The traditional palm houses of Al-Ula Governorate

Samar Mohammad Alnowfal

Saudi Arabia

This study aims to highlight the roles played by historical and social factors and the residents’ economic activities in the emergence of the construction of palm houses in Al-Ula Governorate by identifying raw materials, examining and documenting the types of houses built using palm trees, and monitoring traditional terms.

For this study, the historical, descriptive and comparative approaches were used to document traditional palm houses in Al-Ula and to identify their historical roots in order to preserve our country's traditional heritage.

The study found that the palm homes in Al-Ula have ancient roots owing to the profusion of palm trees since ancient times and to Al Ula's wells and springs. Palm houses can be found in both the old town (Al-Deira), which dates back over 700 years, and the farms.

As residents of Al-Deira relocated to their fields in the summer, local customs and social legacies contributed to an increase in the construction of palm houses. We discovered three types of buildings: mud houses, various pergolas (Ishah) and sheds, which were built on for added protection.

The study's most significant recommendations are that graduate students should conduct more folklore research in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discover the forms and local features that distinguish each region's cultural heritage.