The Saudi capital of Riyadh translates into the gardens. The town, it is believed grew up around an oasis and indeed there is a large wadi to the west of the town. A wadi is a mostly dry lake bed so indeed implies there was once water. Civil engineering has now allowed the area to turn green again thanks to that wonderous resource of modernity that we never run short of; sewage runoff. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
This stamp comes from an earlier period in the development of Wadi Hanifa. It shows dam work designed to control flooding and catch the water from it. It is a good thing to show on a bulk postage stamp. I also like that the King is not there personally taking credit for the expensive development. That would have made it more political in a time of resentment when pan Arabists harbored much resentment against the traditional Monarchies. The stamp just leaves the subtle non political message that things are progressing.
Todays stamp is issue A23, a 50 Piaster, (new currency that year), stamp issued by Saudi Arabia in 1960. It was a 16 stamp bulk postage issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $2.50 used.
Riyadh is first mentioned by Arab chroniclers around 1590 and first became the Saudi capital in 1825. Local folklore has the history going back much further. In the time before Mohammed, the area was fertile with lakes and much rainfall. The area was part of the Al-Yamama Empire. God/Allah became displeased with the rulers of the area and delivered to them the scourges of drought and locusts that forever changed the area.
Well almost. In modern times Riyadh has become a more populous and important city with much revenue to fund development. Riyadh water supply is desalinated water piped in from the Persian Gulf, a distance of almost 300 miles. In 1982, the city built it’s first sewage treatment plant. The runoff from the plant post treatment is directed into the Wadi Hanifa. This turned the area green with several lakes available for recreation. Migratory birds have also shown up. The sewage runoff is enough, 23 million cubic feet a day to allow for the cultivation of date palms and power the largest oil refinery in Saudi Arabia. Under brush has been planted under the treated sewage flows to further clean them naturally.
Turning Riyadh back into a garden has been complicated by the rapid population growth that the city is experiencing. At the time of this stamp in 1960, the population was 150,000. It is now over 5 million.
Well my drink is empty. With the conflict between the withering of climate change and the greening possible from projects like this, it will be interesting to see which side wins out. Come again soon for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2020.