Bahrani Dynasty: Map & History
Al-Ahsa Oasis, also known as al-Ḥasāʾ (الْحَسَا) or Hajar (هَجَر), is an oasis and historical region in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Wikipedia Encyclopedic Compendium
Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
Al-Ahsa Oasis, also known as al-Ḥasāʾ (الْحَسَا) or Hajar (هَجَر), is an oasis and historical region in eastern Saudi Arabia. Al-Ahsa Governorate, which makes up much of the country's Eastern Province, is named after it. The oasis is located about 60 km inland from the coast of the Persian Gulf. Al-Ahsa Oasis comprises four main cities and 22 villages. The cities include Al-Mubarraz and Al-Hofuf, two of the largest cities in Saudi Arabia.
Modern Countries Once Part of Bahrani Dynasty
At its mapped extent, Bahrani Dynasty covered territory in 5 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Kuwait1260–1520 CE · nearly all
- Bahrain1260–1520 CE · nearly all
- Qatar1260–1520 CE · nearly all
- United Arab Emirates1260–1520 CE · a large part
- Saudi Arabia1260–1520 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Bahrani Dynasty's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Bahrani Dynasty in Depth
History
Al-Ahsa has been inhabited since prehistoric times because of its abundance of water in an otherwise arid region. Natural fresh-water springs have surfaced at oases in the region for millennia, encouraging human habitation and agricultural efforts (date palm cultivation especially) since prehistoric times.
The oasis region and specifically the name Hajar (also Hagar, Haǧar) may be related to the Ancient Near East toponym Agarum, mentioned in Dilmunite inscriptions as the original home of their chief deity Inzak. If so, Agarum probably referred to the mainland area of Arabia lying opposite Bahrain. According to the hypothesis, the Dilmun civilization originated at the oases of Eastern Arabia, but later relocated to the isle of Bahrain.
Economy and infrastructure
Al-Ahsa is part of the region known historically for its high skill in tailoring, especially in making bisht, a traditional men's cloak. Al-Ahsa was one of the few areas in the Arabian Peninsula in which rice was grown. In 1938, petroleum deposits were discovered near Dammam, resulting in the rapid modernization of the region. By the early 1960s, oil production levels reached 1 million barrels (160,000 m3) per day. Today, Al-Ahsa is home to the largest conventional oil field in the world, the Ghawar Field.
Al-Ahsa is known for its palm trees and date palms. Al-Ahsa has over 2.5 million palm trees which produce over 100,000 tons of dates every year.
Description
With an area of nearly 85.4 km2 (33.0 sq mi), Al-Ahsa Oasis is the largest oasis in the world. The majority of the oasis is located in the Empty Quarter, also referred to as, Rub' al Khali in Arabic. This covers almost three-quarters of the land in the oasis, while residential areas constitute 18%.
There are more than 2.5 million palm trees including date palms in the oasis, which is fed from a huge underground aquifer and irrigated by the flow of more than 280 artesian springs, allowing year-round agriculture in a region that is otherwise sand desert.
The oasis became a World Heritage site in 2018. It has also been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network since December 2015.
Climate
Al-Ahsa has a hot desert climate (Köppen Climate Classification: BWh), with long, extremely hot summers and short, very mild winters. The oasis has a very low annual precipitation of 83.3 mm (3.28 in), but receives a small amount of rain in winter and spring.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Al-Ahsa Oasis (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Bahrani Dynasty Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Bahrani Dynasty appears, with the other states of the time.
Bahrani Dynasty Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 73,757 km² in 1350 CE.
Bahrani Dynasty: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Bahrani Dynasty exist?
The Bahrani Dynasty is dated to 1260 CE – 1520 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
How large was the Bahrani Dynasty at its peak?
At its peak in 1350 AD the Bahrani Dynasty covered about 73,757 km².
How did the map of the Bahrani Dynasty change over time?
The Bahrani Dynasty appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1300 CE to 1500 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Thanjavur, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi