Marib Dam
The Marib Dam (Arabic: سَدّ مَأْرِب Sadd Ma'rib, or سُدّ مَأْرِب Sudd Ma'rib) is a modern dam blocking the wadi or valley of Adhanah (أَذَنَة, also Dhanah ذَنَة) in the Balaq Hills, located in the Ma'rib Governorate in Yemen. The current dam was built in the 1980s and is close to the ruins of the ancient dam, first built in the 8th century BC. It was one of the engineering wonders of the ancient world and a central part of the Sabaean and Himyarite kingdoms around Ma'rib.
سد مأرب | |
Ruins of the Great Dam of Marib (1988) | |
| Location | Marib Governorate, Yemen |
|---|---|
| Region | Arabian Peninsula |
| Coordinates | 15°23′47″N 45°14′37″E |
| History | |
| Founded | 1750BC–1700BC |
| Periods | Ancient Yemen |
| Site notes | |
| Part of | Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv) |
| Reference | 1700 |
| Inscription | 2023 (45th Session) |
| Endangered | 2023–... |
Other important ancient dams in Yemen include the Dam of Jufaynah, the Dam of Khārid, the Dam of Aḑraʾah, the Dam of Miqrān and the Dam of Yathʾān. Historically, Yemen has been recognized for the magnificence of its ancient water engineering. From the Red Sea coast to the limits of the Empty Quarter Desert are numerous ruins of small and large dams made of earth and stone.
In 2023, along with other landmarks of the ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib Dam was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.