Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Land . People and Civilization

Transcription

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Land . People and Civilization
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Land . People and Civilization
This book illustrates a true picture through balanced authenticated words and innovative photographs for the people, land and culture of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it gives an account
of the aesthetical aspects of nature and geography as well as cultural and civilizational legacy.
The book’s approach was to give accurate and
precise presentation away from generalities and
compositional description. It relies on correct
data supported with figures, statistics and timed
comparisons using a chronological approach to
show the developments of social, cultural and
economic formations in Saudi Arabia.
The book contains nearly 700 colored photographs making it a pleasant epistemic tour. It was
successful to draw a real picture for the rich heritage of traditions and genuine Arab life patterns
that consolidate the spirit of vigor in the Saudi
people to further spur a contemporary life for the
sake of offering positive contribution to the civilizational effort and upgrading his country to an
advanced level of technology, services and comprehensive social awareness.
A host of photographers have taken part in the
profession while the author collected important
photos from the archives of different personal and private libraries. The book also contains
more than 30 tables, ten graphs and six detailed
maps on the Kingdom.
The book was based on specialized scientific settings as it was written in each of its parts by an
specialized writer to guarantee authenticity and
objectiveness. The team work was done by 30
specialist researchers and writers.
Technical Specifications of The Book
Size: 27 x 32 cm Portrait (Catalogue)
Number of Pages: 444
800 Photos and 40 Coloured Charts
6 Detailed Maps of The Kingdom
Paper: 135 grams
Binding: Luxury Jacket Printed with 4 Colours
On 250 Grams Paper.
Team List
Senior Panel
Dr. Fahad al-Orabi al-Harthi, Supervisor & Director
Professor. Roshood bin Mohammed al-Kherayef, Proofreader
Dr. Mohammed bin Bawaj al- Suba’e, Genral Proofreade
Mr. Asaad Mohammed Shahata, Technical Manager
Mr. Ziad Fawzi& Mr. Ibrahim Ayesh, Technical Production
Contributors
Dr. Ibraheem Al - Ehaideb
Dr. Ahmad Al - Farhan
Dr. Hameed bin Khalil Al -Shaijee
Dr. Dalal bint Mukhled al-Harbi
Professor. Roshood bin Mohammed al- Kherayef
Dr. Saad bin Adulrahman al- Bazee
Mr. Sabri Saeed
Dr. Samuel Poles Mekhael
Mr. Adulrahman al-Jeraisi
Dr. Adulrahman al- Tayeb al- Ansari
Mr. Adulrahman bin Zaid al- Suwaida
Dr. Abdulaziz Ismael Daghestani
Mr. Abdulaziz Mahana al-Mahana
Dr. Abdullah al-Khriaji
Mr. Abdullah bin Mohammed al-Shihail
Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser al-Walaie
Dr. Abdumalik al-Khayal
Dr. Abdulhadi Abdullah al-Haj
Dr. Ali Salem Bahammam
Mr. Awadallah Mohammed Awadallah
Mr. Ali bin Saad al-Garni
Dr. Awad Metrek al-Guhani
Dr. Layla bent Saleh al-Bassam
Dr. Mohammed al-Rusayes
Mr. Mohammed al-Rufaee
Mr. Nasser bin Abdullah al-Shedoukhi
Editors
Dr. Ibrahim al-Mahana
Dr. Hamid mohammed Abdullah
Dr. Abdulfatah Kurdi
Professor Abdulrahmanbin Hamood al-Enad
Eng. Abdulaziz al- Anbar
Dr. Qotb Fahmi al- Jawabrah
Photographers
Mr. Hamad al-Abdali
Mr. Khaled Khider al-Tweiqi
Mr. Khaled Ali al-Shiekh
Mr. Roji Makarzal
Mr. Saleh Abdullah al-Azaz
Mr. Saleh Mohammed Saad al-Rumaih
Mr. Mohammed bin Hamad al-Jandal
Mr. Mohammed Hussein Banonah
Mr. Mohammed Abdullah al-Lahaw
Official Entities
•. Riyadh Development Authority
• National Commission for Protection and
Development of Wild Life
•. King Abdulaziz City for science and Technology
•. King Saoud University
•. King Faisal Charitable Foundation
•. Saudi Arabian Airlines
•. Saudi British Bank
Proof Reader
Ms. Leyla Peeran Nabahani
Design and Layout
Mr. Shams al-deen Adam Busharah
Mr. Ibrahim Abdulrahim Ayish
5
Table of contents
PART ONE: THE LAND
CHAPTER ONE
Geography of the Land
Geography of the Land������������������������������������16
Government Structure����������������������������������138
Red Sea������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 16
Camels ............................................................82
Plants .............................................................92
Tihama Plains of the Red Sea����������������������������������������� 16
Environmental Factors Affecting the Growth and ........... 98
Majlis Ash Shura (Consultative Council)������������������� 140
Tihama Mountains���������������������������������������������������������� 17
Distribution of Plants
Provincial Government������������������������������������������������� 141
Western Heights��������������������������������������������������������������� 18
Natural plant regions.....................................................102
Allegiance Commission������������������������������������������������ 142
Western Plateaus�������������������������������������������������������������� 22
Plant environments.......................................................104
Judicial System and Board of Grievances������������������� 142
Sand Seas��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26
Northern Plateaus������������������������������������������������������������ 32
Summan Plateaus������������������������������������������������������������� 32
Eastern Plains������������������������������������������������������������������� 33
Arabian Gulf��������������������������������������������������������������������� 34
Geology of the Land����������������������������������������36
Oil fields���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36
Water resources���������������������������������������������������������������� 38
Mineral resources������������������������������������������������������������ 39
Climate ������������������������������������������������������������42
Elements of climate��������������������������������������������������������� 46
PART TWO: THE PEOPLE
CHAPTER THREE
The People
Public education������������������������������������������������������������ 146
Illiteracy eradication and adult education������������������ 148
Population growth �������������������������������������������������������� 113
University education����������������������������������������������������� 148
Geographical distribution of population ������������������� 114
Technical education and vocational training������������� 154
Population density and types �������������������������������������� 116
Other kinds of education ��������������������������������������������� 154
Change in Living Patterns�������������������������������������������� 116
Sex and Age Composition of the Population ������������ 118
History�����������������������������������������������������������122
Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������ 122
Marine Mammals������������������������������������������������������������ 62
The First Saudi State ����������������������������������������������������� 122
Sea cows���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 62
The Second Saudi State ������������������������������������������������ 124
Whales and dolphins������������������������������������������������������� 62
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia �������������������������������������������� 125
Reptiles and amphibians������������������������������������������������� 78
Education�������������������������������������������������������146
Introduction ������������������������������������������������������������������ 112
Birds, Mammals, and Fish�������������������������������55
Birds in Saudi Arabia������������������������������������������������������ 68
CHAPTER SIX
Education and Culture
Special education����������������������������������������������������������� 148
CHAPTER FOUR
History
Fish������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 67
Council of Ministers������������������������������������������������������ 139
Population������������������������������������������������������������112
CHAPTER TWO
Wildlife
Mammals�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 61
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CHAPTER FIVE
Government Structure
Culture�����������������������������������������������������������156
Cultural organizations��������������������������������������������������� 157
The Establishment of Islamic Centers and Institutes:�����168
King Abdulaziz Darah�������������������������������������������������� 171
Scientific & research centers ������������������������172
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology����� 172
Archaeology ��������������������������������������������������174
Fine Arts �������������������������������������������������������190
Popular Costumes�����������������������������������������196
Men’s clothing���������������������������������������������������������������� 196
Women’s clothing����������������������������������������������������������� 202
Information ��������������������������������������������������210
Social development�������������������������������������������������������� 236
Historical background�������������������������������������������������� 210
King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Parental Foundation for
Radio������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 210
Developmental Housing ���������������������������������������������� 236
Television������������������������������������������������������������������������ 210
Poverty alleviation fund������������������������������������������������ 337
Saudi Press Agency�������������������������������������������������������� 211
Press ��������������������������������������������������������������212
Printing and publishing������������������������������������������������ 212
Press establishments������������������������������������������������������ 212
Tourism ���������������������������������������������������������214
Nature������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 214
Historical sites���������������������������������������������������������������� 216
Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities���������� 221
