AI-Turaif Quarter - Dirriyah

A Project for Documentation and Restoration

of the old Dirriyah City

The Assistant Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums paid utmost care and attention to
the restoration and revovation of the old city of Dirriyah which was once the focal point and
political center of Najd where the first Saudi Dynasty was established. The rulers of this city
first embraced and welcome the call for the purification of Islam and spread it all over the
Arabian Peninsula. AI-Dirriyah is located in the northwest of the city of Riyadh where its
ruins remind us the glory of its past and the chivalary of its ancestors. A history o,f three
hundred years can be witnessed in its ruins.

The interest of the Assistant Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums is manifested in its
adoptation of a project for the documentation and restoration of the old city of Dirriyah and
its renovation to bring it to its original shape and form. On the completion of this project, the
visitor to Dirriyah will find himself in a strange surrounding of 17th century environment
where old traditional buildings with their cultural and ethnographical remains will be quite
different from the present 20th century modern town and cities.

Dirriyah was once the political, cultural and economic center of Najd. It's ruins remind us of
its past glory and dignity and it will be restored to preserve our old cultural and traditional
elements.
 In 1393 A.H. a Royal Decree was issued for the protection and restoration of the old city of
Dirriyah.The first work started with the evacuation of AI-Turaif Quarters. It was a difficult and
time consuming work as the local residents and the disputes among the heirs of the lands
could not be resolved easily. However, the old district was finally evacuated,and the owners
were financially compensated. Meanwhile, the Assistant Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and
Museums started surveying the site. Technical and specialised researches were conducted
to assist the specialists in the rebuilding and restoration of the ruins of Dirriyah. Surveyors
assisted in making a comprehensive study and prepared plans of all the houses,palaces,
walls, watch towers, mosques, market places and baths etc. Prior to the begenning of
restoration some experiments were performed to choose the most suitable material
particularly for the restoration of mud brick houses and mud plastering of the walls etc.
Special material was applied to face the erosion and local environmental conditions.

The restoration and renovation was started after the inital studies and researches and the
selection of the right material for the buildings.

A number of buildings with popular and unique architectural desgins have been recorded
and their details were documented some of them are restored and renovated such as
Nasser bin Saud Palace. While excavations were carried out in Saed Mosque, Beit al-Ma'al
and the mosque was partly restored in 1400 A.H. In 1403 A.H the Salwa Palace and Beit al-
Ma'al (Treasury building); Saed Palace, AI-Turaif Bath, Thaniyan Palace; the walls and
towers of AI-Turaif quarter were documented and specifications were made for their
restorations. In 1405 A.H the walls and towers of old Dirriyah and the annexes of Salwa
Palace, Abdullah bin Saud Palace and an the extension of AI-Turaif Bath were excavated,
documented and recorded and plans were prepared for their restoration. At the same time
the walls and towers of AI-Turaif Quarters and the palace of Saed bin Saud were restored
recently.
Studies and plans were made for the building of the cultural centre near the historic area in
Dirriyah. The centre will include a library which shall contain the scientific reports, the
documented records, and all information related to the project. In addition, there will be
reports, and researches on the city of Dirriyah in particular. The cultural centre proj~ct
includes, sound and light system which will show the visitor the history of the old city which
played an important role in the history of our beloved country.
 KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

ASSIST ANT DEPUTY MINISTRY FOR

ANTIQUITIES AND MUSEUM AFFAIRS

AL - TURAIF BATH AND ITS ANNEXES

AI-Turaif Quarter, AI-Dirriyah
 Palace of Salwa 14. Palace of Saad ben Saoud
2. MosqueofAI-Turaif 15. Wall of AI-Turalf
3. Betalmaal (Treasure House) 16. Defense Tower
4. Mosque and Soubalat Mudhi 17. Tower of Faisal
5. Palace of Fahd ben Saoud 18. Palace of Farhan ben Saoud
6. Palace of Ibrahim ben Saoud 19. Mosque of Saad
7. Palace of Abdullah ben Saoud 20. Palace of Umar ben Saoud
8. Palace of Turkey ben Saoud 21. Office of General Department
9. Palace of Thanlan ben Saoud of Antiquities and Museums
10. Palace of Mushary ben Saoud 22. Restored Well
11. Bath of AI-Turai f 23. Palace of Chief Mason
12. Guest House 24. Mosque of Abdul-Wahab
13. Palace of Naser ben Saoud 25. Burial Ground of AI- Tura i f
 AL - TURAIF BATH AND ITS ANNEXES
AI-Turaif Quarter, AI-Dirriyah

AI-Diriyah lies in the middle of Wadi Hanifah, 15 km. N-W of ai-Riyadh City. According
to historians and biographers, it was greatly fertile, with sufficient products and good
crops. It was a vast green oasis with so many palm-trees, farms and gardens, everywhere
clad in an ever-fresh green attire, besides its wells and springs. Hence its richness in
agricultural crops and animal production.

