RIYADH: Al-Masani, a historic settlement south of Riyadh, lies along Wadi Hanifah, whose waters branch west and east to irrigate palm groves and agricultural lands with centuries-old roots. 

The area is also fed by Wadi Namar, which meets with Wadi Hanifah at Al-Masani's northern edge, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday. 

To the south, Wadi Hanifah joins Wadi Al-Wutar, also known as Al-Batha, forming a 3-km stretch.

Historians trace the name “Al-Masani” to “masani al-ma” (water conduits), the plural of “sana,’” referring to irrigation channels that once supplied palm orchards. 

The settlement’s antiquity is supported by accounts from Al-Ḥasan Al-Hamdani, the 10th-century Yemeni scholar, who identified it as “the settlement of Dhur bin Razzah from Bakr bin Wa’il tribe.” 

The geographer Yaqut Al-Hamawi later classified Al-Masani among communities that lay outside Khalid bin Al-Waleed’s treaty with Bani Hanifah in the early second decade of the Islamic calendar.

British historian J. G. Lorimer described the settlement as being located on both banks of the valley, where groundwater lies close to the surface. He noted that the area supported common fruit varieties, grain crops, and about 10,000 date palms, with Al-Masani’s gardens adjoining those of Manfuhah.

Among the site’s most significant archaeological features is a stone dam spanning Wadi Hanifah, believed to be about 700 years old. Locally known as Al-Arras, after the cylindrical stones embedded in its structure, the dam stands about 4 meters high, 3 meters thick, and stretches nearly 150 meters across the valley.

The dam has undergone several restoration campaigns, including major renovations during the reign of King Abdulaziz in 1904.

Today, the surrounding area includes a recreational zone featuring a lake about 2-meters deep and covering 10,000 sq m, alongside 4.5 km of walking trails, seating areas and extensive native vegetation, including mature date palms.

Riyadh history scholar Dr. Rashid Al-Asaker said: “Al-Masani represents an ancient community settled by Bani Hanifah, Dhur bin Razzah, and additional tribes. It became a favored getaway for rulers Turki bin Abdullah, Faisal bin Turki, Abdulrahman bin Faisal, and King Abdulaziz— may God grant them mercy —drawn by its fruit orchards and vegetable cultivation. 

“They maintained waqf palm estates yielding diverse date harvests. The dam occupies the southern sector.”

According to Al-Asaker, British explorer John Philby documented King Abdulaziz’s direct involvement with residents during the dam’s reconstruction in 1904.

Today, Al-Masani lies south of the Southern Ring Road near Al-Shifa neighborhood. Once an independent village, it has since been absorbed into Riyadh’s urban expansion, becoming part of the modern city while retaining its historical significance.