Transport�������������������������������������������������������222
CHAPTER SEVEN
Society
Marriage Customs�����������������������������������������238
Central region���������������������������������������������������������������� 239
Marriage Rituals in the Southern and Western Regions �� 240
Marriage Rituals in the Eastern Region���������������������� 242
Marriage rituals in the Northern Region�������������������� 242
Sports�������������������������������������������������������������244
Sports clubs and federations���������������������������������������� 244
International Sports Participation������������������������������� 244
Sports facilities��������������������������������������������������������������� 246
Hunting��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 250
Equestrian����������������������������������������������������������������������� 256
Women in Saudi Arabia �������������������������������226
Women in modern era ������������������������������������������������� 226
Female education ���������������������������������������������������������� 227
Women and development �������������������������������������������� 228
Women’s charitable societies ��������������������������������������� 228
Health and Society ����������������������������������������230
Specialized Medical Services���������������������������������������� 231
Social Affairs�������������������������������������������������234
Social security ��������������������������������������������������������������� 234
Orphan care ������������������������������������������������������������������� 234
Social care for the elderly ��������������������������������������������� 234
Care for those with special needs ������������������������������� 235
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CIVILIZATION
CHAPTER EIGHT
Holy Islamic Sites
CHAPTER TEN
Economy and development
Makkah, Umm al-Qura (Mother of Villages)������������264
Ancient trade�������������������������������������������������316
Construction of the Holy Ka’ba����������������������������������� 264
Inland trade�������������������������������������������������������������������� 316
Magam Ibrahim (Seat of Abraham)���������������������������� 266
Zamzam well������������������������������������������������������������������ 266
The Black Stone�������������������������������������������������������������� 270
Ancient Islamic Monuments in Makkah�������������������� 270
Kiswah The Ka’aba Covering���������������������������������������� 274
Expansion of Markka-based Holy Mosque���������������� 277
First Saudi expansion of the Holy Mosque���������������� 278
Expansion by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques������278
Land routes��������������������������������������������������������������������� 318
Land merchandise��������������������������������������������������������� 320
Private Sector�������������������������������������������������366
Sea trade�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 320
Arabian seaports������������������������������������������������������������ 321
Merchandise transported by sea���������������������������������� 322
Traditional handicrafts���������������������������������324
Types of handicrafts������������������������������������������������������ 324
Capital of the first Islamic state������������������������������������ 280
Foreign trade������������������������������������������������������������������ 332
Architecture���������������������������������������������������290
Traditional Architecture of the Najd Region������������� 290
Seaports��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 334
Chambers of commerce & industry���������������������������� 334
Exports���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 334
Imports���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 336
Modern industries�����������������������������������������338
Industry cities����������������������������������������������������������������� 340
Transformational industries����������������������������������������� 341
Traditional Architecture of the Western Region������� 292
Saudi Arabian Basic Industrial Corporation.............342
Traditional Architecture of the Southern Region������ 295
Traditional Architecture of the Eastern Region�������� 299
Petroleum������������������������������������������������������346
Modern architecture������������������������������������������������������ 300
Urban centers and cities��������������������������������306
Petroleum industries����������������������������������������������������� 344
Oil excavation����������������������������������������������������������������� 346
Natural gas���������������������������������������������������������������������� 350
Refining, distribution and transportation������������������ 351
Development of urban centers������������������������������������� 306
Downstream joint ventures������������������������������������������ 351
Population and urbanization distribution������������������ 309
Oil policy������������������������������������������������������������������������ 353
Future vision������������������������������������������������������������������� 354
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Banking & Banking services���������������������������������������� 361
Specialized lending institutions����������������������������������� 363
Modern trade�������������������������������������������������332
CHAPTER NINE
The History of Architecture and
Urban Development
Money����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 358
Land trading centers����������������������������������������������������� 319
Madinah al-Munawarah��������������������������������280
The Prophet’s mosque��������������������������������������������������� 280
Banking Sector����������������������������������������������358
Private sector development factors.............................366
Structural characteristics of the private sector���������� 369
Private sector and future plans������������������������������������ 370
Privatization program��������������������������������������������������� 371
Saudi Arabia’s role in the Globalization Era��������������������371
Agriculture����������������������������������������������������374
Water resources and agricultural requirements��������� 374
The Arabian palm tree�����������������������������������382
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Transportation & Communications
Transportation����������������������������������������������388
Roads������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 388
Transport companies����������������������������������������������������� 392
Saudi railways organization������������������������������������������ 392
Maritime transport�������������������������������������������������������� 395
Airlines���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 398
National Air Services (NAS)���������������������������������������� 399
Sama Air Services (SAMA)������������������������������������������ 399
Communications�������������������������������������������400
Telex��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 400
Telegraph and post�������������������������������������������������������� 400
Terrestrial and mobile telephones������������������������������� 401
Privatization of communications sector��������������������� 401
International and long-distance communications��������� 401
Towards Information Society��������������������������������������� 401
CHAPTER TWELVE
Glossary
Information�������������������������������������������������������������������� 404
Index�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 410
Arabic references����������������������������������������������������������� 412
Foreign References�������������������������������������������������������� 417
9
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks to achieve social, cultural and economic development. Since the
unification of the Kingdom through its founder, King Abdulaziz, the country has strived to achieve this
by utilizing its material and human resources. The Kingdom has also sought to focus on educational
development. This is driven by the Kingdom's religious significance arising from the presence of
Makkah, the heart of Islam and the Qiblah, is the direction of the Ka'aba, is significant to more than
one billion Muslims around the globe. Madinah also plays a role as it is the home of the prophet
Mohammad's Mosque. Saudi Arabia also witnessed the rise of the first Islamic State that spread the
message of Islam and established social values.Therefore, Saudi Arabia is the cradle of civilizations that
contributed to the rise of many other civilizations. It is not only distinguished for its strategic location
among the continents of the Old World but also for its economic, technical and cultural links with the
civilization of the New World. Its topography and climate vary from one region to another and its vast
petroleum and mineral resources form the basis of its modern economy. Its political and economic
weight is evident in international forums. The Saudi people have achieved spectacular developments
within the context of a civilization guided by noble ideas and human values.
Thus, the need arose for a comprehensive book that speaks with objectivity and impartiality about
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Consequently, the editorial strategy of the book focused on linking the
past with present achievements in social, cultural and economic domains. This philosophy placed
emphasis on data and figures in a concise manner.
Dr. Fahad Al-Orabi Al-Harthi
11
Samples From The Book
GEOGRAPHY OF THE LAND
The Arabian Peninsula can be categorized into
several major geographical regions, from the Red
Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east.
Red Sea
The Red Sea separates the Arabian Peninsula from
northeast Africa, linked with the Indian Ocean in
the south via the Bab al-Mandab strait, while in the
north it gives access to the Mediterranean Sea through
the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is an important route
for international trade as it reduces the distance
between Europe and the Indian Ocean. The area of
the Red Sea is about 450,000 km2 with an average
depth of 491 m, while its deepest point is 2,850 m.