The history of al-Diriyah begins in mid-ninth century A.H., and more precisely in 850
A.H. (1446 A.D.) when Mani ibn Rabiah al-Moridi came to it from the town of al-Doru
al-Kadimah ("Ancient Doru") also known as al-Diriyah, al-Katif district, accompanied
by his son Rabiah, to see his cousin ibn Dir, the Chief of al Doru, the inhabitants of
Wadi Hanifah, who had the upper hand in that region; he granted him an area between
al-Mulaybid and Ghasiba in the middle of Wadi Hanifah. Mani'e, together with his offspr-
ing, inhabited that area; they became influential, possessing many mansions and exten-
sive farms, and became Emirs of that region. Then, with the advent of Sheikh Muhammad
ibn Abd el-Wahab to al-Diriyah, the spiritual force was unified with the ruling authority
of the Emirs of the First State of AI-Saud. The different Emirates of Nadjd, then the
various Emirates of Arabia became, some willingly, others forcibly, their subjects. The
City of al-Diriyah has ruled those provinces and Emirates, hence the greatness of its
religious influence, and subsequently its military and political dominance. Consequently
the economic resources of al-Diriyah increased so greatly that its Treasury annually
obtained over two million riyals from the income of the zakat (Islamic income tax) only,
not including the innumerable spoils taken by its victorious armies, and the income of
the agricultural and animal wealth. All this had a great effect on the development of
architecture at the five quarters of the City of al-Diriyah, and especially the inhabited
quarter of the Imams and Emirs of AI-Saud, namely the al-Turaif-quarter. They built
walls, towers and forts around it, extending 13 km; it enjoyed a fortified position on the
high hills separating the wadis, (valleys) abounding in wells filled with water in the
rain-season.

AI-Diriyah reached its apogee and greatest power during the reign of ai-Imam Abd
el-Aziz bin Muhammad bin Saud, 1179-1218 A.H. (1765-1803 A.D.) He reigned about
forty years. During that period, he promoted both the dawah «call and the State; he
conquered ai-Riyadh and most of the towns of Arabia, and seucrity and prosperity
prevailed everywhere. Yet he was an ascetic.

During the reign of ai-Imam Saud bin Abd el-Aziz (Saud the Great), 1218-1229 A.H.
(1803-1814 A.D.), al-Diriyah attained its greatest strength and enjoyed material prosper-
ity; it was then the "Golden Era" of the City of AI-Diriyah. Therefore, its ~mirs and elite
could erect edifices for habitation and religious purposes. The Imam was keen on
cleanliness. Thanks to the strong economy and great opulence, and the money sent by
the emirs of the provinces and the chieftains, ai-Imam Saud thought of building architec-
tural and cultural constructions, which would never have been possible without plenty
of money, political as·well as social stability, and a high standard of culture and civilization.
During, or just before that period, the Bath of al- Turaif Quarter was built, together with its
annexes. These included habitation buildings as guest houses for the notables coming to al-

Dirriyah. Although al-Dirriyah was, in its glorious past, a lighthouse of the reformist government

and political and military magnanimity, it is still, in its happy present. surrounded by palm-trees
and fresh green plants. It also embraces - thanks be to Almighty - the University of King Saud

standing along with the historical edifices which are now in the care of the Assistant Deputy

Ministry of Antiquities and Museums. The Administration registers and restores them, so that

al-Dirriyah may remain a cultural lighthouse at present, just as it had a great, honorable past.

Baths are cultural constructions which reflect the great care for the human body, and
its presence proves a comprehensive architectural rise.

Baths were used as places fOr natural treatment from many diseases. They also give a
human body health, activity and cleanliness; our religion emphasizes cleanliness, and
one of the honorable traditions (or "hadiths"), says "Cleanliness is from faith". They
were likewise used as places for training and physical exercises. In them, social, political
and welfare meetings were held, and commercial deals were concluded. All this gives
a bath a great and prominent position in various cultural activities, hygienically, socially,
culturally and physically.
The history of building rooms in one single edifice for the purpose of bathing is as old
as civilization itself. Such buildings were built in Pharaonic times in Egypt, they afterwards
appeared in the Aegean civilized world where remains of baths were found in the palaces
of Cnossos and Tiryns, which go back to the Bronze Age (3000-1200 B.C.); they might
have been the oldest constructions.

Greek baths consisted of several parts supplied with hot water, a shower and diving-
places. Such constructions were characterized by luxury, splendour and multifarious
decorations. The hot room was covered with a dome, and there were seats and mastabas
for those who wished to sit and relax in the warm room. The Greeks invented the way
of heating floors by putting ovens under the floor of the hot room; the hot air passed
through the roofed passages underneath the floors of the rooms. There were openings
in those passages to supply the rooms with hot air. Baths functioned in that way till
early Islamic times.

From the Greeks, the Romans adopted the circular plan with large domes to cover large
areas, such as the Baths of Caracalla. These are a true copy - with just little modifications
- of the Hellenic architectural plans. The Roman bath was subject to a stable plan
based on three main units, i.e. three halls - cold, warm and hot. A door or a passage
led to one of the halls.

In the cold hall, or "frigidarium", all sorts of physical exercises are practised. It contains
large basins for bathing, and small basins for washing at the end of the physical exercises.

The warm hall, or "tepidarium", has a medium temperature, and is shaped as a large ves-
tibule representing the centre of the bath, or a 'wide saloon', a place for stay, entertainment,
discussions and rest for a long time.
The hot hall, the most important part of the bath, is called the "caldarium"; under the
hall there are the underground heating-rooms and their passages which are designed
in such a way as to allow hot currents of air to run through the passages.

A cloak-, or dressing-room and a reading-room are added to the bath, to be surrounded

by a large empty space.

