Bani Hamida
Encyclopedia
The Bani Hamida were a pastoral-nomadic clan
that controlled a land East of the Dead Sea
before the establishment of the emirate of Jordan
. They were clients of the Beni Sakhr
.
In 1869 members of the Bani Hamadi shattered the recently discovered Moabite Stone
into pieces by lighting a fire under it and then pouring cold water over it. The stele had been found on Bani Hamadi land and in the dispute over ownership several Bani Hamadi were killed. Though many of the fragments were later retrieved, the full text, one of the earliest Hebrew related scripts, is only preserved through a hurried copy made under difficult conditions.
At this time the Bani Hamadi had a reputation for breeding horses: "the best blood horses in Moab
" according to explorer Charles M. Doughty, 1876.
In 1882 Claude R, Condor
describes various small tribes with no superior chief, know collectively as Hameidi, living South of Zerka M'ain
. He writes that they were dependents of the Beni Sakhr
and allied to "the notorious" sheikh Mujelli
of Kerak
. To avoid being "pillaged" Condor recommends only travelling with an escort from the Beni Sakhr and comments that the only hold an explorer might have is the fact that the Hamaidi often carried corn to Jerusalem and they "may be detained by the Turks as hostages". He also calls them "a very degraded and turbulent set".
F.J. Bliss
who visited in March 1895 writes that "the sheikhs of the Hamideh were very civil and anxious to show us all the torn stones which is their phrase covering inscriptions and ornamentation." He was travelling with permission from the Ottoman
authorities who in December 1893 had installed a Governor in Kerak improving security for travellers.
Gray Hill Esq and his wife, also travelling in 1895, met the Hameideh south of Madeba
. This was his fourth attempt to visit Petra
. Five year's earlier the tribe had "harassed" and tried to stop them. In 1891 the Beni Sakhr were fighting the Keraki, in 1893 with the Aenezeh. This time their guide Abu Seyne could not continue due to a blood feud. Hill describes travelling in beautiful spring weather through country green with young corn. At Wadi Waleh they found a "sweet little stream amongst the oleanders" from which their cook caught fish by throwing something into the water which "made them insensible for a brief period". One day's travel from Madeba brought them to Dhiban where there was a military camp. Here the Sheikh of the Hameideh, "who had troubled us in 1890", offered to show an inscription "up a winding valley". After walking "a long way in the hot sun" Hill was shown a flat stone "on which three or four Greek (?) letters appeared". The following night while camped halfway on their journey to Kerak
their tents were fired on by members of the Mujelli tribe. About twenty shots were fired but no-one was hurt. Hill speculates that the attack was to deter them from making claims against the Mujelli for compensation for "their robbery and detention of us in 1890".
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
that controlled a land East of the Dead Sea
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea , also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface. The Dead Sea is deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world...
before the establishment of the emirate of Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. They were clients of the Beni Sakhr
Beni Sakhr
Beni Sakhr is the name of a large Bedouin tribe living in Jordan.In the 19th century, the Beni Sakhr lived as nomads. Their income came from trading camels and from the protection they could give, or refuse to give, to more settled peoples...
.
In 1869 members of the Bani Hamadi shattered the recently discovered Moabite Stone
Mesha Stele
The Mesha Stele is a black basalt stone bearing an inscription by the 9th century BC ruler Mesha of Moab in Jordan....
into pieces by lighting a fire under it and then pouring cold water over it. The stele had been found on Bani Hamadi land and in the dispute over ownership several Bani Hamadi were killed. Though many of the fragments were later retrieved, the full text, one of the earliest Hebrew related scripts, is only preserved through a hurried copy made under difficult conditions.
At this time the Bani Hamadi had a reputation for breeding horses: "the best blood horses in Moab
Moab
Moab is the historical name for a mountainous strip of land in Jordan. The land lies alongside much of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. The existence of the Kingdom of Moab is attested to by numerous archeological findings, most notably the Mesha Stele, which describes the Moabite victory over...