The Red Sea is a narrow oceanic rift extending for
2,000 km. It starts at Bab al-Mandab, which links
it to the Indian Ocean. The Red Sea lies between
the latitudes of 13 and 28 degrees north. The Gulf
of Aqabah and the Suez Gulf are extensions of the
Red Sea in the north, where its width is about 180
km, getting wider as it heads south, reaching 300
km at Jizan until it narrows to a mere 30 km at Bab
al-Mandab strait.
Various types of coral reefs are found in five main
areas on the eastern coast of the Red Sea, while other
areas have more or fewer coral reefs according to
the natural environmental conditions. There are
more than 250 types of coral reefs in the Red Sea
and around 1,160 islands.
The distribution of islands along the eastern coast
of the Red Sea varies according to formation factors.
Most islands along the eastern coast of the sea
consist of either above-the-surface or submerged
coral reefs. Volcanic islands are rare, though most
of the coral islands developed over volcanic rocks.
Thus, two types of these islands can be identified
and examined with respect to the surface forms, sea
level and formation. These are the muddy submerged
reef islands, constituting the majority of the islands
and the above surface reef islands such as Farasan,
Sinafir and Tiran islands.
Tihama Plains of the Red Sea
The word Tihama is used locally to refer to the
coastal plains between the Red Sea and neighboring
hills, which form a narrow barrier between the Red
Sea shelf and the Sarawat mountains to the east.
They are very narrow in the north, disappearing
entirely above the latitude of 27 degrees north, with
the widest point between 45 to 50 kilometers in the
south, near Jizan. The Tihama Plains are referred to
by their local names Tihama Assir and Tihama alSham, which are separated by the lava field, Harrat
Satellite view of the Arabian Peninsula
16
2850 m, deepest recorded bottom of the Red
Sea as coral reef is found in five sites
Red Sea coast
Two kinds of fragile reef usually found in semi-deep waters
al-Birk. The other lava fields or huras in the Tihama
Plains are Harrat Idam, Harrat Shama and Harrat
al-Birk. Figure (1-1).
Along the coast of the Red Sea, the hot climatic
conditions help form salt flats, marshes, as well as
other topographic formations like coastal lagoons
and soluble calcareous rocks. Floodwaters flow into
areas of coastal sands, as well. All along the coast
there are small openings called Shurum, small bays or
inlets, sometimes called akhwar or maras, meaning
anchorage. Some of these openings are linked to
the valleys that extend from the coastal mountains.
A limpet, a small sea animal that attaches itself to rocks
The peaks of the Sarawat Heights are the watershed
for the valley waters running to the east and west
of the valleys extending toward the Tihama Plains.
The valleys to the west are steep, narrow, short and
receive a lot of rain. Among the most important of
these valleys are the Jizan, Baish, Utud, Hali, Qanuna,
Ahsiba, Laith and the Yalamlam Valleys Map: (1–1).
Tihama Mountains
The Tihama mountains are located in the Tihama
plains stretching to the east of them giving way to
the name Tihama Mountains. Although they are
Rose-colored reef found in shallow and
semi-deep equatorial waters
17
Stone reef on the coast
actually foothills at the base of the Sarawat Heights
2,000 m above sea level, they were formed as a result
of the geological changes that led to the separation
of the Arabian Peninsula from Africa. Among these
mountains are Faifa at 1,814m, Qahar at 1,947m,
Tharyan at 1,746m, Higher Shada at 2,202m, Lower
Shada at 1,513m, and Natif Mountain at 2.158m.
Terns fly the Red Sea coast
18
Farasan Island
Western Heights
The Sarawat Mountains
The Western Heights region is known as Hejaz
because it is located between Tihama and Najd.
Yaqut al-Hamawi mentioned in his book titled
Mujam al-Buldan, that the Hejaz were mountains
separating Najd from Tihama and that their highest
point was known as what translates to the back of a
horse or mule, called Sarat. The Western Heights are
considered one of the most important topographic
features of the Arabian Peninsula, extending from
Jordan to Yemen in the south. The Western Heights
consist of three parts: the Sarawat Mountains in the
south, the Hejaz Mountains in the center, and Madyan
Land Mountains in the north. They are terraced
mountains, steeply inclined towards the Red Sea
and gently sloping towards the interior regions. The
highest mountain in this area is Sawda Mountain at
3,015 m above sea level, near the city of Abha. Here
is a brief description of these mountains ranges:
The Sarawat Mountains extend from Saudi Arabia’s
borders with the Republic of Yemen in the south, to
the city of Taif in the north with heights extending
from 800 to 3000m above sea level, and sloping
toward the Tihama valleys in the west, though there
are also many valleys running across these mountains
toward the east. Among these are Najran and Hubuna
Valleys, as well as tributaries of the Dawasir Valley,
Tathlith, Bisha, Ranya, and Turaba valleys.
The Sarawat Mountains are divided into five main
sections, usually named after the tribes that inhabited
them. The sections from north to south are:
- Sarat Thaqif, which overlooks Arafat and
extends southward.
- Sarat Bani Malik Bajliya.
- Sarat Ghamid and Zahran, which is linked to
the previous Sarat Bani Malik Bajliya
Coral reef created by natural circumstances
19
The word Tihama is used locally to refer to the coastal plains between the Red Sea and the Sarawat Mountains
- Sarat al-Hajar, which is linked to Sarat Assir
from the southeast.
- Sarat Assir, which is located around the city of
Abha and Sarat Abeedah to the east.
The Hejaz Mountains
The Hejaz Mountains extend from just north of
Makkah to latitude 28 degrees north with an average
height of 1,200 m above sea level, beyond which
An Illustration of Assir Heights and Tihama Plateau
Soada mount
Abha
Khamis Mushayt
the Madyan Mountains are located. They include
a series of mountains such as Subh, Radwi, Ral,
Dubbagh and Shar mountains. Valleys running
through these mountains are Fatima, Qadid, Qaha,
Safra, Himdh, and Jizl. The great Rumma valley
tributaries run eastward through its eastern lava
field. Also found in this mountainous area are
many lava fields or Harrat such as Harrat Raha
or Rahat, Harrat Uwaiyridh, Harrat Khaibar and
Hutaim, Harrat Lunayyir, Harrat Kurama, Harrat
Ruhat, Harrat Kushub, Harrat Hadhan, and Harrat
al-Nawasif and Harrat Buqum.
The Madyan Mountains
The Madyan mountain chain is located in Madyan
land at latitude 28 north. They include groups of very
high mountains with heights ranging from 2,000 to
2,500 m above sea level such as Fayhan at 2,549m,
Qulum at 2,398 m and Lawz at 2,401m. There are
also many large and small valleys and streams, the
best known of which is Ifal Valley.
Figure: (1-1)
20
Western heights, exhibiting a stair-shaped
pattern and descending towards the Red Sea
21
The black basalt Harat al-Hara rocks are located in the north
Western Plateaus
The Assir and Najran Plateaus
To the east of the Western Heights, there are very
large areas of plateaus extending from the north to
the south. These upland ranges can be categorized
into five distinct plateaus: Assir and Najran, Najd
crystallized plateau, the Hejaz, and Hismi.
The Assir and Najran Plateaus are found in the
eastern part of Assir Heights, and are considered
transitional areas between the high mountains of the
west and Najd Plateau’s gradual slopes in the north
and east. The height of Assir Plateau ranges between
1,200 and 1,600m above sea level, with floods from
Assir plateau flowing into Tathlith and Bisha valleys,
while the storm water of Najran Plateau run off into
Hubuna and Najran valleys.
Najd Higher Plateau
The Najd Plateau is known to Arabs as the Najd
Heights, a vast area about 600Km wide. The surface
of this plateau gradually slopes towards the south and
east from approximately 1000 m to approximately
800m.
The northern part of Ruma valley drains the water
in the northern parts of the plateau, while the valleys
of Bisha, Tathlith, and Ranya combine to form the
Dawasir valley and drain the southern part.
