Hajhir Mountains

For the mountain range in Oman, see Hajar Mountains.

The Hajhir massif is a mountain range situated on the island of Socotra, Yemen. It is the highest point of the island.

Hajhir Mountains
The twin peaks of Mashanig. The fallen pillar bridging the peaks is called "Mishifo". The left-hand tower is the highest point of the range.
Highest point
Elevation	1,503[1] m (4,931 ft)
Coordinates	12.582376°N 54.039919°E / 12.582376; 54.039919
Geography
Hajhir Mountains Socotra
Location	Socotra, Yemen
Parent range	Hajhir Mountains
Climbing
First ascent	Unknown, possibly a Soqotri goatherder

Geography

Hajhir Mountains

The granite spires of the Hajhir massif are located in the hinterland of Socotra and are most easily accessed via the valley approaches north of the coastal town of Hadibo. The highest point of the range is the peak of Mashanig which lies at approximately 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level. Other peaks of local prominence include Girhimitin, Hazrat Muqadriyoun and Herem Hajhir.^{[citation needed]}

Etymology

The name "Hajhir" (Soqotri: هَجْهِر), sometimes transliterated as "Hagghier" or "Hagher" in English,^[2] likely derives from the Arabic "ḥijr" (حِجْر, meaning "stone"). Other possible origins of the range's name include the word "hajar" (Arabic: هجر, meaning "to flee").

The name "Mashanig" (Soqotri: مَشَنِغ, meaning "the split one"), likely derives from the Arabic verb "inshaq" (إِنْشَق, meaning "to split"), from which one gets the word "munshuq" (مُنْشُق, meaning "splittist").^{[citation needed]}

Climbing history

Mount Skand

Bedouin goatherds have a long history of climbing in the Hajhir. A 2014 study of Soqotri oral storytelling traditions revealed that a number of popular myths recount ascents throughout the range by local goatherds. According to the anthropologist Christopher Elliott, many accounts demonstrate a strong oral chain of transmission that links mythical characters with actual pre-modern ascents.^[3]

See also

• Socotra Island xeric shrublands
• Hadhramaut Mountains
• Sarawat Mountains
  • Haraz Mountains