Carthag was the capital of the planet Arrakis under the rule of House Harkonnen. Expanded DuneThis article or section refers to elements from Expanded Dune. Carthag was erected by House Harkonnen when Spacing Guild manipulations had given them Arrakis as a quasi-fief to govern. The city was built northeast of the Shield Wall with the rapidity of inexhaustible human labor, with blocky buildings constructed of substandard materials for ostentatious purposes or functionality. Pardot Kynes noticed its lack of finesse or elegance.