Zafar, Yemen

Ẓafār
ظفار‎
Zafar, Yemen is located in Yemen
Zafar, Yemen
Shown within Yemen
LocationIbb, Yemen
Coordinates14°12′41″N 44°24′31″E / 14.21139°N 44.40861°E / 14.21139; 44.40861
Typesettlement
Length1200 m
Width1000 m
Area110 ha
Height2800 m
History
BuilderHimyarite
Materialstone
Founded2nd? century BCE
Abandoned6th century CE
PeriodsHimyarite
CulturesSouth Arabia
Site notes
Excavation dates1998–2009
ArchaeologistsPaul Yule
Conditionbadly plundered
Ownershippublic
ManagementGOAM
Public accesspresently inaccessible

Ẓafār (Arabic: ظفار), also called Dhafar or Dhofar, is an ancient Himyarite site situated in Yemen, some 130 km south-south-east of today's capital, Sana'a, and c. 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southeast of Yarim. Given mention in several ancient texts, there is little doubt about the pronunciation of the name.[1] Despite the opinion of local patriots in Oman, this site in Yemen is far older than its namesake there.[2] It lies in the Yemeni highlands at some 2800 m. Zafar was the capital of the Himyarites (110 BCE – 525 CE), which at its peak ruled most of the Arabian Peninsula.[3] For 250 years the tribal confederacy and allies' combined territory extended past Riyadh to the north and the Euphrates to the north-east.

  1. ^ Walter W. Müller, Encyclopedia of Islam 11 fasc. 185-186 (2001) 379-380 s.v. Zafar
  2. ^ G. Rex Smith, Ẓafār, Encyclopedia of Islam 11 fasc. 185-186 (2001) 380-381 s.v. Zafar
  3. ^ Paul Yule, Himyar-Spätantike im Jemen/Late Antique Yemen (Aichwald 2007) ISBN 978-3-929290-35-6

© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search