Naw Gird/Hadītha

Hadītha was the most important city in the Central Tigris part of the province. The original Sasanian foundation Naw Gird was re-founded in the Umayyad period under a new name, witnessed a period of prosperity in the ninth and tenth centuries and was eventually abandoned during the twelfth century.

The unfortified city occupied an extensive (308 ha), densely built-up strip, adjacent to the terrace edge of the eastern bank of the River Tigris, situated between the present-day villages of Tell al-Sha‛īr and Sultān ‛Abd Allāh. Two monumental buildings, probably an Umayyad congregational mosque and an episcopal church founded in the beginning of the 7th century, are identifiable in the mostly orthogonal street pattern of the town centre. One large residential compound (the residence of a high-ranking army officer?) and at least twelve quadrilateral and fortified, qibla oriented, elevated residences (qusūr) are visible in the east and south peripheries of the city.

The southern fringe of the urban area was used as a large cemetery. The ‛Abd Allāh Shrine, a popular site of pilgrimage, was built there in the thirteenth century AD, probably after the abandonment of the city. The shrine was blown up by Daesh (ISIS) in July 2014.