Ruma valley is one of the great valleys of the
Arabian Peninsula, draining the waters of most
of the Najd Plateau, as well as the waters of many
other valleys, large and small. In the past, it was a
river running toward the Arabian Gulf across the
Hejaz mountains
22
Sarawat heights are divided into five categories named after local tribes
23
A portion of the sedimentary area of the Arabian Peninsula is covered by windy sand dunes
Hejaz Plateau
Batin valley terminating at Sinam mountain near
the Shatt al-Arab, but after periods of drought, the
riverbed was filled with sand and finally separated
from Batin valley.
There are prominent groups of mountains in this
vast area of the Najd plateau extending from the
Shamar Mountains, Aja and Salma, in the north to
the southern part of Dawasir valley. Among these
mountains are the Majami al-Hadhb, Nair, Abanat,
Aban al-Asmar and Aban al-Ahmar, the Shaba, Aja
and Salma mountains in the extreme north where
Harrat al-Hutaimah is located to the east of them.
These chains run close but quite separate to one
another. The Najd Crystallized Plateau also includes
a number of small and large sandy accumulations
such as Uruq Subai, Nufud al-Surra, and Nufud
al-Uraiq Uraiq al-Disam.​
24
The Hejaz Plateau is located to the southeast of Hismi
Plateau and extends from the Tubaiq Mountains in the
north to Harrat Khaibar in the south, and to Nufud Al
Kabir in the east. Its height ranges between 900 and
1,400m as the Hejaz Plateau slopes towards the east and
north. Running in the same direction are the valleys
of Qu, Matran and Silsila, which extend to the far west
of the plateau.
Hismi Plateau
The Hismi Plateau is located in the northwest of
Saudi Arabia, east of the Madyan mountains and
north of Harrat al-Raha, and is bordered by Ras
En Naqb in Jordan, the northern parts of Hura alRaha, and the Tabuk Lowland. Hismi Plateau is 800
to1000 m above sea level, with the surface divided
by valley throttles and constrictions, forming a
complex network of small plateaus, or Mesat, and
tent-like hills.
Pyramid like Sand Dunes are the cause of the changing directions of winds
25
Najd Sedimentary Plateau
This is located directly to the east of the Najd
Crystallized Plateau and is sometimes called Lower
Najd. Characterized by steep edges, it is sometimes
known as the Region of Haffat, edges facing the west.
Tuwaiq Mountain, or Jabal Tuwaiq, is considered the
most outstanding topographic feature in the Najd
area, extending 800 kilometers from Qassim to the
vicinity of Wadi Dawasir to the south. The height
of which is between 600 to 1,200 m above sea level.
Sand Seas (Accumulations)
Sand accumulations driven by winds are very
common in the Arabian Peninsula, and exist in four
Western edges (Tuwaiq mountain)
26
main areas, the Empty Quarter, Nufud al-Kabir,
Dahna, and Jafura. The so called sand seas cover
about half of the sedimentary part of the Arabian
Peninsula, though there are also smaller sandy areas
along the Arabian Shield itself. They are connected
with the main valleys on the vast alluvial plains.
There are also small sandy hills in Tihama, which
are blown towards the shelf ’s foothills. Sand areas
in the Arabian Peninsula cover almost 36.9% or
around 746,567 kilometers.
Nufud al-Kabir
The desert of Nufud al-Kabir lies in the northern
part of the country between the region of Hail in the
south and the area of Jouf, between latitude 29.05
north and 40.29 degrees north. The total area of
Nufud al-Kabir is 63,630 km2. It measures 342 km
from east to west and 572 km from north to south,
getting narrower as it moves eastward no more than
128 km at its eastern end. Thus, it is like a triangle
with the base in the west and the apex in the east.
Dahna
The bow- shaped Dahna is a sand desert shaped
like a bow, which extends for 1,200 km between the
region of Jalat in the east and the Plateau of Summan
Sand dunes in the Nufud desert rise to 90 m. Carbon oxide gives the sands its red color
At 3,015 meters above sea level, Al-Soada mountain lies at the peak of the Assir region
27
28
Red Sand Dunes in Nufud desert
29
View of Sand Dunes in the Nufud desert
in the west. It also connects the desert of Nufud alKabir in the north with the Empty Quarter in the
south. Its width varies from one area to another,
though its average towards the north of the Batin
valley is only 20m. It is also connected with Nufud
al-Mad-hur and Nufud al-Thuwayrat through Uruq
al-Sayyariyat. The reason for the sand accumulations
in this area is that it is located to the east of the old
Ruma valley (the Ajradi Valley), which is lower
than the areas surrounding it and has fewer sand
sources, which are carried by its higher courses to
the valley. The width of Dahna is about 60 km, and
its total area is 40,789 km2.
Jafura
Jafura is located to the east of the Summan Plateau
along the coast of the Arabian Gulf. It extends
southward near Jubail until eventually merging with
the Empty Quarter sands. Shifting sands cause many
problems for the cultivated lands in Ahsam, south
The Empty Quarter (Rub’ al-Khali) represents
approximately 24% of Saudi Arabia
30
of Jubail. They form a narrow belt in the north and
tend to widen as they extend southward until they
merge with the sands of the Empty Quarter.
Empty Quarter; Rub’ al-khali
The Empty Quarter is the biggest sand desert in
the world, with an area of more than 600,000 km2.
Its length is 1,200 km, between the longitudes of
30.44 and 74.00 degrees east, and it is about 640
km wide between the latitudes of 15.00 to 23.00
degrees north. It extends from the United Arab
Emirates in the east to the Yemen Mountains in
the west, and from the Hadramawt Plateau in the
south to Jafura and Dahna in the north covering
around 86,245 km, about 24% of Saudi Arabia. The
northeastern part of the Empty Quarter was known
as Yebrin, called so after Yebrin or (Jabrin) oasis, 90
km south of Harad. The area located to the north of
the Hadramawt Plateau and south of Dawasir Valley,
is known as Ahqaf. The western part of the Empty
The altitude of Hammad plateau ranges from 650 to 900 meters
31
The altitude of Ahsa oasis ranges from 130-160 meters
Quarter adjacent to Yemen is known as Wabar. The
contemporary divisions of the Empty Quarter are the
crossing Uruge dunes or Urage, in the eastern part,
Dakaka, Uruq (Dunes) Mawarid and Qa’amiyat in
the southern part. Shaqat al-Kharita, Ramlat Ya’am
and Ramlat Dahm in the southwestern part; Uruq,
Bani Mu’arid and Bani Homran, Uruq al-Romliyah
in the western area; and Tura’iz, Hibaka, Kursu, and
Sanam in the middle and the northern regions.
part of the Arabian Peninsula. They are divided
into two parts:
Northern Plateaus
Hajara Plateau
The northern plateaus of the country form part of
Sham big plateau, which is located in the northern
The Hajara Plateau is to the east of the Hammad
Plateau, between the longitudes of 40.30 and 45
32
The Hammad Plateau
The Hammad Plateau is a level plateau located to
the north and east of Harrat al-Hurra, at heights
ranging from 650m to 900m. There are many plains
and marshes in this plateau.
degrees east, where the Dibdiba Gravel Plain
starts. It extends for about 600 km within Summan
Plateau. Sloping towards the northeast, it contains
many valleys and water courses that cross it from
southeast to northeast.
Summan Plateau
Extending from the coastal plain along the Arabian
Gulf in the east to the Dahna sands to the west, the
rocky Summan Plateau is rectangular shape with a
width ranging between 80 and 250 km. It extends
996 km from north to south known by a number
of local names for its different parts.
A view of the Arabian Gulf, once an important source of pearls
The Summan Plateau begins at the western end
of the Dibdiba Gravel Plain. Its southern end is in
the Empty Quarter at the latitude of 21.00 degrees
north. Ghawar, the biggest oil field in the world, is
below this plateau to the west of Hafuf.