Through these two civilizations, the Greek and the Roman, baths spread in the provinces
and towns under their Roman rule and influence, such as Egypt and Syria, the latter of
which still keeps a number of them. One notices that they bear local effects, taste and
artistic inclinations; in those countries local artists were free to deal with plans, elements
and details. The effect of climate and atmospheric factors induced the Syrian architect
to modify certain parts of the bath. Some parts proved more important than other parts
in the Roman Empire.

Such changes appeared as a first step towards Oriental self-expression in the plan of
the bath of "Roman Sargalah" in Syria. This bath is considered the first model to show
the planning of Oriental baths. It reveals keen interest in the cloak-room, as it was
enlarged and divided, by means of arches, into areas covered with semi-circular vaults;
the walls werre decorated with mosaic scenes depicting victories in wars.

After that, such a hall with various scenes, resembling a "splendid saloon", appeared
in the sitting-room of the bath of Kosair Amra in Syria, too. Yet this bath and that of
al-Sarakh belong to the Islamic period.
The first Oriental bath in Syria is again characterized by the stylization of the different
parts of the Roman bath so that they may suit the Oriental nature and the general
atmosphere. It is noticeable that the hot-room temperature is caused by the hot vapour
coming out from the water-basins. There are no more rooms for dry heating or under-
ground passages as in the Roman bath. It is here that cooling and refreshing and the
emission of sweat caused by the hot water and its vapour are sought, and not dry heat
as in the Roman bath.

Creswell, K.A.C., attributes two other baths in Syria, namely Abda and Rohaibah, to the
sixth century.

In the palace of Kherbet el-Mafghar (five kilometers north of Jerico, "Arrha") there is a
bath outside the palace, built especially for its owner and his retinue. (The purpose of
its construction is probably the same as that of the Turkish bath, its extensions and
annexes at the al-Turaif-Quarter in the City of al-Diriyah). This bath is characterized by
its vastness and multitude of domes in the ceilings. The bath built for its owner and his
following, contains many domes and arches supported by columns. The floor is coverred
with mosaics bearing floral as well as animal decorations. The walls of the rooms are
decorated with floral and geometrical designs in stucco-relief. The roofs over the entr-
ances are adorned with hollow plaster. Moreover, there are other ornaments and statues.
Baths were common in all parts of the ancient world. They were also built in Arabian
and Islamic countries such as Egypt, Iraq, Persia and Arabian lands. One should mention
the bath of the Palace (Kasr) of Ibrahim in the town of Hofuf in the Ahsa region, the
Hijaz baths, especially those of Makkah al-Musharrafah and ai-Medinah al-Munawwarah,
and our bath and its annexes at the al-Turaif-Quarter in the City of al-Diriyah. There are
so many other baths in the different Arab countries, and everywhere in the Islamic world
as well.

Baths allover the Arab and Islamic countries took part in connubial processions, mar-
riage-feasts and circumcision events. In so many cases processions were accompanied
with music and drumbeats. The bath has for a long time become medically important,
thus contributing to the preservation of Islamic society and the promotion of its general
hygienic level; this is due to its association with washing, purification and cleanliness.

Whenever a person feels a little painful, weak or weary, or suffers from dryness of skin,
he frequents the bath. Yet in the case of certain diseases, a physician may recommend
to his patient taking a bath of hot vapour and hot flowing water. He also advises him
to massage the painful areas and rub them with certain ointments which may soon be
absorbed by the skin to open the pores during the bath. Among such diseases, one
mentions rheumatism, arthritis, severe cold and certain skin diseases.

It is preferable for one to take a bath some time after a meal for the sake of digestion.
One should also move from the hot rooms to the warm room and then to the cold room
successively, thus to be safe and avoid being inflicted with acute cold ending in
pneumonia.
 •
12.
•

1. OPEN COURTYARD 9. TO THE WELL 17. MAIN EASTERN ENTRANCE

2. ENTRANCE TO BATH AND ANNEXES 10. OPEN COURT 18. ENTRANCE
3. RECEPTION ROOM (COLD ROOM) 11. STORAGE 19. GUEST ROOM
4. ANTI-CHAMBER (WARM ROOM) 12. KITCHEN 20. OPEN COURT
5. HOT ROOM 13. DINING ROOM 21. STORAGE
6. BATH OPEN COURTYARD 14. TOILET & BATH 22. SERVICE ROOM
7. STORAGE AREA FOR WOOD FIRE FURNACE 15. ROOM 23. STAIRCASE (LATER ADDITION)
8. STEPS RAMP LEADING TO WELL 16. ROOM
The Bath at the al- Turaif-Quarter,
Its Extensions and Annexes
We have briefly given a history of the rise of baths both in ancient Greece and in the
Roman world, and shown how they led to the building of baths in the different parts of
the Islamic world. Then a resume of the rise of baths in Syria has followed, since the
Turkish bath at the al- Turaif-Quarter was more influenced by Syrian baths in its plan
and various units.

The bath and its annexes lie north of a spur of Sha'ib Safar, from where the clay and
stones were taken for the buildings of al- Turaif and where there is an oval-shaped well
which used to supply the bath and its annexes with water; the water was carried on
donkey back along a road of natural rock, north of the plateau, to the W. door of the
bath. The water drains ran through canals dug in the rock. The natural sloping of the
floors of the bath and its annexes towards the plateau from north to south helped the
flowing of the water in the canals.

