Marib South Sluice & Southern Oasis Canal (Jannat al-Janub)
مِسْلَّة الجَنوب · South Sluice of Ma'rib · Janubi Sluice · Southern distributary head
Sabaean to Himyarite (7th c BCE–6th c CE)·Sabaean / Himyarite·🇾🇪 Ma'rib Governorate, Balaq Hills, south abutment of Great Dam — Wadi Adhanah, Yemen
About
About Marib South Sluice & Southern Oasis Canal (Jannat al-Janub)
Counterpart to the better-known North Sluice — the Marib South Sluice (Jannat al-Janub) is the Great Dam's southern outlet controlling 22 km of primary canal feeding the larger southern oasis (Jannat al-Janub), 1.5× the northern system. SL BH15°23′S datum — 4 limestone pier sluice 18 m long with vertical slot gates and Himyarite reconstruction inscription Sh 616, alongside 763-m earthen dam southern wing with 12-m rubble core. DAI 1998–2009 documented five building phases from 7th c BCE Sabaean mukarrib foundation to catastrophic Himyarite repair before 575 CE Sayl al-Arim breach (Quran 34:16). South dam retains Himyarite spillway cut in Balaq rock.
Why it mattersLarger southern half of the iconic South Arabian hydraulic state; explains Himyarite breach narrative.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Breach chronology south vs north
Theories
- 01South oasis as Himyarite grain base
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.700 BCE initial, major phases 550 BCE, 350 CE
- Period
- Sabaean to Himyarite (7th c BCE–6th c CE)
- Culture
- Sabaean / Himyarite
- Builders
- Sabaean mukarribs; Himyarite restoration crews (Sharahbi'il Ya'fur)
- Purpose
- Southern oasis flood regulation and distributary control; tribute grain base for Saba
- Abandoned
- 575 CE dam breach
- Rediscovered
- 1843 Arnaud; 1998 DAI south sluice clearance
- Excavation
- Excavated
700 BCE
Earliest southern wing dam and sluice pit
575 CE
Final Himyarite breach recorded Qur'an
On the ground
Structures & features
15.3920° N · 45.2650° E · 1145 m · 2 mapped features
Southern Ashlar Sluice Gate (18 m)
sluice18-m four-pier limestone sluice with Himyarite slots
15.3920° N · 45.2650° EBalaq Rock Spillway Cut
spillwayRock-cut spillway 8 m wide at south abutment in Balaq sandstone
15.3900° N · 45.2670° E