" according to explorer Charles M. Doughty, 1876.
In 1882 Claude R, Condor
Claude Reignier Conder
Claude Reignier Conder was a British soldier, explorer and antiquarian. He was a great-great-grandson of Louis-François Roubiliac....
describes various small tribes with no superior chief, know collectively as Hameidi, living South of Zerka M'ain
Zarqa River
The Zarqa River is the second largest tributary of the lower Jordan River, after the Yarmouk River. It is the third largest river in the region by annual discharge, and its watershed encompasses the most densely populated areas east of the Jordan River...
. He writes that they were dependents of the Beni Sakhr
Beni Sakhr
Beni Sakhr is the name of a large Bedouin tribe living in Jordan.In the 19th century, the Beni Sakhr lived as nomads. Their income came from trading camels and from the protection they could give, or refuse to give, to more settled peoples...
and allied to "the notorious" sheikh Mujelli
Majali
Majali is a prominent Jordanian surname. Family members have long served both the Ottoman Turks and the Hashemite family that has ruled Jordan since 1921 and have occupied senior positions in the government and military...
of Kerak
Kerak
Kerak Castle is a large crusader castle located in Kerak in Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.Construction of the castle began in the 1140s, under Pagan, the butler of Fulk of Jerusalem. The Crusaders called it Crac des Moabites or "Karak in Moab", as it is frequently...
. To avoid being "pillaged" Condor recommends only travelling with an escort from the Beni Sakhr and comments that the only hold an explorer might have is the fact that the Hamaidi often carried corn to Jerusalem and they "may be detained by the Turks as hostages". He also calls them "a very degraded and turbulent set".
F.J. Bliss
Frederick Jones Bliss
Frederick Jones Bliss was an American archaeologist. After training under Flinders Petrie in Egypt, Bliss became involved with the Palestine Exploration Fund working in the field of Biblical archaeology at the site of Tell el-Hesi between 1894 and 1897, while cuncurrently leading an expedition...
who visited in March 1895 writes that "the sheikhs of the Hamideh were very civil and anxious to show us all the torn stones which is their phrase covering inscriptions and ornamentation." He was travelling with permission from the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
authorities who in December 1893 had installed a Governor in Kerak improving security for travellers.
Gray Hill Esq and his wife, also travelling in 1895, met the Hameideh south of Madeba
Madaba
Madaba , is the capital city of Madaba Governorate of Jordan, which has a population of about 60,000. Madaba is the fifth most populous town in Jordan. It is best known for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of The Holy Land...
. This was his fourth attempt to visit Petra
Petra
Petra is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma'an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited...
. Five year's earlier the tribe had "harassed" and tried to stop them. In 1891 the Beni Sakhr were fighting the Keraki, in 1893 with the Aenezeh. This time their guide Abu Seyne could not continue due to a blood feud. Hill describes travelling in beautiful spring weather through country green with young corn. At Wadi Waleh they found a "sweet little stream amongst the oleanders" from which their cook caught fish by throwing something into the water which "made them insensible for a brief period". One day's travel from Madeba brought them to Dhiban where there was a military camp. Here the Sheikh of the Hameideh, "who had troubled us in 1890", offered to show an inscription "up a winding valley". After walking "a long way in the hot sun" Hill was shown a flat stone "on which three or four Greek (?) letters appeared". The following night while camped halfway on their journey to Kerak
Kerak
Kerak Castle is a large crusader castle located in Kerak in Jordan. It is one of the largest crusader castles in the Levant.Construction of the castle began in the 1140s, under Pagan, the butler of Fulk of Jerusalem. The Crusaders called it Crac des Moabites or "Karak in Moab", as it is frequently...
their tents were fired on by members of the Mujelli tribe. About twenty shots were fired but no-one was hurt. Hill speculates that the attack was to deter them from making claims against the Mujelli for compensation for "their robbery and detention of us in 1890".