The buildings of the bath and its annexes have a large, open court nearly a thousand
square metres in area. It is surrounded by a wall nearly four metres high. Its main
entrance door is to the east of the north wall, leading to the chief common entrance of
both bath and annexes. To the west of this entrance, there is the entrance to the main
reception-room (the cold room) of the bath; it is a large room surrounded by mastabas
all covered with plaster. It serves as a cold room which is first entered by a visitor of
the bath; the mastabas are used for rest and relaxation for a long time, and for sitting
to merrymake, discuss various affairs and have drinks. At the N.-W. corner, there is a
basin of cold water, with a drain opening through which water flows used for ablution
and the removal of sweat at the close of physical exercises. In the S. wall of this room,
there are four small cupboards two with horizontal lintels of tamaresk wood and two
with pointed arches as lintel. It had wooden door-leaves and shelves for valuables to
be left by the bather there before entering to take a bath. In this room, the controller of
the bath was always present. (There were similar mastabas for the same purposes in
the ancient Greek baths). This room has two small windows in the N. and W. walls. In
the S. wall there are two niches with five-centred arches, and above them, there is a
number of triangles arranged in horizontal rows, some of them in vertical rows. Some
of them are pyramidal in beautiful geometrical shape, used for venti ration and lightening,
and as a decorative motif beautifying the room, and making it more suitable for the
purpose for which it was built. In the centre of the room, there are two columns, and
there is a third column in the middle of the E., wall of the room, all of them being on
one and the same axis. They are composed of drums of stone cylindrical in shape
roughly dressed with flat sides.

The walls of this room are two metres high, plastered together with its floor, with lime.
This shows the interest taken in this room and its importance among the units of the
bath. In the W. wall of this room, there is a door leading to a corridor whose floor is 50
cm. lower than that of the cold room, and so the architect joined the two levels by
building a flight of three steps. The corridor leads to the warm room whose floor is two
steps lower than that of the corridor. In this room, clothes are taken off and kept until
the bather comes back to put them on again. This room is nearly square in shape.
Beside the W.,N. and S. walls of the room, there are mastabas used by the bathers for
sitting, rest, relaxation, merrymaking or talking. Above the mastaba (W.), there is a flight
of three steps leading to the cloak-room which cannot be seen by those sitting. in that
room. In the centre of this room, stand two columns composed of stone drums. The
walls of the room and the mastabas are daubed with mud superimposed by plaster.
Then the bather passes through the warm corridor which is 1.20 m. w'ide. This corridor
is in the shape of a right angle, with a ceiling less high than the ceilings of the neighbouring
rooms. The corridor leads to the hot room, which is the most important part of the bath.
There, one takes a bath, is exposed to vapour and treated of rheumatism and, in
particular, cold, in addition to cleanliness. This room, in the bath of the al- Turaif-Quarter,
is square in shape, with thick walls supporting at the end of their square corners spherical
triangle-pendentives to convert the square plan into an octagon to facilitate the buildings
of the done over it. In our studies of baths from the very beginning, i.e. in the Graeco-
Roman period, and baths of Oriental type in Arab and Islamic countries, we have found
that the hot room in them has been covered with a dome, whether big or small according
to the size of its area. The walls of this room are thick, built of stone, so that they can
support the dome built over them. The hot room is separated from the ovens carefully
built of plastered bricks by a door with a pointed arch. The floor of the ovens
is 1.20 m. lower than that of the hot room. The dome was built of bricks, too. Brick is
one of the materials rarely employed in the buildings of the Central Region, with it mortar
of plaster is used in building. As to the buildings of ovens still extant till now, the style
of their construction shows exactness and skill. Above the ovens in the hot room, there
is a bathtub or diving-basin whose original sides are over one metre higher than the
floor of the room E. of the basin, there is a flight of steps which were used by the bathers
going down into the diving-basin. The bath tub was first built as. a basin with
sides 50 m. high, then the height of the sides had been increased so that the basin
could be a diving basin. In the north of the room, there is another basin whose sides
are 30 cm. high above the floor of the room. The sides and bottom of this basin are
covered with hardly porous lime mortar. It is believed that the basin was used for washing
towels, after the bathers had finished taking, their bath. Above the basin, one sees the
opening of a pipe which brought water into the basin directly from the main cistern.

Behind the N. wall, there is the water cistern; two pottery (clay) pipes start from the
cistern, one to feed the cold water tank at the N-W corner of the hot room, and the
water ran through the second pipe to the heated tank placed between the fireplace and
the bath tub, passing through the west wall and then bending to the east. Having taken
a bath, and massaged, the bather leaves the hot room and goes to the warm room to
put on his clothes and rest there for a short or long time according as he wishes, until
his body has got used to the temperature of the warm room. Then he goes to the cold
room (the main reception-room) to resume his rest and adapt himself to the surrounding
atmosphere. He may have some drinks, chat or receive advice from those present with
him in the room about different affairs until he leaves the bath.

