Qasr Burqu

Qasr Burqu' stands in the black basalt desert of the far east, a tower and enclosure built in stages from the Roman period through a Ghassanid and Umayyad phase, beside a dam that holds a lake through part of the year in country where nothing else does. The water draws birds and Bedouin herds. Getting there means a long drive across trackless desert with a guide who knows the route.

History

Ghadir Burqu has been lived in since prehistoric times, and in the Late Neolithic, around the 7th to 6th millennium BC, nomadic herders pastured sheep and goats by the lake. A Roman fort stood here, then a Byzantine monastery, and around 700 al-Walid I, still an emir rather than caliph, built or repaired a palace complex on the site (Wikipedia, Qasr Burqu').

What to look for

• The tower - the black basalt structure built in stages over several periods.
• The dam and lake - the water held through part of the year in open desert.
• The birds - the species drawn to the only standing water for a long way.
• The basalt desert - the black stone country the site stands in.

When to go

March to April and October to November are the workable months. The lake is fullest in late winter and spring. Summer heat is extreme and dangerous.

Good to know

This is a full desert expedition with no roads, fuel or water; a guide who knows the route is essential. The site is unfenced and uninterpreted. Summer conditions here are life-threatening without preparation.

Nearby

Ruwaished is southwest, and Azraq is far west.

Key facts