The palace of Ukhaiḍir was practically unknown until the winter of 1908-9, although it had been seen by European travellers as early as the seventeenth century. Della Valle passed by it in June 1625 on his way from Baṣrah to Aleppo, and described it as ‘a great ancient fabric, perfectly square, with thirteen pilasters or round columns on each side without, and other compartments of arches; within which were many chambers, with a court of no great bigness and uncovered. The Arabians call this fabric Casr Chaider. I could not conjecture whether it had been a palace or temple or castle; but I incline to believe it a palace rather than anything else.’[1] Pedro Teixeira’s account is doubtful. He says:[2] ‘At eleven in the morning we came to a dry channel which in winter they say has much water, and I thought it likely by the nature of its situation and capaciousness. Over it, on a rising ground, is still an ancient square fort, with twelve bastions, three on each side, made of burnt brick and lime, strong and well built. Without it, at about sixty paces distance, is a small Alcoran, or Tower, ten cubits high, tho’ it appears to have been higher, of the same structure, all decay’d with age; yet it appears to be a royal fabrick by its goodness and the place it stands in, where it could not be raised without mighty cost and much labour, and difficulty. It was done by an Arabian king, grandfather to Xeque Mahamed Eben Raxet, whom I said before I was carried to see, to secure the caravans going that way before the Turks possess’d themselves of Bagdat and Bazora. The Arabs call it Alcayzar or Kayzar, which signifies a palace or Cesar’s House, for so they call all that belong to kings and princes. This they reckon the half-way from Bazora to Mexat Aly, whither we were going. We found some small wells in this channel, the water of them clear and fresh, but of an intolerable ill scent, yet necessity prevail’d.’ The only item in this description which connects Teixeira’s palace with Ukhaiḍir is the name. Teixeira reached Meshhed ‘Ali (Nedjef) six days after he had passed by Alcayzar and he gives the situation of the palace as half-way between Baṣrah and Nedjef, whereas Ukhaiḍir lies to the north-west of Nedjef. There is no ‘Alcoran’, i.e. minaret, at Ukhaiḍir, neither could the building be described, even by the least careful observer, as a square fort with three bastions on each side. I am therefore inclined to suppose that there is another ruin called Ukhaiḍir further to the south. We need not linger over the derivation which he assigns to the name.