Preceding the warm room and the hot room, an open court with a surface area nearby
200 metres square2 has the cistern at the south side, two drinking basins for animals
at the east side, and a small washing basin immediately to the W. of the cistern where
towels and dresses were washed. The water used in washing would run along a canal,
partly cut in the rocks and partly built up, sloping down to the spur, and passing through
a drainage hole in the south wall.
I f we leave the entrance of the cold room (the reception-room) and go from the N. entra-
nce southwards,we shall find the entrance of the annexes. This entrance leads to an open
court surrounded by eight stone columns composed of cylindrical drums surmounted
by capitals supporting the main trunks which carry the canopy-shed in the court, while
their other end is carried on the walls surrounding the court. In the court, there are six
rooms with the W. room standing along the court. This room is two metres wide at the
most, with a number of triangular openings, eighteen in number, in the upper part of
its facade, in one single horizontal line, for the purpose of lightening, ventilation and
decoration. Below, there are three niches with triangular arches. In the N. wall, one sees
a number of triangular openings, their bases being on the same level as those in the N.
wall of the room. As for the other two walls, triangular openings and niches are lacking.
The level of the ground of the court is 51 cm. lower than the level of the N. entrance,
with a flight of three steps leading down to it. If one goes southwards to the valley, one
will find the S.-W. room. The floor of this room and those of the two neighboring rooms
to the east also looking over the valley, are 50 cm. lower than the ground of the court
lying in front of them to the north. In the centre of W. room, there are the remains of
two stone columns each composed of stone drums. Between the remains of the W.
column and the N. wall, one sees a mud-brick partition-wall. The S. wall was built on
the slope of the plateau. The foundation was built with regularly-cut stone blocks, and
was five metres high up to the level of the south rooms. In its S. and N. walls, there are
triangular openings whose bases appear in one horizontal line, used for lightening and
ventilation and as well-decorations as well.
The central room looks over the valley, too, and in its centre stands a column of stone
drums surmounted by a capital to support the trunks which rest on the capitals on one
side and on the other lie on abacuses placed under them to distribute their weight
on the mud-brick walls carrying them. In it, one also sees triangular apertures arranged
in one horizontal line. To the east of the building, a large room looks over the valley,
too. In it,four columns support the ceiling, a fifth column was probably set up there to
hang the water skin (Ar.Garbah). A mud-brick partition-wall stands between the
N. wall and N.-W. column in the room. The room might have been used as a kitchen,
and also a lavatory in the south-west of it, where once a big fire broke out, as its traces
are still visible on the walls. To the east of the court referred to by No.1 09 in the plan,
there is an oblong room with an oblique cracked column. In its facade facing the court,
there are three rectangular openings with their bases placed on one horizontal line. All
the parts of this room are cracked. To the north of the court there is a roughly-square
room with a column in its centre; and opposite to it, on its axis, stands another column
in the middle of the E. wall to support the ceiling of the room. In the E. wall of the room,
there is a doorway between the habitation-building and the social, cultural buildings,
and near it, to the north, in the same wall there is a cupboard. The cupboard is
1.21 m. high, and contains two shelves: one at a height of 40 em., the other at a height
of 30 em. above it. The cupboard has a pointed arch, and its walls are plastered with
a layer of lime. In the N. walls of this room, one sees triangular apertures in one horizontal
line. In the W. wall, there is a group of triangles composed of three units of pyramidal
groups, each consisting of three triangles. The first group is separated from the second
one by means of two triangles put in one vertical line and on one axis. Underneath the
second pyramidal group, there is a similarly high triangle.
It is a very large open court surrounded by columns; fourteen columns support a large
canopy shed. There are only two small rooms in that building, unsuitable for habitation.
They are merely suitable for storage. From the plan of this building and its variety of
decorative motifs, one can imagine that it was built for meetings, festivals and symposia
- political, religious or military on occasions of victories.

From the east side, the building has monumental door-ways; they are large pointed
arches carried on plasters built with roughly regularly-shaped stone fragments. In the
centre of the buildings of the plaster stands a column composed of stone drums. Such
plasters and arches teem with different plastered decorations consisting of triangles
and parallelograms with different shapes, areas and dimensions spread in many places:
on the pilasters and arch-springings in the Sand W. faces of the arches. Such monu-
mental door-ways built side by side and carried on extravagantly decorated plasters
are considered unique architectural work in the Diriyah region, or in its neighbourhood.
These pilasters are four oblong ones built with stone, carrying three large pointed arches.
Two of these are door-ways; the third is a complementary facade, i.e. the E. wall of the
service room. To get to these two door-ways, one should use the door, to the east,
which leads to a corridor in front of the two door-ways. This door-way is covered with
plaster, with a row of triangles made therefrom. These triangles appear on the mud-brick
wall built very close to it on the W. side. The triangular reliefs were impressed
the lime layer in the above - mentioned mud-brick wall; they are still visible till
now. This suggests that the original W. faces bear big and small triangles and beautiful,
decorative figures.These magnificent door-ways lead to a corridor surrounded by serrated
crestings 1.90 m. high. The serrated crestings look oblique, and are composed of three
steps, with triangles in a vertical line passing by the axis of these triangles in three rows;
some of the triangles are pyramidal in shape, composed of two triangles surmounted
by a triangle with the same height but less wide. The crestings surround the door-way
and court on its E. and N. sides. Such a multitude of decorations appear in service
room. It is a small room, 2x2 sq. m. Its W. face has two crestings to the right of its door
1.20m. high, with two rows of vertical triangles. Its E. face is a wall 1.1Om. high, with
three horizontal triangles in one row and two plasters each having a pointed arch, 2.30m.
wide. The N. wall appeared to be two serrated crestings with three oblique steps. In
each cresting, there is a pyramidal group of three triangles surmounted by a triangle
with the same height but less wide. In the W. wall, one sees a niche with a triangular
arch. The walls of the room are plastered with lime carrying visible traces of smoke
which prove that the room was used for service. Moreover, the floor was plastered with
a hard layer of desert clay and lime. This floor is in two levels. The floor of the first level,
which is on the N. side is 10 cm. lower than the floor of the second level on the
S. side. They are separated from each other by a round-topped partition-wall. It
is 20 cm. wide, extending along the floor. In the higher S. part, a canal was dug for the
drainage of refuses directly in the valley. It is 22 cm. deep and 20 cm. wide, with
a semi-circular section. Only a part of it, 70 cm. long, has remained. The daubed floor
used for the removal of the refuses of service room to the valley is 2.03 m. wide, and
2.20 m.long. This proves that, that room was used for service. It contains many decorative
motifs to suit the high standing of the visitors and guests who come to meet the Imams
of al-Diriyah and its emirs.
Moreover, the entrance corridor has magnificent portals and many beautifully and suitably
distributed decorations. One sees on the plaster near its S. door a series of vertical
parallelograms of which three have remained, with a triangle underneath it flanked by
two small halves of triangles. The parallelograms are 9 em. wide and 13 em. long; the
triangles are 7 em. high. One triangle has fallen beside the wall; it resembles the triangles
of the S. wall of room 121; the base of the triangle is 30 em. high. This suggests that
it was also one of the numerous geometrical decorations which ornamented this corridor.
At the south-east corner in the N. face of crestings of the S. wall, there are the remains
of a round plaster which is 10 em. wide; on it, one sees three triangles which are 7 em.
high each, with their bases put in one vertical line. The remaining part of the plaster is
50 em. high.