Eastern Plains
The Ahsa Plains
Stretching from north to south, the Eastern Plains
are located to the east of the Summan Plateau, and
fall into two major divisions: the Ahsa Plains and
the Coastal Plains, made up of sea terraces, high
shores and salty lands.
The Ahsa Oasis is about 70 km from the Arabian Gulf
coast near Oqair seaport, between the coastal plain
and the edge of Shadqam, at an elevation ranging
from 130 to 160 m above sea level. It slopes gently
towards the Arabian Gulf and is partly covered by
Jafura sands.
33
Hagl city on the northern coast of the Red Sea where the Western Heights begins
The Coastal Plain of the Arabian Gulf
Arabian Gulf
The coastal plain of the Arabian Gulf extends from
northwest to southeast, along the Summan Plateau in
the west. The width is between 50 and 100 km, with
many areas covered with sand and salt surfaces. It
extends along the entire of the Arabian Gulf Coast,
and stretches inland, running between Um-Qusbah
to the north of Khafji and Duha Duwaihin to the
south of the gorge or khor, of Udaid. Here lies the
source of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s oil wealth,
the Ghawwar, Buqaiq and Qatif oilfields.
The Arabian Gulf is a shallow, inland sea surrounded
by a dry environment. It extends from the northwest
to the southeast between latitudes 24.00 and 30.30
degrees north, and longitudes 56.00 and 48.00 degrees
east. It is about 1,000 km long, with a width ranging
between 200 and 300 km . The average depth of the
Arabian Gulf is 35m, though in some areas in the
north it is as deep as 100m or more.
34
About 18% of the Arabian Gulf is classified as
shallow, which is less than 5m deep, with about 74%
of these shallows regarded as hinterland, while the
rest consist of shores and coral reefs. The areas that
are five to ten meters deep make up around 8.5%
of the Gulf, while the rest is more than ten meters
deep. The total area of the Gulf is 226,000 km2.
Among the most important Arabian Gulf islands
are Karan, Jana, Juraid, Kurain Arabiyya, Hurqus.
The Arabian Gulf on the east coast of Saudi Arabia
35
GEOLOGY OF THE LAND
In ancient times, the western third of the Arabian
Peninsula, the Arabian Shield, or Dir’ al-Arabi,
was part of Africa, and is made up of igneous rocks
such as granite as well as metamorphic rocks such
as gneiss and schist. Teesh Sea was a demarcation
line between Africa on one side, and the north and
east regions of Europe and Asia on the other.
The rest of the Arabian Peninsula has developed
around the Arabian Shield as a result of constant
sedimentation, leading to the creation of sedimentary
rocks around the Arabian Shield for more than
500 million years from the Cambrian Period to
the present. Since early times, the Arabian Shield
has undergone the effect of different up and down
movements as well as cleavages, volcanic activities,
denudation, and movements of sediments from the
continent to the precipitation basin surrounding the
Arabian Shield. This created a cover of sediments
composed of calcareous, crumbling clay, and sand
besides the organic and chemical sediments.
The deposit of sedimentary rock look like a curved
belt around the Arabian Shield, tilting eastward
and northward, and now covering two thirds of the
Arabian Peninsula. Remains of sedimentary rocks
scatter over the Arabian shield. Finally, the Arabian
Peninsula was split from the African continent
caused by the implosion of the Red Sea 30 million
years ago, Map (1-1.)
The most important mineral resources in Saudi
Arabia are oil reserves and underground water,
which are found in layers of sedimentary cover at
various depths in the Eastern Region, the Empty
Quarter, and the Central Region.
Metallic and non-metallic mineral resources rank
second in importance and have been discovered in
the Arabian Shield and the sedimentary region of
the Arabian Peninsula.
OIL FIELDS
Oil fields in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lie under
the continental sedimentary shelf, particularly in the
eastern region, the empty quarter, central region,
and the territorial water in the Arabian Gulf. More
than 102 fields were discovered until 2007, of which
12 are gas fields, and a field for condensers. The
remainder are oil fields. An oil field is composed
of a number of strata or oil reservoirs. The main
oil fields lie in Ghawwar, Abqaiq, Dammam, Qatif,
Khursaniyah, Abu Hadriya, Harmaliyah, Fadhili,
Berri, Safaniya, Manifa, Abu Safah, Zuluf, Marjan,
Kurayn, Jana, Mazalij, Karan, Juraybiat, Shaybah
and many more areas.
Peaks of Raml al-Saq rocks, southwest of Tabuk
36
Map: (1-1)
37
A rocky formation in Jodah region
A rocky formation in northern parts of Saudi Arabia
Water Resources
New fields have been discovered in the Central
Region, southeast of Riyadh, and in the Hawta
area, south of Kharj. These discoveries have been
particularly important because their oil contains a
very low proportion of sulfur.
New hydrocarbon reserves have also been discovered
in the coastal plain of the Red Sea in Wajh, Madyan,
Jizan, and the northern region of Saudi Arabia,
particularly in Kahif Region, near Jouf.
38
Water is the most important natural resource in
Saudi Arabia and is derived from various sources:
subterranean water, desalinated seawater and deep
underground water pumped out of 16 main and
secondary sedimentary layers. The deep underground
water has been steadily decreasing because of its
use for domestic and agricultural purposes and
because of the limited amount of rainfall necessary
to feed these layers. Underground water provides
about 82% of Saudi Arabia’s water requirements.
Subterranean-or surface ground water, found in
the beds of valleys and among broken rocks, has
depleted but is constantly replenished by annual
rainfall. Several dams were built to collect and keep
rain water reserves.
Some parts of Saudi Arabia suffer either from scarcity
of drinking water or poor water quality. To cope
with this, the government has constructed water
desalination plants to supply the growing population
and to use in the construction and development of
cities. These stations provide coastal and inland cities
30 desalination stations at the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts
Dams and water reservoirs established to cope with construction and urban development
such as Riyadh, Makkah, and Madinah with fresh
drinking water, which supplements the underground
water already available in these cities.
Saudi Arabia has become a pioneer in the field of
water desalination. There are now 30 desalination
plants, in 15 sites;12 on the Red Sea coast, and
three on the coast of the Arabian Gulf. Desalinated
water production rose in 2007, to 1,092,943 cubic
meters per day, about 70% of the domestic water
supply. Treated sewage water is used for agricultural
irrigation around citys perimeters.
Mineral Resources
The discovery of mineral resources in the Arabian
Peninsula dates back to early times, though mining
activity increased during the Umayyid area and
the early days of the Abbasid era from 133H-648H
(750 to 1258). There were gold, silver, and copper
mines in places such as Mahed al-Dhahab, Umm
al-Damar, Nuqra, Safra, Samra, Musina and others.
gold and 31 tons of silver were extracted. From that
time on, Saudi Arabia has gone further explored
and exploited its mineral resources to enhance the
economy. There are countless metal ores in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consisting of gold, silver,
copper, zinc, lead, tin, aluminum, iron, manganese,
nickel and chrome as well as other metals.
In the 20th century, King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman
Al Saud reopened and exploited the Mahed alDhahab mine. Between 1938 and 1954, 23 tons of
There are now some 935 well-known sites, 782 of
them are gold. Flint rocks carrying gold ore have
been discovered in an area stretching from Najran
39
A granite boulder located in Dera al-Arabi area
and Dhulm and Hail, with places such as Mahed
al-Dhahab, Sukhibarat, Amar, Hajjar and Hamdha
emerging as the most important regions for gold
mining in the Kingdom. Today, gold is being extracted
in two main areas, Mahed al-Dhahab and Sukhibarat.
