Madinah
This old dam, built of black lava stone, lies in open country to the east of Madinah. It is attributed to the time of Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, around the…
This old dam, built of black lava stone, lies in open country to the east of Madinah. It is attributed to the time of Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, around the middle of the first century AH, when several dams were built around Madinah and Taif to hold back floodwaters and store water for farming. Parts of its wall still stand across the valley. It is a reminder of how the early Muslim state invested in water for the people of the Hijaz, and visitors should take care as the site is remote and unmanaged.