Jabal Shammar

A mountainous region in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Named for the Shammar tribal confederation, Jabal Shammar consists of the Aja Mountains, which are mainly granite; the basaltic Salma Mountains; the high sand dunes of al-Nafud; and scattered oases. A mixed economy of pastoral nomadism, oasis agriculture, and urban crafts and trade prevailed until the modern era. The region's principal city, the oasis of Hʾil, has been for centuries an important stopping place for persons traveling between the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and the towns and cities of Iraq and Iran. Hail continues to be an important regional center of transportation, commerce, and administration, as well as one of the principal agricultural areas in Saudi Arabia.

Bibliography

Al Rasheed, Madawi. Politics in an Arabian Oasis: The RashidiTribal Dynasty. New York and London: I.B. Tauris, 1991.

Vassiliev, Alexei. The History of Saudi Arabia. New York: New York University Press, 2000.

— ELEANOR ABDELLA DOUMATO
UPDATED BY ANTHONY B. TOTH