Tarut Castle, also known as Tarut Palace, Tarut Fort, Portuguese Fort, or simply "The Fort," is an archaeological site
| Tarout Castle | |
|---|---|
 The north part of the castle, September 2016 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Tarout Island, Qatif |
| Country |  Saudi Arabia |
| Coordinates | 26°34′09″N 50°04′06″E / 26.56917°N 50.06833°E |
situated on a hill in the center of Tarut Island, located southwest of Deira, in the eastern part of Qatif Governorate, Saudi Arabia. The hill, known as Tall Tawt, is estimated to be 5,000 years old. The castle itself is believed to date back to the time of the Uyuni state and was later used as a Portuguese defensive point.[1][2]
The Portuguese renovated the castle in the 16th century, specifically on 29 March 1544 CE (1 Jumada al-Awwal 951 AH), during their occupation of the Arabian Gulf. The fort was constructed on the remains of a temple dedicated to the Phoenician goddess Astarte or Inanna, from whom the name "Tarut Island" is derived. The ruins and foundations of the original temple remain visible beneath the castle.[3][4]
Several statues and pottery pieces dating back to earlier periods have been discovered within Tarut Castle, including artifacts from the Sumer era, the Fatimid Caliphate, and the Dilmun civilization. However, the castle is currently facing several challenges, the structural cracking of its towers, which poses a risk of collapse. Additionally, the drying up of Ain al-Awda, a spring located within the castle, has been attributed to continuous oil extraction in the area. The castle remains closed to the public and is not officially open for visitors or tourists.[5]
Nevertheless, Tarut Castle continues to attract interest from foreign researchers and expeditions, including the Danish archaeological expedition and the renowned researcher Jeffrey Beebe.[6]
- ^ Al-Ansari, Jalal bin Khalid al-Haroon (3-2011). "Tarut Castle". Oasis Magazine. P. 60. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017.
- ^ Tarut. A treasure that holds the secrets of five thousand years: Okaz newspaper Archived August 23, 2017, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Droura, Ali Ibrahim (2001). History of the Portuguese occupation of Qatif 1521-1572. Abu Dhabi: Cultural Center.
- ^ Gurshun, Zakaria (2005). The Ottomans and the House of Saud in the Ottoman Archives (1745-1914). Arabic House of Encyclopedias. Pp. 260. Archived from the original on 2020-03-16.
- ^ "Chapter Three: Monuments and Historic Sites" Chapter Two: Pre-Islamic Monuments". saudiency.net. Encyclopedia of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Archived from the original on 2017-01-31. Accessed on 2017-01-19.
- ^ Today, newspaper. "Today: 'Ain al-Awda' is a tourist attraction facing extinction in Tarut". www.alyaum.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Accessed on 2017-01-19.