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Dhahab River or Dhahab Valley (Arabic: نهر الذهب or وادي الذهب Gold River or Gold Valley), also in medieval times known as Wadi Butnan (Arabic: وادي بطنان, romanized: Wadī Buṭnān) or Butnan Habib, is an intermittent river and valley in northern Syria. The principal towns in the valley are al-Bab, Bizaah and Tadef.

The river is located on the Aleppo plateau in the eastern part of Aleppo Governorate, 30 km east of Aleppo. It drains the heights north of al-Bab and runs from north to south for about 50 km before terminating at Sabkhat al-Jabbul.

History

During the early Muslim period the Arabic sources referred to the valley as Wadi Butnan (the lowland valley) or Butnan Habib (the lowlands of Habib), after the Muslim commander Habib ibn Maslama al-Fihri, who conquered the area during the early Muslim conquests (630s–640s). The region, located about 30 kilometres (19 mi) east of Aleppo, was part of Jund Qinnasrin (the military district of northern Syria).

The Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik camped in the valley in the winter of 689–690 in preparation of a confrontation with Mus'ab ibn al-Zubayr of Iraq. In 901, it was sacked by the Qarmatians. In 966, it was ravaged by Nikephoros II Phokas. Later on, Kilabi chief Abu Za'ida led a tribal coalition in the region which defeated Seljuk reinforcements to Tutush I who was besieging Aleppo during the reign of Sabiq ibn Mahmud of the Mirdasid dynasty in 1080. However, Seljuk revenge led to the extermination of the Ismaili community. In 1098, it was attacked by the Armenians in the region during the events of the First Crusade. The lord of Tell Bashir, Jocelin, devastated the region in 1125. In 1138, it was occupied by the Byzantine emperor John II Komnenos. It was later captured by Nur ad-Din of the Zengid dynasty.

Dams

Two dams have been constructed on the river, the ʼUm-Julūd Dam and Shabāʼ Dam. Recently water from the Euphrates is being diverted to the river to enhance irrigation in the valley.

References

1. ^ Fishbein 1990, p. 134, note 479.
2. Le Strange, G. (1890). Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500. Quotes from Ad-Dimashqi and Al-Muqaddasi. London: Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. pp. 25–39. OCLC 1004386.
3. Fattori 2013, pp. 117–118.
4. Zakkar 1969, p. 202.
5. Bianquis 2012, p. 121.

Bibliography

• Bianquis, Thierry (2012). "Mirdās, Banū or Mirdāsids". In Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. & Pellat, Ch. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume VII: Mif–Naz. Leiden: E. J. Brill. pp. 115–123. doi:10.1163/1573-3912_islam_SIM_5220. ISBN 978-90-04-09419-2.
• Fattori, Niccolò (June 2013). "The Policies of Nikephoros II Phokas in the context of the Byzantine economic recovery" (PDF). Middle East Technical University.
• Fishbein, Michael, ed. (1990). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume XXI: The Victory of the Marwānids, A.D. 685–693/A.H. 66–73. SUNY Series in Near Eastern Studies. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-0221-4.
• Zakkar, Suheil (1969). The Emirate of Aleppo 392/1002–487/1094 (PDF) (PhD). London: University of London.