Iron has been discovered in places such as the Sawawin
valley in the north-west of the Saudi Arabia, Fatima
valley near Makkah, the Adsas Mountain west of
Riyadh, and other small places with little economic
value spread all over the Arabian Shield.
In the area of the Arabian Shield, there are more
than 500 sites for silver ore, usually found with lead,
zinc, copper and iron ores. The Dawadmi area is
the most important source of silver with more than
100 sites, such as the mines of Samra, Sumira, and
Mutira. The most important sites for copper are
Sayid Mountain, Katam, Shazam Mountain, and
Umm al-Damar.
Zinc is an important metal found at about 400
sites, such as Khanaqiya, Masani’a, Shu’aib, Nuqra,
Rudina, and Amar.
40
Small precipitates of chromate have been discovered
in 16 areas of the Arabian Shield, such as the Wasik
Mountain in Iss Valley.
Nickel is found in small quantities in a number of
places, such as Kamal Valley and Qatan Valley in
the south of the country.
Non-metallic ores that have been discovered now play
a major role in the industrial and urban development
of the country such as materials for the ceramic
industrys like feldspar, bauxite, argillite, and building
& construction materials, as well as cumulative
materials necessary for the cement, gypsum and glass
industries, building and decorating stoneincluding
granite, marble, limestone, sandstone, green-stone,
slate sandstone and industrial metals such as asbestos,
sand glass, mica, talc, barite, salt, and phosphate.
Map: (1-2)
41
The Wahba crater, located northern of Taif
Approximate Reserves and Concentration Rate of Some Important Metals in Some Important Sites
Mineral
CLIMATE
Saudi Arabia is generally characterized by a desert
and semi-desert climate. It varies from one region
to another due to the vast size of the country, and
to differences in topography and in geographical
environment.
Thus, the climate in Saudi Arabia can be classified
into three major categories: the climate of the coasts,
the internal plateaus and the heights. These three
types are also subject to variations within each,
depending on the position in relation to the equator,
type of topography and the nature of its composition.
Site
)Reserves (in tons
Concentration rate
Sukhairat
7800
gm/ton 2.54
Mahed al-Dahab
1200
gm/ton 26
Himdha
9115
gm/ton 2.89
Himdha
59.700
gm/ton 18.8
Silver
Samra
300
gm/ton 450
Brass
Sayed mountain
2000
2%
Zinc
Ghinaighriya
2175
13.4%
Sawaween
48000
42.5%
Dassas mountain
1600
66%
Phosphate
Jalameed
213000
21%
Bauxite
Zubairah
102000
58.4%
Magnezite
Dharghat
4500
98.80%
Gold
Ore
Table: (1-1) shows the most important mining sites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
42
Popular Costumes
Saudi Arabia has a rich history abundant with
ways of expressing a particular taste in practicing
a lifestyle that suits the environment and reflects
customs and traditions.
Costumes may be the most important of these. From
early times, the traditional costume had distinctive
rich colors, simple lines, decency and an artistic
beauty that demonstrated a high degree of skill and
precision, in spite of the use of primitive tools and
a scarcity of resources.
Men’s Clothes: Headdresses
The Taqiya (Skullcap)
The taqiya is a name given to anything put directly
on the head, so the skullcap has other names such
as kufiya and hadriya. The taqiya is usually made
either of plain white or colored fabric, or of crocheted
cotton thread. It is lined with a light layer of cotton
and embroidered with white thread for adults and
gold or silver for youths and children.
The Ghotra
The ghotra is a square piece of fabric, folded in the
form of a right angle triangle, which is put on the
head with the center of the fold over the middle of
the forehead. It drapes over the head and shoulders
with equal lengths on the right and left sides. The
fold over the middle of the forehead is distinctive and
is known as the ‘morzam’. The types of ghotra are:
The White Ghotra
Made of cotton fabrics, mainly lawn.
The Red Ghotra (Shimagh)
One of the winter head coverings made of white
cotton woven with red.
The Shal
Made of white or brown wool and decorated with
various colors. It is worn in the winter.
Red Qotra or Shomagh usually worn in winter
196
A decorated leather sheath call “Al-Janbiya” that’ is worn around the waist
Traditional Men clothing from the southern region: the belt and the hand rifle are a necessiry
197
Traditional headcovers; the kofia, oqal and shomagh
White qotra and broacaded pentagonal oqal
The Iqal
The Brocaded Iqal (The Shatfa)
The Iqal is placed over the ghotra in order to fix the
ghotra on the head. There are several kinds including:
The brocaded Iqal (the shatfa) is made of ten ribs
folded in two layers to form a pentagon. Each rib
consists of two thin cylinders, one over the other,
covered with golden thread, zari, joining them
together. A link in the form of a ball of black wool
joins the ribs. It is known as Faisal’s Iqal because
King Faisal was the most famous of those who wore
it in his time.
The Black Iqal
Black is the color of the Iqal used today. It is made
of thin threads of black wool wound over a circular
filler twice the length of the circumference of the
head to form two circles, one over the other.
The White Iqal
The white Iqal is made of white wool, to a large
extent similar to the black Iqal, but is no longer used.
198
The Imama or Turban
The Imama or turban is a rectangular piece of white
cotton fabric, usually wound about the head, used
by tribal and religious leaders. The Hejazi Imama
Another way of waring Shomagh
is well known as the Alfi. The ghobana ghotra, a
ghotra decorated with yellow threads imported
from Syria, and the wool Shal are used as turbans
in the Western Region.
The Usaba
The Usaba is made of various materials such as
leather or hay and is for the fastening of aromatic
plants around the head. Men of the Southern Region
use it to decorate their heads, which are bare most
of the time.
Bishoot or mashaleh body covers for men market
Traditional Omamah used in Makkah
199
Outer Garments
These were traditionally manufactured in homes.
They were fitted, sewn, decorated or embroidered
according to the type of clothing, except for some
ready-made or imported clothes.
The Maqta, Dira’a (Thobe)
The maqta is similar to the thobe used nowadays.
However, it is larger and consists of the badan or
body, the akmam or sleeves, the bana’iq or collar,
and the takharidh or the khashatiq. It was generally
made of white cotton, although the character of
this cotton differs from that of others with respect
to quality of fabric, brightness of color and degree
of thickness. The best known kinds were the kham,
the baft, the poplin, the dublin and the las.
The Marodan (Abu Radun thobe)
The Marodan is known by this name in most regions,
and also known as the mozial or as the mofrij in
the Southern Region. It is similar to the maqta in
its main lines, but is distinguished by broad sleeves
that are triangular in shape. Other kinds that are
similar but with a few differences are the mobaqash
thobe known in the Qassim Region, the shakara
known in the Hail Region and the Molosin, or Abu
Alsina, with a rectangular piece possibly added to
the sides of the sleeves.
The Zibun
The Zibun is an open-fronted garment made of
various fabrics, mainly soft striped polished cotton
imported from Syria. The garment made of such
a fabric is called the shami Zibun, or the barisim
200
Zibun. Another kind of Zibun is named the tarma,
with reference to the fabric of tarma. The Zibun is of
excellent white wool decorated with diverse colors
and is put on over the Maqta or the thobe. If a vest
is worn under it, then the suit is called a Badla, and
is the garment of dignitaries and formal wear on
ceremonial occasions and festivals.
The Saya
The saya is similar to the Zibun but is shorter and
is made of thin summer fabric of a light color. It is
also a garment for ceremonial occasions.
The Daqla Baltu
those made of linen or white calico are worn, with
those made from dyed wool worn in winter. Its use
spread in Hejaz, and it is also used in the Najd area
to a limited extent, particularly in wintry places.
The Jukha
The Jukha is a jobba made of soft broadcloth, Mahud,
in various colors such as black, blue, green and red.
It is decorated with gold thread (Zari) and is usually
imported from India.