At any rate, the great east court is surrounded by columns between which there are
crestings. In the crestings, there are carved triangles with different shapes and arrange-
ments; the pyramidal ones were put in horizontal rows, the other ones in vertical rows.
Hence, the court and corridor 120 with its magnificent door-ways, crestings and various
decorations, and the small room No. 121 are regarded as museums of geometrical
decorative elements, since one sees there a variety of figures in different inviting arrange-
ments rarely found together in one single place. Yet this place was employed for symposia
and meetings, held by the Imams and emirs of AI-Saud in their First State, in which
their rule prevailed in the Arabian Peninsula and its neighbourhood. No wonder if their
meeting-place looks so beautiful, grand and spectacular.
The building has another door-way on the east side. Its E. facade and the E. face of
the door-way in front of the arches are in one horizontal line. The door-way leads to
the court. In front of the door-way, there is a small room, 2.85 m. long and 2 m. wide,
that was used as a store, since its small area was by no means suitable except for that
purpose. In its S. wall, one sees a niche with a triangular arch. The walls of the room
are plastered with mud, while the niche is surrounded by a band of plaster. A partition-wall
stands between the door-way and the room, so that anybody entering the court cannot
see those who are inside the room. On the east side of the door-way, there is the Ar.
Majlis, or sitting-room, a room that was added later to the building. The room is irregularly
shaped, with the remains of a column of stone drums in its centre. The columns of the
room had stone capitals to carry the trunks which supported the ceiling. The room was
used as a Ar. Majlis, since one sees the hollow (Ar., "wegar") in the N.-W. of the room;
its bottom is 10 cm. lower than the floor elsewhere all around it. The ground about the
hollow is 7 cm. higher than the rest of the floor of the room; it measures 3 m. long and
1.90 m. wide. The walls of the room are plastered all around with bands 5 mm. higher;
the band is 10 cm. in width. The space between the bands is 80 cm. high, with lime
plastering, above, in the remaining parts of the walls. Beside the N. and W. walls and
the column at its west and north, there are abacuses of mud-bricks, 35 cm. high; the
floor is made of white concrete, i.e. chips of stone, lime and sand plastered with
lime. The room has a blocked door in the N. wall, for before it belonged to this building,
it had been annexed to the neighbouring house on the N. side. In the hollow, one still
sees some small pieces of coal, since the Arabian coffee was made there and offered
to the guests. Except for that part around the hollow, the floor of the room is found
standing on the natural rock of the platau. A flight of steps was added in a later period,
and so the magnificent arches of the building had to be blocked. Some remains and
decorations thereof are still visible, and seven steps only have survived. The flight of
steps was built of stone plastered with lime mortar. Such a brief description, with the
attached plans and photos, explains these buildings and their different units.

Such a unique complex of buildings consists of sanitary and cultural constructions

represented by the buildings of the bath, its annexes and extensions including the
habitations which have, together with the bath, one main door-way in common, i.e. the
N. door-way. The annexes were made for the reception of the regional emirs, rulers and
the chiefs of tribes and clans and the elite who came to al-Diriyah or the ambassadors
sent on special errands. All this necessitated the construction of a guest-house wide
enough to receive all those guests and suitable for their material standard and social
position.

If one peruses historical sources, one will find that the most secure, most prosperous
and most stable reign, characterized by a cultural and architectural renai~sance, was
that of ai-Imam Abd el-Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Saud. He ruled forty years, and during
his reign the State expanded, order was kept and stability secured in all its parts. He
was succedded by ai-Imam Saud ibn Abd el-Aziz (Saud the Great). Again the State
expanded and its income, through zakat only, increased, amounting to over two million
riyals. One should also mention the other different sources, especially booty and agricul-
tural as well as animal wealth.
Since ai-Imam Abd el-Aziz was fond of simplicity and asceticism, it is quite likely that
the bath, its annexes and extensions were constructed in the reign of ai-Imam Saud
the Great. He was very particular about cleanliness. The rulers of the regions and
provinces, the delegates and the chiefs of tribes and clans very often came to al-Diriyah
to carry out their aftairs, or visit its rulers to prove their loyalty. So ai-Imam had to build
those buildings to receive those guests and look after them.

