QASR ASEIKHIN

On the road to As-Safawi is this small fort with walls of large black basalt blocks. Located at the top of a hill, it can be spotted from afar and is only accessible by a 4x4 off-road trip. Qasr Aseikhin offers little to see, except a breathtaking view of the surrounding desert plains. No inscriptions have been found on the site, which makes it even more difficult for historians, who nevertheless agree that the fortress was built by the Nabataeans in the first century and then rebuilt by the Romans in the third century, who used it to protect the eastern border of the Empire. The site was later occupied by the Umayyads. But no dating can be established with certainty and archaeologists have not yet taken any real interest in this castle. The problem of bringing fresh water to the site probably explains why this fort did not enjoy the splendor of other castles. The remains of a mosque can still be clearly seen along the eastern wall of the fort. It was accessed through two independent entrances located to the north and east. The foundations of the minaret are also visible. It seems that the mosque has been rebuilt. The large number of stones scattered on the ground suggests that the castle was excavated by looters. Indelicate, they would have even used bulldozers to facilitate their research. Did they find any treasure? History does not say so...