v t e Aleppo Governorate
Capital: Aleppo
Mount Simeon District Mount Simeon Subdistrict Aleppo Abtin Assan Ayn al-Kabira Azzan Duwayr al-Zaytun Haddadin Hayyan Hilan Hreibel Kafr Saghir Khan Tuman Maghayer Khan Tuman Maratat al-Muslimiyah al-Muslimiyah al-Muslimiyah al-Shamaliyah Qarras Rasm Assan Saqlaya Siefat Tell Shair Samaan Tell Shughayb al-Dhahabiyah al-Wadihi Tell ad-Daman‎ Subdistrict Tell al-Daman Abu Rweil Ameriyeh Arjel Atshana Sharqiya Atshana Gharbiya Ballas Ballas al-Jadida Batranah Burda Buwaida Saghira Deir Saliba Hmeidi Hober Jubb Aleis Kafr Obeid al-Mintar Mreiqes Oweinat Kabira Rasm al-Mofakker Tabara al-Khusheir Um al-Karamel Haritan Subdistrict Haritan Anadan Babis Bashkoy Hayyan Fah Kafr Bssin Kafr Hamrah Maarat al-Artiq Naqqarin Shaykh Najjar Shaykh Zayat Shamer Yaqed al-Adas Darat Izza Subdistrict Darat Izza Bshantara Basrtun Bishqatin Kafrantin al-Hoteh Hur Injarah Irhab Qabtan al-Jabal al-Sakhriyah Taqad al-Hadher Subdistrict al-Hadher al-Eiss Dalamah Jmeimeh Maryamin Samaan Tell Dadin al-Zirbah Subdistrict al-Zirbah Abad Arada Banes Barnah Barqum Bawabiyah Humayrah Huweir al-Eiss Jazraya Jubb Kas Kassibeh Othmaniya Kabira Rasm al-Eiss Talafeh Tell Allush Tell Hidyah Zitan Ziyara Samaan Zammar Subdistrict Zammar
Azaz District Azaz Subdistrict Azaz al-Fayruziyah Jarez Kafr Kalbin Kafr Khasher Kaljibrin Al-Krum Ma'arin al-Malikiyah Maraanaz Menagh Nayarah Naddah al-Salameh Shamarikh Shamarin Sijaraz Tatiyah Tulayl ash-Sham Yahmul Akhtarin Subdistrict Akhtarin Ablah Aq Burhan Arshaf Bahwartah Baruza Dabiq Dudyan Duweidan Ghaytun Ghurur Ka'ibah Kadrish Qabtan Qar Kalbin Taanah Tal'ar Gharbi Tal'ar Sharqi Tall Battal Tall Tanah Tat Hims Turkman Bareh Ziadiyah Tell Rifaat Subdistrict Tell Rifaat Ahras Deir Jamal Kafr Naseh Kafr Naya Shaykh Issa Tell Jabin Mare' Subdistrict Mare' Fafin Herbel Ma'arat Umm Hawsh Sunbul Talalin Tell Qarah Nubl Subdistrict Nubl Bayanoun Mayer Ratyan al-Zahraa Sawran Subdistrict Sawran Baraghida Bel Duwaybiq Hawar Kilis Ihtaimlat al-Judaydah Kafra Kafr Burayshah Kafr Shoush Murayghil Rael Shuwayrin al-Yaarubiyah al-Yamamah Az-Zahiriyah Zayzafun
Afrin District Afrin Subdistrict Afrin Ain Dara Awlad al-Arab Barad Baselhaya Basuta Basufan Beit Adin Burj Abdullah Inab Kafr Nabu Kalota Kimar Maryamin Oqayba Qibar Bulbul Subdistrict Bulbul Burj Haider Darmashkanli Deir Ballut Fafertin Jalbul Karzahayel Jandairis Subdistrict Jindires Jalamah Kafr Safra Maabatli Subdistrict Maabatli Rajo Subdistrict Rajo Meidan Ekbis Sharran Subdistrict Sharran Qatma Shaykh al-Hadid Subdistrict Shaykh al-Hadid
Atarib District Atarib Subdistrict Atarib al-Abzamo Batibo al-Jinah Ibbin Samaan Subdistrict Ibbin Samaan Kafr Halab Kafr Karmin Kafr Naha Kafr Nasih al-Atarib Kafr Nuran Maarat Atarib Awayjil al-Sahharah al-Shaykh Ali Urum al-Kubra Subdistrict Urum al-Kubra Urum al-Sughra
Ayn al-Arab District Ayn al-Arab Subdistrict Ayn al-Arab al-Farazdaq al-Haqel Jaadat al-Samaawat al-Jalbiyah Subdistrict al-Jalbiyah Jubb Faraj Kabir Mil Qibbah Qinayah Ramilah Ras al-Ayn Qibli Sarrin Subdistrict Sarrin Shuyukh Fawqani Shuyukh Tahtani Subdistrict Shuyukh Tahtani Tell Abyad Tahtani
Al-Bab District Al-Bab Subdistrict al-Bab Abu Jabbar Abu Taltal Ameriyeh Arima Subdistrict Arima Arran Barlahin Bizaah al-Burj Deir Qaq Haddabat Haji Kusa Hezwan Kherbet Kiyar Maran Oweishiyeh Qabbasin Al-Rai Subdistrict Al-Rai Sosyan Tadef Subdistrict Tadef Tell Rahal al-Waqf
Dayr Hafir District Dayr Hafir Subdistrict Dayr Hafir Humaymah Kabirah al-Jabbul Umm el-Marra Kuweires Sharqi Subdistrict Kuweires Sharqi Mazburah al-Raa'i Rasm al-Abed Rasm Harmil al-Imam Subdistrict Rasm Harmil al-Imam Shaykh Ahmad Tell Ayoub
Jarabulus District Jarabulus Subdistrict Jarabulus al-Bir Fawqani al-Bir Tahtani al-Hajaliah al-Haluwaniyah al-Jamel Amarnah Ayn al-Bayda Balaban Dabis Haymar Jarabulus Tahtani Marma al-Hajar Mazaalah Qandariyah Qirata Qirq Maghar Umm Rutha Tahtani Yusuf Bayk Zugharah Ghandoura Subdistrict Ghandoura Al-Kuliya Al-Shahid Al-Qadi Arab Azzah Belis Fursan Jubb al-Dam Lilawa Nabghah Tell Aghbar‎ Tell Hajar Qubbat at-Turkuman al-Suwaydah
Manbij District Manbij Subdistrict Manbij Abu Kahf Subdistrict Abu Kahf Abu Qilqil Subdistrict Abu Qilqil Arab Hassan Kabir Awsajli Kabir Dakhirah Dandaniya Hamir Labidah Hayyah Kabirah Jubb Hamza Al-Khafsah Subdistrict Al-Khafsah Khan al-Humr al-Maamurah al-Mahsanah Khafsah Maskanah Subdistrict Maskanah Mallah Mujammaa Huttin al-Nasiriyah Fawqani Qashlat Yusef Basha Ras al-Ayn al-Bumane' Saan al-Ghazal al-Tadamon Talhuthan Tell Aswad Tell Akhdar Tishrin al-Zahirah Zunqul
As-Safira District As-Safira Subdistrict as-Safira Abu Jurayn al-Safirah Aqrabah Banan Subdistrict Banan al-Hajib Subdistrict al-Hajib Hawwaz Khanasir Subdistrict Khanasir Qulayaa Rasm Al-Nafl al-Samiriyah Tat Tell Aran Subdistrict Tell Aran Tell Hasil Zira'ah

36°21′50″N 37°31′9″E / 36.36389°N 37.51917°E / 36.36389; 37.51917

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