The Damir
The Damir is similar to the jukha, though it is
shorter. It is worn on ceremonial occasions and
for folk dancing. It was originally Syrian and was
named Farmaliya.
The Daqla is a long open-fronted garment, similar
to the Zibun. However, its collar is higher, and it is
made of various dyed wools. It spread in the Aridh
Region where it became known as Daqla al-Ardhiya.
In Hejaz, it is known as the Baltu.
The Zakhma
The Shaya
The Zakhma is a short sleeveless garment, reaching
to the waist. It is made of broadcloth or velvet and
is decorated with threads called zari.
The shaya is a long open-fronted garment with long
sleeves, worn over the thobe and tied with a thin
belt at the waist. It is one of the garments used in
Hejaz by traders and religious leaders.
The Kut
The Kut is similar to the present-day kut and is
worn by youths instead of the shaya in the Hejaz.
The Jobba
The Jobba is a long, open-fronted garment with
long sleeves reaching to the wrists. In summer,
The Sedairiya (Vest)
The Sedariya or vest is a short sleeveless garment,
open down the front, closed with buttons and
reaching the waist. It is usually made of wool and
is worn over the Maqta and under the Kut.
The Musannaf
The Musannaf is a long folded drapery covering one
of the shoulders in winter and used in the Western
and Southern Regions.
The Mashlah or (Bisht)
The Farwa
The Mashlah or Bisht is a cloak of wool that varies
in thickness according to the season for which it
is made. Originally, its colors varied according to
the color of the wool of the animal from which it
was taken, but once it came to be made of modern,
imported raw materials, the colors multiplied. It is
long, loose, rectangular in shape, and open at the
front and made of double-sided fabric, adjusted
to fit a man’s height by a form of inner fold. The
openings are usually decorated with gold or silver
threads, with ornaments made of these threads hang
from the openings as balls of Zari threads.
The Farwa is a large, long, open-fronted cloak made
of lamb’s skin and fleece. The outer surface is usually
covered with a woolen fabric or dyed broadcloth,
while the inner surface is covered with fleece. It is
commonly used in cold regions of the northern
Arabian Peninsula.
The Mashlah is worn on the shoulders over the
Ghotra. The common method of putting on this
garment is to place the right hand into the sleeve,
where the left hand can catch the right side of the
garment to move it to the left side. This garment
is for outdoor wear. Though much traditional
clothing has disappeared, the Mashlah still remains
in fashion, and is regarded as an important item of
clothing that must be worn by people of importance,
and it is also used for ceremonial occasions and
special occasions such as weddings. Throughout
the Kingdom and the Arabian Gulf, one of the best
known places for wearing and decorating these
garments is the Ahsa Region.
The Barqa Aba’a
The Barqa Abaya is a kind of cloak that is in widespread
use, especially in the northeast and the middle of
the Arabian Peninsula. It is made of spun wool. It
is either black and white or brown and white with
lines that reflect the color of the wool of the animals
from which it was taken.
The Baidi
The Baidi is a heavy garment made of spun wool that
is usually white. It is made in Hejaz, in the south of
the Arabian Peninsula, and in regions like Ghamid,
Zahran and Assir, where it is commonly used. It too
is, found, in the southern parts of Najd.
The Hizam (Belt)
The hizam or belt is made of leather or rope, and
men usually wear it over clothes to fasten or tie
them up during work. It is also used for carrying
arms or money, or for decoration.
Garments
The Sadriya, the Arraqyia the Fanila
This Sadriya or undershirt is an undergarment
made of white cotton and has an opening in the
front, which is closed by buttons, a high collar
and short sleeves. In most regions it is known as
the Sadriya, though it differs from the Sadriya or
vest worn over underwear. In Hejaz, it was named
the Arraqiya and was replaced with an undershirt,
Fanila, made of white cotton, which later became
available in markets.
Thobe with a decorated waistcoat a sadriya
201
Women’s Clothes
The Surwal al-Tawiel Long Pants
The Wazra (Futa)
Head Coverings
The Surwal al-Tawiel or long pants are made of
white cotton fabric. They are tied in the middle with
a fabric belt named the Dikka or the Rabqa, which
is strung through a fold sewn in the upper part of
the trousers and tied in the front.
The Wazra or Futa is a rectangular piece of fabric,
the open side of which is sewn. Designed to cover
the lower half of the body, it is wrapped around the
waist, where the extra part of it can be folded. It is
fastened round the waist with a separate belt.
Head coverings have always been an essential part
of women’s clothing, worn continuously at home
or outdoors. They vary in color, material and
decoration according to the region: in the Eastern,
Central and Northern Regions, women used the
Shila, Ghadfa or Malfa, which are all synonyms for
the headscarf that is in the form of a rectangle made
of a light black cloth wrapped around the face. In
the Southern Region, the head covering was a piece
of yellow or red fabric decorated with a number of
colored silk threads on both sides. A hat called the
Tafsha or Hatfa was worn when women were out
of their homes. In the Western Region, because of
the number of articles of clothes placed one over
another, women came to use the Shanbar, a small
triangle of fabric worn under a Mahrama, which is
in the form of rectangle made of white fabric. On
top of that a Mudawwara can be placed, which is
a square piece of fabric “yashmok” decorated with
a flower print. Another article of dress that can be
used with those already mentioned is the Mishfa’a
or the Tarha, which is put on over the Mudawwara.
Other kinds known as the Bairam and the Qarqush
were common in the Taif Region and nearby villages.
Outer Clothing
The Maqta (Dara’a)
The Maqta or Dara’a is the woman’s main garment
in the Northern, Eastern and Central Regions. It is
a long, loose garment with long sleeves consisting
Samples of traditional womens dresses
from different parts of the country
202
of numerous parts, such as the body, the collar, the
sleeves, the takharis or the Khashatiq, which vary
in the kind of fabric and the embroidery.
common in the Western Region where it is regarded
as the main article of dress. It can be in the form
of a burnoose with a high collar and short sleeves.
in the Western Region, and is more modern than
the Zibun. The bodice, the middle folds and the
long sleeves also distinguish it.
The Zibun
The Karta
The Duke’s thobe
This is an open garment from the neck to toe (the
foot) with buttons fastening its upper part. Its
components are similar to that of the Maqta, in
addition to a high collar and openings in the two
sides. It is made of various kinds of fabrics, especially
velvet, and embroidered with gold thread (Zari). It is
This is common in the Central, Eastern and Northern
Regions and is regarded as one of the more developed
stages of the Maqta. There are small folds in the lower
part, named the Junula, with a circular opening,
or other shape, at the neck that allows the head to
enter. The side parts are massing. It is also known
The Women of Harb tribes in the Western Region
wear the duke’s thobe. It is distinguished by a
rectangular piece of fabric as long as a foot attached
to the lower part of the sleeves. Its decorations and
embroidery are also distinctive.
This head over is among the most common to Hejaz tribes. The
difference between one and another falls on the number and form of
beads, twists, chains, rings, golden or silver coins, shells and cowries
in red, white and orange colours
A decorated female dress. It is made of back velvet
embroidered with broken lines on the chest and sleeves
in red, yellow and orange colours
A traditional female costume
Silver bracelets
203
A traditional loose outer garment called Jubbah or darraa, intricately
decorated with mineral threads and sequins is worn during social
occasions in the central, eastern and northern regions
Doag garment is famous in the western region. It is
characterized by decoration on the sleeves and train
of the gown in addition to fine hand-swen decoration
The Soun thobe
The soun thobe is a narrow dress made of black
cotton and embroidered by hand with varied stitches.
Popular colors are yellow, orange and red, and
white beads are used as well. This kind of dress was
common in Thaqif and Missan of the Taif Region.
