Al-Qarah
{{Short description|A village in Al ahsa , Eastern Province , Saudi Arabia}}
{{About|the village in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia|the nearby mesa|Al-Qarah Mountain (Saudi Arabia)}}
{{Coord|25|24|35.97|N|49|41|18.77|E|region:SA_type:city|display=title}}
Al-Garah ({{langx|ar|قَرْيَة ٱلْقَارَة|Qaryat Al-Qārah}}) is a village in Al-Ahsa, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It known for its small mountain, and is one of Al-Ahsa Oasis' eastern villages and is located about {{convert|10|km|mile|abbr=on}} northeast of the center of Al-Hofuf, {{cvt|140|km}} southwest of Dammam, and {{cvt|300|km}} east of Riyadh.{{Cite web |url=https://www.worldngayon.com/2018/09/al-qarah-caves/ |title=Al Qarah Caves: Amazing narrow canyons and nature's fascinating views |last=Agron |first=Edmon |date=1 September 2018 |website=eVolved |access-date=1 September 2018}}
Jabal Al-Qarah
{{Main|Al-Qarah Mountain (Saudi Arabia)}}
File:Path to Jabal AlGara Caves.JPG
Jabal Al-Qarah is a mesa that stands about {{convert|75|m}} high, with a maximum elevation of {{convert|225|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level. It has many caves with very cool air inside. Unlike many caves, these were formed by subaerial weathering rather than dissolution, and as a result have a highly distinctive shape. The mountain attracts many people especially from nearby villages, and has been targeted for additional touristic development.{{Cite web |author=Sultan Al-Sughair
|date= February 2015|url=https://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/697836|title=Hofuf's Al-Qarah village to be developed |magazine=Arab News}} Although there are no other hills for a considerable distance,{{Cite magazine |magazine=Ceramics Monthly |title=An Arabian Cave Potter |author=Erik Mandaville |url=https://ceramicartsnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/06/Ceramics_Monthly_may88_cei0588d.pdf |date=May 1988 |pages=36–39}} Jabal Al-Qarah is an outlier of the larger Shedgum Plateau.
The caves, which include 28 tall linear passageways totaling {{convert|1.5|km}} in length, have long been a site of commerce.{{Cite journal|date=April 2006|journal=Journal of Cave and Karst Studies |author1=Mahbub Hussain |author2=Fadhel Al-Khalifah |author3=Nazrul Islam Khandaker |title=The Jabal Al Qarah Caves of the Hofuf Area, Northeastern Saudi Arabia: A geological investigation |pages=12–21 |url=https://caves.org/pub/journal/PDF/V68/v68n1-Hussain.pdf |volume=68 |issue=1 |access-date=2017-12-04}} Some caves of Jabl Al-Garah have traditionally been the site of the workshops of local traditional potters, who are known for the quality of their wares.{{Cite magazine |date=October 1961 |url=https://archive.aramcoworld.com/issue/196108/the.potter.s.of.al-qarah.htm |magazine=Saudi Aramco World |title=The Potters of al-Qarah}}
A plaque about the mountain and a parking lot near the main access trail is at {{Coord|25.411509|49.692755|type:landmark_region:SA}}.
References
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See also
{{Saudi Arabia topics}}