When these building have been finally restored - thanks to the great efforts made by the

Assistant Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums - the buildings will become one complete
architectural unit. They will occupy an excellent position; they will be surrounded by the palaces

of the Emirs of ai-Saud in their First State, looking over the green valley, its palm-tree, wells

and charming scenery.

oWl <
- r.J i~ i~~

• •
~
AAAAAA
, I I I .I I
6 6 A 6 .0..0.
AA.o.AOAAAAAAA
J-o)J\ ~}\ - ~I Jil:?.)y.1 0:ykJ\~~~\ ~} rl->JJ ~\ ~\,J\
PROPOSED FINAL CONFIGURATION OF S. ELEVATION.

r--~
A •••••••• ~ •• 6.A •• O

ci

. J-o)J\ ~}I - ~\..u\ o'p~).~~ f llk!

PROPOSED FI AL CONFIGURATION SECTION & W. ELEV
PROPOSED FINAL CONFIGURATION OF NORTH FACADE WITH LONGITUDINAL SECTION
THROUGH THE GUEST HOUSE BEFORE CONSTRUCTION OF EASTERN STAIRCASE.

PROPOSED FINAL CONFIGURATION - LONGITUDINAL SECTION PASSING THROUGH

COLD ROOM (THE RECEPTION) AND GUEST HOUSE.
CROSS SECTION THROUGH SIDING ROOM (MAG LESS)
AND E. ENTRANCE OF ANNEX - FINAL CONFIGURATION
J~\ J'~\Y'
~ "0 _ ".
0.20-025 M
WOOD JOISTS

y.JI J.>.? yo uJ:,

---1 LAYER OF PALM FRONDS
y..J\ ~ yo uJ:,
J~Iyo ..jy\..-,
~ PALM LEAVES
WOOD BEAM
,) . _II ,...l; ) "'"' ~ ..:..>L:.j
\)\ ~lc b}>J.\ ~\ yo uJ:,
( ~ \..:... pJ' ./
CLAYISH MORTAR
STONE COLUMN CAPITAI-
.s~ ,)yJ' ~~0""'W
STONE COLUMN r- CLAYISH MORTAR TOPPING

~)~I~
FLOOR LEVEL ~

\ ,)yo-J \ O.A>-U

.
\ COLUMN
\ BASE
r.

DETAIL OF COLUMN AND ROOF CONSTRUCTION

~~ ~ ~-' (O~)l)\ O~\) J~ 'J\ O~ ~Lu •.::.J\..a.><.lllj i~ -Jl-:JI J>-..lll
o~\ o)J..llIJ)~\ :.r..; ~I ojjl:J\ ..::,;L:J.::l\

The N. entrance of the bath and its annexes; the facade of reception-room (cold room)
with a number of triangular windows decorating the facade; above, the parapet.
Main entrance, to the right, the cold room, and to the left door leading to open court
of guest house.
The remainders of the main N. entrance and the E. wall of the entrance corridor with
a series of triangular windows.
The remainders of the main N. entrance and the E. wall of the entrance corridor with
a series of triangular windows.
o~\ .k...,y ~~:r ;'f';-JLr:\)..G:- Jy- ~L,a_l.IJ (o~)l)\ o~\) J~:1\ o~ J>-oM
. ;jjJ\ i~f ~\ )\~ '-f'f' ~ ili\ .i;iyJ\ ~~ ~J

The entrance to the reception room (cold room) and the mastabas against the walls;
a fragment of a column in the centre of the room. On the corridor wall one sees triangular
windows in triangular shape.
The N. W. corner of the reception-room at the bath; the mastabas are seen built against
the walls with a basin in the corner between them; a part of a column. In the walls
there are rectangularly-shaped windows in different shapes; above, the place where
the ceiling wooden ( tamarisk) logs were put; a spout for the drainage of rain-water;
above, a part of the parapet with two triangles, one above the other.
 ~~j y:>- ':}\ ~..l>-I~ 0~ O)j~ ~ ~ j~ ~~ ~y..) UjJ\ )~\ rY LSyLJ\ ~):-\
-' -
~ ~l5 ~~ ~J\: lft,)j~..) .uy:>-)\j o).;'Jflj .~~ ~ ~l5j o-bU\ ,..:)..:l'll rY ~/'

. ~\ ~ ~\ ~\ 01j-l\

The upper part of the W door with a window having a pointed arch; two windows,
one above the other, a number of pyramidal apertures that were used for ventilation,
lighting and decoration; nearby, a stone slab that was used for supporting the beams
carrying the ceiling.
~}J\ ~\ ~ ~yl\ ~~~..3 i\)-~ J~ ~\ o~ 0o.-.k a.l\ ~ ~yl\

. oLJ\~~~

The basin lying between the two mastabas in the reception-room of the bath; a hole
for the drainage of water.
~)~I lr ~I?f) ~L.alIJ (o.)}.~1 o~l) J~ ~I o~ \).jJ\ ~L:JI
~\JJ\ o~ ~)\ ~ ~y ~L:JI \..L",) uy.:l:-I)ujJ\
.. " .. "

