Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/136

 limestone, about forty centimeters broad, forms the remains of each wall on the surface. Around the fortress there is an abundant growth of dûm palms.

In the oasis of al-Bedʻ we found four settlements. The most ancient one seemed to me to be al-Malḳaṭa; the next oldest, the settlement to the south of Ḥawra; and the most recent, al-Mâlḥa and al-Birǧ. Ḥawra is certainly of Nabataean origin.

According to the Arabic and classical authors, this oasis is identical with ancient Madian, the Madjan of the Arabic authorities.