The Site of Abwa'an (Palace of Girls): An Archaeological Study

Abstract

The research aims to shed light on an archaeological site that is one of the most important ancient Yemeni sites known in the past as (Abwa'an) and is today called (Palace of Girls). It is located southeast of Sana'a and is administratively affiliated to Dhamar Governorate .Like other ancient archaeological sites, this site suffers at the present time from the negligence and lack of interest by the relevant authorities, and it has not received a systematic scientific study, except a simple archaeological survey of the Iraqi mission, and a brief mention within the study by Ruban about the Dhumri region, which cannot be compared to the great archaeological heritage of the site. Therefore, the study is meant to come up with an archaeological scientific outcome that documents the remaining archaeological monuments in the site, which are still visible. The researcher uses the archaeological approach, based on description, analysis and comparison, in order to reveal the remnants of the architectural facilities of the site, plan them, clarify them and determine their civil functions such as the palace, military functions such as walls and towers, and water functions such as the ponds and reservoir, and monitor the geographical boundary and the cultural historical framework of the site. The research is divided into an introduction and two sections. The first section is historical and geographical. The second is devoted to the archaeological study represented by the general description of the site and the study of the civil, military and water architectural facilities of the site. The research finds that the site of Abwa'an was located within the territory of Dhumri union on the southern side that belongs to Qushum tribe and its chieftains, Bani Tharanih; it was built by Himyarite kings and chieftains, and it contains a palace that was a private resort for the residence of kings, and next to it is the area of (Khadhirat Abwa'an), which still has the same old name of the site to this day.