, but the walls can be seen from outside.