The W. door-way of reception-room (cold room) mastabas and parts of the W. and S.
walls this door-way leads to the warm room through a corridor.
U::':})~~~ )~I \.il O))\.::J.\ ~\ O)y.aJ~ ~..J J~ ':}\o~ ~~\ )~\
<.r~ ~ .,:;\~~11) ~\ ~)) ~~i -.:..jj:>-I

The S. wall of the reception-room; a mastaba against the wall; above, two cupboards
whose wooden lintels and shelves were burnt; two niches with five-centred arches.
~L.al\ ~.15) o~\ ~ ~ ~15 ~\ o~)1\ l:~ ~~..3 .. ~\JJ\ o~\

~~\ 0~ Jl ,-?.:l~,-?..DIUJJ\ ~i5) r\c3-i J.'- ~.:l.:l;J.i 1..1""# o.h..4 ~L5 ~\

The warm room parts of the columns which supported the ceiling of the room, the
mastabas built for the bathers to rest on and the steps they climbed up to the cloak-
room.
O~J~\ oW Jlh ~~ ~i5J ~\ Jl JJrU lr. ~ 015 ~\ r-U\ ~J~J ~I
. o}:J-\
op~

The hot room; the bathing, or diving-tub and a step to help the bather to get into the
tub; another basin opposite to it for cold water, in the hot room.
oJi ~\ ~I o~~ ~ ol)l 0\;>- ~y ~\ l:b .. ~)L:J\ "UL J~'j\ ~y
. ~\ -..jj) ~y ~)11 JJ • ~}J-I 0\j3-1 ~ 4..,~W\ ol)~

The shower corner basin, above the place for a small water tank, the hole seen above
is the end of the water feeding clay pipe.
~Y' Y ~\J ~.))i cJ J:3 ~~..J\-JL...;j\ -:...5)i • ~U\ .u.;J1

.))~\ ~ll~JL.:i- '.1\

The "fire-hosue" (Ar. 'bait ul-nar') a building of burnt bricks, its opening is oblong, with
a pointed arch.
Ji U0\.,J\ -:.r.)~\ J} \..,\..Q..., iJl5 l:?jJl j.;-iJ\ ~y- ~\ ~ \--0 JI 0\.).\ ~~ oW

. yrJ:-1 )~\ ~\ OJ\.., l:?.)\}\ Jl )~~ xlj ~)\ o\.).\ iJ\j>- ~ ~ ~I

The drainage canal beginning underneath the washing-basin which was put on the two
walls to the west of the main cistern; the canal is taking a sloping direction towards
the valley, passing under theS. wall.
JJG.:.:..ra ~U\ o~1 Jl olJI ~y ~l5 ~\ ~I~) ~)\ 0\;l\ ~y
. J L>.A.l1 :..ra ~ Iy

The remains of the main cistern, one can still see opening which furnished the hot
room with water through clay pipes.
The entrance of open court fragments of columns; the rest of a flight of steps leading
up to the Roof.
~}\ r-U\ 4.:\~ GlJ.l5J ~~\ J.LJ ~\ ~\ 0~ lr. ~-' W~\ "L:.A.l\ J>-..Lo
. o.4s-)/\ ..l> \ ~ ~J &-U

The entrance of open court the place of the wooden doorbolt is visible, and so is the
flight of steps leading up to the Roof fragments of a column.
 ~~ ~J o~ J>-..l4 ~J "LaJ ~jJI )~I lr.~ 12 w~\ "L:..J~o~)l1 ~~ ~

6,.;.,.>-)G ~~\J o)~yU ~J ..l>-IJ ~\ ~ ~ uWlj-" ~~ ~~ ;:.I:.4.:l~ u\; ulil1

Fragments of columns in the open court the W, wall of the court with the door-way of
room on both sides of the entrance, apertures with pointed arches, above, a row of
triangles in a horizontal line for lighting, ventilation and decoration.
~ ..w. j~ )~~ ~~j~ ~l-=J\~~j
u w~\ "L:.4.llj ~b o~ ~ J...:')\ ~~\
. opl k....'y' .rG )~~ ~."..~
4~ ~~\ )~ ~ LS ~ ~p\~~\
:.ro ~) 4~ ~j

The door-way between one of the room and the open court: N of it, one sees a cupboard
in the wall with a pointed arch and the remainders of two stone shelves. Beside the
door-way, there is a fragment of a column against the wall and fragments of another
column in the middl~ of the room.
J 4::-,...,1) ~ ~\ ~\Yj ~il>- ~~ o.)j...L.o .)~\ ~j J.J.i,JJ vLolJ-\ ~\
:i......,WL ~~ wL.J\
- -

The jamb carrying the two arches; the opening of the arches is blocked with additional
buildings. On the face of the jamb there is a vertical row of a series of relieved paral-
lelograms.
r-:~I o~ j.rJ1 )J.J-\ ~ l5 .)~\ oift, y.-) lr. ~) j:~ ylJ-\ ~\
0?\ ~\ J~ )..\3:-1 i~\) J~ ~ Iftr j15 J..>.\j ~\ .k.>-
~ 0~ ..:;..;'"j\; ~j

'-?.) I}\ Jl r-:~\ or-::- 0~ ~~ jK"

t:
.'I~·
"

The jamb carrying the two arches whose springs can be seen; the E. wall of service
room with three pierced triangles on one horizontal line, formerly having a five-centered
arch. In front of the wall, on the E. side, there is a place to dump the refuses of the
service-room, in towards the valley.