User:Jullian93/sandbox

Comments
This will supplement missing information in original wiki post. Still have to fix links and references. Would like feedback on wording :). Also, URL for 3rd reference (Grove Art online) requires a sign in for full text: http://www.oxfordartonline.com/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000058047 so kinda broken? Not sure how to work this. Thoughts? Jullian93 (talk) 21:39, 20 November 2018 (UTC)

Draft Entry for Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi
Oleg Grabar lead an American team to excavate Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi between the years 1964-1971.

The Umayyad Caliphate constructed three enclosures that make up Qasr al-Hayr al-Sharqi: small, large and outer totaling over 7 km. Each enclosure had a different function and contained mudbrick houses lining a stone core. The small enclosure and large enclosure later were the only structures resettled. After the desert castle's initial construction and occupation by the Umayyad caliph, the large and small enclosures were occupied by the Ayyubid dynasty in 12th and 13th century as a caravan stop

The small enclosure was a palace that was reinforced by tower-buttresses and was once a 2 story fort in the shape of a 70m square surrounding a central courtyard and portico.

The large enclosure is also a reinforced square totaling 167 m in length and contains four gates with two tower-buttresses on either side, a mosque, an industrial unit, six dwelling units, an administrative unit and once held the ascription, now lost, of the madina to the caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik.

The outer enclosure is outlined by a 15km long wall and was used for agriculture. It's northern and southern ends are two sluice systems that allows floodwater from Wadi al-Suq to flow through the outer enclosure on the north end and then exit on the southern end.