Fayd Fort is located in Fayd a city located 120 kilometers east of the city of Hail. It is the third city of the old pilgrimage route “Darb Zubaidah”, after Kufa and Basra, and the largest station on the pilgrimage route used by millions of pilgrims for their once-in-a-lifetime Hajj journey to the holy city of Makkah. Saudi archaeologists have recently discovered underground aqueducts dating back to early Islamic period in this area along with bakery ovens, wash basins and a large number of architectural sites. The sites included an ancient mosque dating back to the early Islamic era, in addition to architectural units with several rooms, and architectural details buried between the exterior and interior walls of the fort. A service site for the ancient fort was also uncovered, with bakery ovens and wash basins found in channels that pass through the last underground square. Pottery utensils, and glass, stone and metal pieces were also retrieved. Foundations located in the northern part of the fort were built in regular forms using volcanic stones commonly found in the city. Some architectural forms and objects such as basins were also carved from volcanic rock. The presence of iron residues showed the objects may have been in the manufacture of glass and iron. The fort has been recently renovated but it was not possible to enter when we visited.
