# Qasr Burqu'

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{{short description|Archaeological site in the desert of Jordan}}
{{Infobox building
| name             = Qasr Burqu'
| image            = Qasr_Burqu_2014.jpg
| caption          = Qasr Burqu' from the south
| pushpin_map         = Jordan
| coordinates      = {{Coord|32.608436|N|37.96237|E|type:_region:|display=inline,title}}
| location_town    = [Al Mafraq Governorate](/source/Al_Mafraq_Governorate)
| location_country = [Jordan](/source/Jordan)
| architect        = 
| construction_start_date = 707
| completion_date  = 715
| demolished_date  = 
| cost             = 
| structural_system = 
| architectural_style            = [Umayyad](/source/Umayyad_architecture)
| size             = 
| material         = basalt
}}
'''Qasr Burqu'''' is a set of [ruins](/source/ruins) and an [archaeological site](/source/archaeological_site) in the [''badia''](/source/Badia_(region)) of eastern [Jordan](/source/Jordan) and is the site of one of the earliest of the [Umayyad](/source/Umayyad) [desert castles](/source/desert_castles).

==Background==
{{main|Desert castles}}

Under the [Umayyad Caliphate](/source/Umayyad_Caliphate), nobles and wealthy families belonging to the [Umayyad dynasty](/source/Umayyad_dynasty) erected new complexes or adapted preexisting ones for a multitude of purposes, many being suggested: to control the roads, monitor and tax the [seasonal movement](/source/Transhumance) of people and their [livestock](/source/livestock), impress travellers and local tribes, establish nuclei for the development of new cities, develop agriculture in semi-arid areas, and enjoy desert retreats for relaxation and hunting (see [Desert castles](/source/Desert_castles)).

==History==
Ghadir Burqu ({{langx|ar|غدير البرقع}}) has been occupied since prehistoric times, with archaeological surveys documenting sites dating to the [Epipalaeolithic](/source/Epipalaeolithic_Near_East), [Early Neolithic](/source/Pre-Pottery_Neolithic), and [Late Neolithic](/source/Late_Neolithic) periods.<ref name="Betts1">Betts, A.V. G. (ed), ''The Harra and the Hamad: Excavations and Explorations in Eastern Jordan,'' Sheffield Academic Press, Sheffield, UK, Chapter 1</ref> The most substantial prehistoric remains are from the Late Neolithic period ({{circa}} 7th–6th millennium BCE), when the lake was used by nomadic herders to pasture flocks of sheep and goat, probably in the summer months when water was scarce elsewhere.<ref name="Betts1"/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=BETTS |first1=Alison V.G. |title=The Neolithic Sequence in the East Jordan "Badia". A Preliminary Overview |journal=Paléorient |date=1993 |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=43–53 |doi=10.3406/paleo.1993.4582 |jstor=41492534 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41492534 |issn=0153-9345|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=McCartney |first1=Carole J. |title=Preliminary Report of the 1989 Excavations at Site 27 of the Burquc/Ruweishid Project |journal=Levant |date=1 January 1992 |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=33–54 |doi=10.1179/007589192790218264 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/007589192790218264 |issn=0075-8914|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Betts |first1=A. V. G. |title=The Later Prehistory of the Badia: Excavations and surveys in Eastern Jordan |date=2013 |publisher=Oxbow Books |location=Oxford |isbn=9781842174739}}</ref>

Archaeological excavations reveal that a Roman fort was established on the site and a monastery was built there during the Byzantine period.<ref>Barker, G. and Gilbertson, D., ''The Archaeology of Drylands: Living at the Margin,'' Routledge, 2003, pp 94-96; Bowersock, G.W., ''Roman Arabia,'' Harvard University Press, 1994, p. 99</ref> It became an Umayyad castle complex in around 700 CE when [al-Walid I](/source/al-Walid_I), who was still [emir](/source/emir), rather than [caliph](/source/caliph), either built it, or repaired existing structures to form a new palace complex.<ref>Fowden, G., ''Qusayr 'Amra: Art and the Umayyad Elite in Late Antique Syria,'' University of California Press, 2004 p. 289</ref>

Qasr Burqu' is one of the earliest of the Umayyad [desert castles](/source/desert_castles) in Jordan.<ref name=Helms>Helms, S., "A New Architectural Survey of Qaṣr Burquʽ, Eastern Jordan", Vol. 71, September 1991, pp 191-215; Helmes, S., "A New Architectural Survey of Qasr Burqu', Eastern Jordan, ''The Antiquaries Journal,'' Volume 71, [Oxford University Press], 1991, pp 191-193</ref>

==Location and description==
Although it is often described as one of the Umayyad desert castles, Svend Helms notes "it is neither a castle, nor is it in the desert" and most of the structures predate the Umayyad Caliphate.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Helms|first=Svend|year=1991|title=A New Architectural Survey of Qaṣr Burquʽ, Eastern Jordan|url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antiquaries-journal/article/div-classtitlea-new-architectural-survey-of-qar-burqu-eastern-jordandiv/7EDBBA3675EDEED8690B52B81187D153|journal=The Antiquaries Journal|volume=71|pages=191–215|doi=10.1017/S000358150008687X|s2cid=161856931 |issn=1758-5309|url-access=subscription}}</ref> It counts as one of the lesser desert castles in Jordan.<ref>Kennedy & Riley, pp. 8-9</ref>
thumb|left|Qasr Burqu' from the inside

