Hajr
Hajr (Arabic: حَجْر, romanized: Ḥajr), also known as Hajr al-Yamamah (Arabic: حَجْر اليَمامَة, romanized: Ḥajr al-Yamāmah) or Khadra Hajr, was an ancient city founded by the Hanifites that roughly emerged in 5th century pre-Islamic Arabia and existed until 16th century in the south-eastern outskirts of modern-day Riyadh in Najd region of present-day Riyadh Governorate, Saudi Arabia.
حَجْر اليَمامَة | |
Location of Hajr in al-Yamama region | |
| Location | Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia |
|---|---|
| Region | West Asia |
| History | |
| Builder | Tasm and Jadis (folklore) Hanifites |
| Founded | Upper Paleolithic period |
| Abandoned | 16th century AD; disintegrated into various towns which later became part of Old Riyadh |
Hajr was the seat of the historical al-Yamama region until 866 AD when the Ukhaydhirites seceded the area from the control of the Abbasids and shifted their capital to al-Kharj. Consequently, Hajr underwent severe economic and political decline due to prolonged droughts besides simultaneously being gripped in feudalistic conflicts with its neighbors such as Diriyah and Manfuhah. Hajr subsequently witnessed gradual fragmentation and disintegration and eventually got succeeded by various rival towns such as Migrin (or Miqrin) and Miʼkal by the end of 16th century, though the name Hajr continued to appear in local folk poetry.