Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi

**Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi** (Arabic: قصر الحير الغربي) be Syrian desert castle anaa *qasr* wey locate 80&nbsp;km south-west of Palmyra for de Damascus road top. De castle be a twin palace of Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi, dem build by de Umayyad caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik insyd 727 CE. Na dem build am insyd de Umayyad architectural style. As na dem believe de complex e be an estate wey sumbro wey get money dey own am, ebe no surprise say na dem fi find sam decorations for ein opulent owners within de remains of de palace. Sam of de items dem find within dey include richly decorated floor frescoes, stucco walls, den figural reliefs. Na dem keep chaw decorations den artwork from de complex for de National Museum insyd Damascus. Like oda desert palaces, na Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi no be Hisham ein primary residence. De structure serve as a secondary lodging give de Caliph, while de expanse of flat desert land wey dey surround am na dem dey use am for leisurely activities such as hunting den racing. Na noblemen oda dan de Caliph go stay insyd tents around de palace wen dem visit.

## Description

Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi be one of a number of Umayyad desert castles insyd de Syrian/Jordanian region. De site originally consist of a palace complex, a bath house, industrial buildings for de production of olive oil, an irrigated garden den anoda building wich scholars suggest e fi be a caravanserai. Over de entrance be an inscription wich dey declare say na dem build am by Hisham insyd de year 727, a claim wey be borne out by de architectural style.

Na dem use am as an eye of de king during de Umayyad era, make e control de movement of de desert tribes den make e act as a barrier against marauding tribes, as well as dey serve as a hunting lodge. Ebe one of de most luxurious examples of a desert palace. Later na ebe utilized by de Ayyubids den de Mamelukes buh na dem abandon permanently after de Mongol invasions.

Na dem build de palace from mudbricks atop a masonry base, for de time of excavation na de part visible per be de gateway. De gateway be composed of de doorway dem frame by two large cylindrical structures, two small windows sit around de halfway point between de doors den de top of de gateway wey dem decorate de whole structure plus arches den geometric patterns. Most of de mud brick degrade into de surrounding sand, buh de masonry base dey indicate wer de walls of de palace once stand. De walls form a large rectangle den for addition to de gate der be three cylindrical towers for de corners of de structure den for de fourth dey stand de monastery tower. Na de palace be two stories high wey der be evidence say der be two staircases, na both levels likely be identical, dem divide into six sections each plus a hallway, chaw rooms, den a lavatory.

De castle be quadrangular insyd outline plus  sides. De central doorway to de castle be very attractive wey na dem move am to de National Museum of Damascus make dem use am as de entrance. Ein semi-cylindrical towers for de sides of de doorway, columns, den de geometric shapes mirror a blend of Persian, Byzantine den Arab architecture.

Little of de original castle remain; however, de reservoir to collect water from Harbaka dam, a bath den a khan still be visible. Dem preserve de gateway as a façade insyd de National Museum of Damascus.

## Art dem find within de complex

Although de site of de complex dey feature degrading architecture, na dem locate chaw artistic works, wey dey include a stucco wall den a fresco floor. Dem fi find similar types of art insyd Roman architecture, buh de majority of works within de complex dey date insyd de Umayyad period, no be Roman, wey dey exclude a few constructs within de waterworks. Chaw of de pieces dem find be vague anaa unclear whether dem be based for an actual figure.

One piece of artwork possibly fi be identified, among de reliefs dem discover insyd a 1936 excavation of de complex, a figural relief of man, now missing from de torso den above. Dis finely adorned figure insyd Persian dress den jewelry fi represent Hisham, de Caliph wey commission de palace make dem build am. De relief ein clothing be similar in style to various artworks dem create insyd de Sassanian period, dem find for dinnerware den household items top. Dis continuation of style dey suggest say pre-Islamic artwork fi be an inspiration give de Umayyad palace. Der sanso be evidence say na dem paint de relief rada dan dem lef am insyd simple bare stone. Dis attempt make dem create artwork inspired by previous cultures no be uncommon insyd Islamic works, especially insyd de Umayyad period, as imagery dey depict Sasanian mythological creatures such as senmurv ein dem fi be found for Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi as well as more well-known complexes such as Khirbat al-Mafjar.

Na dem sanso recover two floor frescos from de site. One dey feature a hunter, similar to Sassanian depictions of kings during royal hunts, as well as depictions of two court minstrels dey play musical instruments, a *nai* (a woodwind instrument) den an *oud* (a string instrument), beneath a pair of ornamented arches. De hunter be dressed insyd Sassanian-style fashion; ein head-scarf dey fly behind am, den ein bow den arrow be drawn tight for de shot. De human figures for de top den bottom of dis floor painting be shown insyd a realistic way, dem adapt from Greco-Roman models. Unlike oda works dem find within de palace, dis fresco no get a feature an insignia wey dey represent de royal family. Chaw scholars dey suggest say dis fresco reflect de Caliph ein choice make e shift de focus of de empire to de East instead of de West, particularly dey follow Muslim attempts make dem conquer Constantinople. Dis be perhaps why de Caliph choose make he embrace Sassanian imperial heritage as models for asserting power. Na dis painting dey originally for de floor of a reception hall, wey der be traces of a possible round column wey once stand on top of am.

Na dem use de desert castles like Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi as temporary retreats, sites make dem display status, den for Umayyad rulers make dem entertain dema guests. Na floor paintings like dese help create an atmosphere of sophistication den luxury give whoever see dem.

Na dem komot both paintings from dema original location insyd Qasr al-Hayr al-Gharbi wey now dem dey for de National Museum of Damascus.

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