The Roles Played by Shunat al-Ghalal in al-Qusayr through the Documents of the Ottoman Archives and the Egyptian House of Documentation (an analytical study)

Abstract

: Shunat al-Ghalal (Storeroom of the grains) is considered one of the important archaeological landmarks within the city of Qusayr, in the Red Sea Governorate. It was constructed during the Ottoman era. The research aims at conducting a comprehensive analysis on the roles that Shunat al-Ghalal has played throughout its history in Qusayr." Through analyzing the documents of the Ottoman archives and the Egyptian House of Documentation, the study reveals that Shunat al-Ghalal in Qusayr served two pivotal roles. Initially, it functioned as a vital grain storehouse, strategically storing grains sourced from Upper Egypt during a period when Egypt held a pivotal position as a grain exporter to the Hijaz. Moreover, the research also unveils that Shunat al-Ghalal played a crucial role as a health quarantine facility during the cholera epidemic outbreak where Muhammad Ali Pasha added some buildings to the Shunet al-Ghalal building in Qusayr so that these buildings could be used as quarantine rooms.