Qasr Burqu' is located in the far northeast of Jordan and is one of a number of Umayyad desert castles in the semi-arid region. It is situated in the [black basalt desert](/source/Harrat_al-Sham), about 100&nbsp;km east of ad-Diyatheh, 70&nbsp;km south-east of an-Namara, and about 2&nbsp;km from the Wadi Minqat, which holds water from the winter rains.<ref>Cameron, A. and King, G. R.D., "Land Use and Settlement Patterns." in ''Papers of the Second Workshop on Late Antiquity and Early Islam'', Darwin Press, 1994, p. 54</ref> It sits on the edge of an oasis formed on the edge of a basalt region in eastern Jordan.<ref>Helmes, S., "A New Architectural Survey of Qasr Burqu', Eastern Jordan, ''The Antiquaries Journal,'' Volume 71, [Oxford University Press], 1991, pp 191-193</ref> The site was important due to its natural shallow basin, which collected rain waters in ponds.<ref name="Kennedy & Riley, p. 71">Kennedy & Riley, p. 71</ref> Various water-catchment systems, of uncertain origin and unknown date, have been added to the site over time, in order to sustain larger populations that may have lived in the area at different times.<ref>Barker & Gilbertson, pp. 97-99; Kennedy & Riley, p. 71</ref>

thumb|Qasr Burqu from the air, c. 1932.

The site's most significant surviving structure is a 5-metre tower, probably of Roman origin, and originally estimated to have been 13 metres in height.<ref>Barker & Gilbertson, p. 96</ref> The early Islamic palace complex was constructed around the Roman tower.<ref name="Kennedy & Riley, p. 71"/>

The enclosures are constructed of basalt, and were used to pen animals by nomadic peoples attracted to the location to water their herds.<ref>Kennedy & Riley, p. 72</ref> Rock-carved inscriptions show that Bedouin tribes used the site as a seasonal encampment each spring throughout the Medieval period.<ref>Winnett, F.V. and Harding, G.L., ''Inscriptions from Fifty Safaitic Cairns'', University of Toronto Press, 1978, p. 25; Jamme, A., "Inscriptions from Fifty Safaitic Cairns," in Niditch, S., ''Incantation Texts and Formulalc Language: A New Etymology for hwmry'', p. 478</ref>

== Conservation and tourism ==

The [Burqu Nature Reserve](/source/Burqu_Nature_Reserve), a 900&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> [protected area](/source/nature_reserve) centred on Burqu', was established by the [Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature](/source/Royal_Society_for_the_Conservation_of_Nature) (RSCN) in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Namrouqa |first1=Hana |title=Burqu nominated for consideration as nature reserve |url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/burqu-nominated-consideration-nature-reserve |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=Jordan Times |date=10 October 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=RSCN announces establishment of Burqu Nature Reserve {{!}} RSCN |url=https://www.rscn.org.jo/rscn-announces-establishment-burqu-nature-reserve |website=Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature |access-date=6 April 2021 |date=2020-12-20 |archive-date=2021-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121014917/https://www.rscn.org.jo/rscn-announces-establishment-burqu-nature-reserve |url-status=dead }}</ref> The RSCN hopes to encourage [ecotourism](/source/ecotourism) in the area,<ref>{{cite web |title=Nature abounds: Ecotourism is one of the most promising growth niches |url=https://oxfordbusinessgroup.com/analysis/nature-abounds-ecotourism-one-most-promising-growth-niches |publisher=Oxford Business Group |access-date=6 April 2021 |language=en |date=19 July 2012}}</ref> opening an [eco hotel](/source/eco_hotel) near Qasr Burqu'<ref>{{cite news |title=Giordania, un ecolodge nella riserva naturale di Burqu |url=https://www.ttgitalia.com/stories/internazionale/167305_giordania_un_ecolodge_nella_riserva_naturale_di_burqu/ |date=2021-03-10 |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=TTG Italia}}</ref> and promoting it together with [Azraq Wetland Reserve](/source/Azraq_Wetland_Reserve) and [Shaumari Wildlife Reserve](/source/Shaumari_Wildlife_Reserve) as part of the "Eastern Badia Trail".<ref>{{cite web |title=Jordan's Eastern Badia Trail (JEBT) |url=https://www.wildjordan.com/eco-tourism-section/jordans-eastern-badia-trail-jebt |website=Wild Jordan |access-date=6 April 2021 |archive-date=12 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412060119/http://wildjordan.com/eco-tourism-section/jordans-eastern-badia-trail-jebt |url-status=dead }}</ref> Previously, the site was not well-known and difficult to access, being located nearly 20&nbsp;km from the nearest paved road.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Khammash |first1=Ammar |title=THE CASTLE BY THE LAKE |url=https://www.khammash.com/research/castle-lake |access-date=6 April 2021 |work=The Jordan Times Weekender |date=2002}}</ref>

{{Commons category}}

==See also==
* [Harrat al-Sham](/source/Harrat_al-Sham) (Black Desert), the volcanic landscape and region it is part of
* [Islamic art](/source/Islamic_art)
* [Islamic architecture](/source/Islamic_architecture)

* [List of castles in Jordan](/source/List_of_castles_in_Jordan)

* [Jordanian art](/source/Jordanian_art)
* [Umayyad architecture](/source/Umayyad_architecture)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://acor.digitalrelab.com/index.php?s=filter=place_name:Qasr%20Burqu%27%20(Jordan) Photos of Qasr Burqu'], The American Center of Research
*[https://www.manar-al-athar.ox.ac.uk/pages/search.php?search=%21collection4919 Photos of Qasr Burqu'] at the [Manar al-Athar](/source/Manar_al-Athar) photo archive

{{Umayyad Desert Castles}}

Category:Desert castles in Jordan
Category:8th-century establishments in the Umayyad Caliphate
Category:Epipalaeolithic

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Qasr Burqu'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_Burqu') by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_Burqu'?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.