The Mobaqar thobe
The mobaqar thobe is known to the Shifa and the
Hada of the Taif Region, and is made of blue and
black cotton in the form of wide rectangles. The
chest and the sleeves are decorated in zigzag lines,
similar to the sadra thobe, but made only in blue.
204
Mojnad, a dress for southern region females
with embroidered vertical lines stretching
along the two sides
Daffa, the bride’s dress is a rectangular, and decorated with golden yarn. This is similar to the men’s Bisht
The Mujnab or (Muwarrak Dress)
The Mujnab or Muwarrak dress is a favorite of Assir
women. It is given this name because of the part
beginning at the upper hips, which hangs down in
wide folds. It is also distinguished by the style of
the sleeves, set into the side and going under the
arm. It is embroidered on the chest and sleeves with
vertical lines and made of various fabrics, mainly
in black. This dress is similar to the dress common
in the Baha region, but the side panel is narrower
and longer reaching the armpit.
The Thobe
A Darraa from the central region
(Hota and Wadi Dawasir)
The Thobe is a loose garment worn over the maqta
in the Central, Eastern and Northern Regions and
over the Zibun or karta in the Western Region it is
not found in the Southern Region. It is known in the
Central Region as sahabi, and in the Eastern Region
as the nashil dress, formed of the same parts as that
205
A woman with an Tafsha on her head. Tafsha is a palm leaf sewn to protect
the head from intense sunlight
of the Maqta, though it also has a square form, and
is sometimes loosened into the form of a rectangle.
When this dress is for special events, it is made of
thin fabric decorated with various materials such
as sequins and silver, or gold and silk threads. It
varies according to the original material, like the
Qaz dress, or to the kind of embroidery, like the
Masrah dress, or to the occasion, like prayer dress,
or to the country of origin, like the Indian. In Taif
Region and some Hejazi villages, it is called the
Masdah thobe, and is made of cotton fabric, dyed
brown and embroidered on the lower front with
the knot method, called Tasrir.
206
A black tulle female thobe or gown with a daraa underworn. It is
common in the central region for social occasions
This black dress is a common dress for women in Abha. It was made
of a kind of fabric called “Dobait Abu-Askari (the one with military
sign) or Abu-Sa’a (the one with a watch)
Outdoor Clothes and Heads carves:
These are the articles of clothing women wear when
they go out of their homes, and they vary in form
and name, with particularly clear variations in
Hejaz, influenced by groups of Muslims who came
from abroad and settled in this region. The most
important of these dresses are:
The Malaya
The Malaya is a rectangular piece of black taffeta fabric
worn over the head so as to cover the forehead, and
having its sides held to the front. It is accompanied
by a long face veil called the burqa made of a sheer
white material, dirabizun, to cover the face.
The Turkish Qana’a (Veil)
The Turkish Qana’a or veil is one of the garments
brought by the Turkish pilgrims. It is twofold, the
upper part covering the head, and the lower in the
form of a narrow Junula, in addition to the Bisha,
which covers the face.
The Shami (Syrian Qana’a)
The shami or Syrian Qana’a is a rectangular piece
of thick black silk, Habra, longer than the body so
as to fall loosely on the hips and legs, fastened by
a belt at the waist. The face is covered by the Bisha.
The Jama
The Jama was brought to Hejaz from India, and
consisted of the Taqiya, from which a tied fabric
falls round the head. It is also distinguished by the
Shabki, a sheer piece of fabric (net) over the eyes.
The Kab
The Kab is a loose dress, distinguished by a circular
piece open in the front and covering the whole
body from shoulders to feet. It is sleeveless, usually
fastened or closed by a string near the neck, and
worn by children.
The Abaya
The Abaya is an outdoor garment in the Eastern,
Central, and Northern Regions, and became common
in the Western Region after the unification of the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This cloak is still used
as an outdoor garment in all regions.
The Abaya is a long, loose rectangular form, open at
the front, made of fabric to fit a woman’s body. It has
a circular shape, with its openings decorated with
Mutafat or Mujarah is a dress common in the central region. It is made of black cotton and coloured silk
black silk threads or golden buttons, or sometimes
both. Embroidery can also be added on the front
and on the chest, and there are other ornaments
dangling down.
It was traditionally made of locally spun and knotted
wool. However, an important change occurred in
the fabric types in use when machine-knitted kinds
started to be used. This was followed by new kinds
of Aba’a, such as the Habra, the natural silk Aba’a,
and machine-made silk Aba’a, as the result of the
development of textile manufacturing.
The Dafa (Mahud Aba’a)
The dafa or Mahud Abaya is worn by brides in the
Eastern Region, and is made of black broadcloth, is
without a collar, and is decorated by golden threads.
In addition to some embroidery on the bodice, a
number of golden (Zari) threads extend out of the
front opening on both sides.
207
A necklace called lubbah
Maqtaa or Daraaa, a loose costume famous in the central, eastern and northern regions
Undergarments
The Sedairiya (Sadriya)
The Sedairiya or Sadriya are undergarments that
were common in Hejaz and Qassim areas. They
consist of a shirt open in the front covering the
chest, have a high collar, Khashtaq and half-sleeves
and are fastened by buttons named Tarkiba, from
the most famous gold pounds.
The Surwal (Trousers)
The Surwal or trousers are long and loose in the
upper part and narrow in the lower part of the leg.
208
A multi-piece silver collar decorated with amber
Footwear
They are mostly decorated or embroidered on the
lower outer parts. In some regions it was common
to make decorations on a separate piece of cloth and
then attach it to the trousers. In this way it could be
removed and re-sewn on new trousers. Sometimes
the decorated part of the trousers might not be
of the same fabric, and might be of satin in the
Eastern and Western Regions, or of black cotton in
the Southern Region. The striped or more colorful
cotton fabric was preferred for making everyday
trousers. A fabric belt used to fasten the trousers
was called the Dakka, Darka or Rabqa. The Dakka
was attached to the upper part of the trousers and
tied in the front.
Footwear was limited, of simple design, and was
made mostly of local natural resources, such as camel
skin and straw of palm trees. The most common
ones were named Ni’al, the Hithyan, the Zarabil,
the Madaas, the Jarabat, the Yemeni Kanadr, Talayk,
Qabqab and Khuf.
Children’s Clothing
Children’s clothing is similar to that of adults except
for the difference in size, and the material is chosen
from decorated fabrics of light, pretty colors. Girls’
clothes are sometimes decorated with pieces of silk
in red, green or yellow, placed on the upper part
of the back. Children’s hats too, receive much care
and artistry, and have several names, such as the
Qaba’, Qahfiya, and Killaw; they are used either for
warmth or ornamentation. There is a tradition that
young peoples’ hair has to be shaved to improve the
strength and texture.
At the age of six or seven, girls put on dresses over
the Maqta, and when outdoors, wear the Bakhtaq to
cover the head, instead of the Abaya and continue to
A child from the southern region in traditional wear
do so right up to the time of puberty. The Bakhtaq
is a rectangular piece of sheer black transparent
fabric embroidered in gold thread with designs of
plants, one side framed and heavily decorated, folded
in two halves in the front, and closed at the lower
end leaving an opening surrounding the girl’s face.
It covers her shoulders, back, chest and head. Its
length varies according to the desire and traditions.
It was common for girls in the Eastern, Northern,
and Central Regions. In the Qassim Region, girls
wore the Dafa Abaya which is a smaller version of
the bridal Dafa, and is decorated with gold thread
and clusters of embroidery around the face opening,
especially when the girl goes to school. Its also used
as a special ornament when girls celebrate having
learned to recite part of the Holy Qur’an.
In the Southern Region, girls use heads carves
before marriage and the shila over the headscarf
after marriage.
Children from the Tihama region in traditional costumes
209
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Land . People and Civilization
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