Home

AlYamama

AlYamama, also spelled al-Yamama, is a historical region in central Arabia, traditionally identified with the Najd and centered on the area around present-day Riyadh. The name derives from the Arabic yamama, meaning "doves" or "pigeons," though the exact origin of the toponym is uncertain.

Geographically, it encompasses the central plateau of the Arabian Peninsula, with the core area around Diriyah,

Historically, Yamama was home to various tribal groups and played a strategic role in trade routes and

Today, the term AlYamama is chiefly used in historical and geographic contexts. In modern Saudi Arabia, the

the
historical
capital
of
the
First
Saudi
State,
and
surrounding
valleys
and
oases;
its
boundaries
varied
across
periods
and
sources.
political
rivalries
in
the
pre-Islamic
and
early
Islamic
periods.
In
the
18th
century,
the
region
became
a
political
center
under
the
Wahhabi
movement
and
the
First
Saudi
State,
with
Diriyah
as
a
base;
after
the
collapse
of
that
state,
the
region
remained
influential
and
was
reconstituted
within
the
modern
state
of
Saudi
Arabia
in
the
20th
century.
area
corresponds
largely
to
parts
of
the
Riyadh
Province
and
adjacent
districts.
Diriyah,
a
site
of
historical
importance
within
AlYamama,
is
a
UNESCO
World
Heritage
Site
and
a
symbol
of
the
region's
historical
heritage.