SCTH announces discovery of historic well in Jeddah

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) has announced the discovery of a 160-year-old well on the premises of a historic mosque in Jeddah.
Archaeological excavations by a commission team specialized in restoration and rehabilitation, working on a project at Memar Mosque, in the heart of historic Jeddah, discovered a well that supplied the mosque with water, as well as an aqueduct that linked Ein Farag water spring with the mosque.
Mohammad Al-Omary, director of SCTH in the Makkah region, said specialists from the archaeological department visited the site. Initially they thought that the well was part of the mosque’s foundation.
“The well is located five meters from the eastern side of Memar Mosque. The team removed the soil from the well and reached water,” he added.
The well, said Al-Omary, has a diameter of 1.6 meters and a depth of 3 meters to the water surface. It is constructed of cut stone, known locally as Al-Manqabi, used to build houses in Jeddah in the past.
“These stones come from the sea shore and its surroundings,” said Al-Omary, adding that the well is linked to a nearby pond used for ablution.
Excavations are in progress and other facilities linked to Memar Mosque may be discovered, said Al-Omary.
As for the Ein Farag Yosr, Al-Omary said that it was one of the basic sources of water feeding the mosque. 
Memar Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Jeddah.

Source : Arab News