Dhi Ayn, Al-Baha region

Dhi Ayn or Zee Ain village (Arabic: قرية ذي عين) is a heritage village in Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia. It is among the most important traditional villages in Al-Baha region, and it was built on a mountain top featuring a unique urban heritage organization and environmental configuration and its picturesque view towards the surrounding farms that includes 312 houses, and one mosque. The houses were built from polished stones, with multiple floors from two to four floors that are similar in terms of planning, dating back to the end of the 10thcentury AH/8th century CE. The village of Dhi Ain is sometimes known as "marble village" as it is built on a small marble mountain. The grove of palm trees is lush due to a small stream nearby. The villagers say that the marble village glows at sunset. The village is further characterized by the presence of a permanent water source and defensive fortification surrounded by mountains on three sides. It also has a steep escarpment road, running into and out of tunnels on the way up and down. Dhi 'Ain was famous for its fruits and banana plantations which still grow there.^[1]

The village was named after a water spring continuously flowing from the nearby mountains to several reservoirs and each particular pond has its own name. There is a local legend that talks about a man lost his cane in one of the valleys, and to retrieve it he tracked it until he reached the village, he gathered its inhabitants and retrieved his cane after digging the spring.

"Even the road that leads to the (Dhee Ayn) village is impressive, and several historical stone and slate towers dot the way. Al-Bahah Region is known as the region of 1001 towers, once built to protect villages, roads and plantations from rivalling tribes. Today, these towers are abandoned, and many of them are partially or completely in ruins."^[2]

Location

Zee Ain is an archaeological village located in Tehamat Zahran about 20 kilometers from Al-Makhwat province and 24 kilometers southwest of al-Baha across 'Aqabat al-Baha, also known as Aqbat King Fahad. It was developed in the 10th century AH/8th century CE making it more than 400 years old. The village was built on the summit of a White Mountain famous for the cultivation of banana, lemon, pepper, basil and Kadi, and handicrafts. The village has many two to four floors houses and a small mosque and many forts used to defend and survey the village

History

The village dates back about 400 years. The village witnessed many tribal battles before the Kingdom’s unification by King Abdul Aziz. It witnessed the battles between the Ottoman Turks and its inhabitants. The most important of these battles suffered by the region is when the tribes of Zahran and Ghamd met with the Turkish army lead by Muhammad Ali Pasha that ended with the defeat of the Turks; their burial place is known as "the Turks graves".

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