KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN: FROM THE PAST TO THE FUTURE 🇧🇭
Bahrain was known in ancient times as Dilmun, and the rich commercial history of the state is reflected in numerous archaeological sites. The most significant of them is the Bahrain Fort, also known as the Qal'at аl-Bahrain and the Nadir Shah Fort, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
💫 The Qal'at al-Bahrain (Arabic. البحرين قلعة — «Fortress of Bahrain») is an archaeological site located in Bahrain, which is an artificial hill with an area of 17.5 hectares, containing seven stratified layers, created by various occupants from 2300 BC up to the 18th century, including Kassites, Greeks, Portuguese and Persians.
💫 For 4,000 years, different peoples have lived here - from the Sumerians to the current Arabs, so the fort, surrounded by a massive fortress wall, is a complex of settlements of many archaeological levels and civilizations. The very first fortification of the fort was established on the site of the mound only in the 14th century BC, this was done by local princes. Among other layers — an impressive Portuguese fortress; under it is an ancient fortress, which was previously the capital of Dilmun and gave the name to the entire site of the excavation («kala, kalat» - «fortress»). There is a rich archaeological heritage that characterizes this civilization, previously known only from references in Sumerian sources.
💫 The site contains many areas and walls, including Saar necropolis, Al-Hajjar necropolis, Kassite Palace, Madimat Hermand necropolis, Madimat Isa Necropolis, Al-Maqsha Necropolis, Palace of Uperi, Shakhura Necropolis, and the Northern City Wall. The ruins of the Copper Age consists of two sections of the fortification wall surrounding streets and houses, and a colossal building on the edge of the moat of the Portuguese fort in the centre. Relics of copper and ivory provide an insight into ancient trade links. Many vessels have been unearthed on the site, and Danish excavations of the Palace of Uperi area revealed "snake bowls", sarcophagi, seals and a mirror, among other things.
💫 The archaeological findings, which are unearthed in the fort, reveal much about the history of the country. The area is thought to have been occupied for about 5,000 years and contains a valuable insight into the Copper and Bronze Ages of Bahrain. The first Bahrain Fort was built around three thousand years ago, on the northeastern peak of Bahrain Island. The present fort dates from the sixth century AD. The capital of the Dilmun civilization, Dilmun was, according to the Epic of Gilgamesh, the «Land of immortality», the ancestral place of Sumerians and a meeting point of gods.
💫 The first excavation at the site was carried out by a Danish archaeological expedition led by Geoffrey Bibby between 1954 and 1972, and later by a French expedition from 1977. Since 1987 Bahrain archaeologists have been involved with this work.
💫 Over the past 50 years, about 25% of the site has been excavated, and structures for various purposes — residential, commercial, public, military, and religious-have been discovered. The presence of these structures confirmed the presence of a large commercial port in this place.
💫 The fort is located 6 km from Manama, the capital of Bahrain, on the north coast and has been open to visitors since 2008. The museum consists of 5 exhibition halls located around the Tel Wall. There are as many as 500 artefacts on display, attesting to the rich history of Qal'at al-Bahrain. You can listen to the stories of these finds using the audio guide at the Fort Museum.
#QalatalBahrain #MiddleEast #fort #Dilmun #byjob4arabists #shopforarabists #speakar #arabiceasy #arabiconline#онлайнарабский #арабскаякультура #Bahrain
Bahrain was known in ancient times as Dilmun, and the rich commercial history of the state is reflected in numerous archaeological sites. The most significant of them is the Bahrain Fort, also known as the Qal'at аl-Bahrain and the Nadir Shah Fort, which was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
💫 The Qal'at al-Bahrain (Arabic. البحرين قلعة — «Fortress of Bahrain») is an archaeological site located in Bahrain, which is an artificial hill with an area of 17.5 hectares, containing seven stratified layers, created by various occupants from 2300 BC up to the 18th century, including Kassites, Greeks, Portuguese and Persians.
💫 For 4,000 years, different peoples have lived here - from the Sumerians to the current Arabs, so the fort, surrounded by a massive fortress wall, is a complex of settlements of many archaeological levels and civilizations. The very first fortification of the fort was established on the site of the mound only in the 14th century BC, this was done by local princes. Among other layers — an impressive Portuguese fortress; under it is an ancient fortress, which was previously the capital of Dilmun and gave the name to the entire site of the excavation («kala, kalat» - «fortress»). There is a rich archaeological heritage that characterizes this civilization, previously known only from references in Sumerian sources.
💫 The site contains many areas and walls, including Saar necropolis, Al-Hajjar necropolis, Kassite Palace, Madimat Hermand necropolis, Madimat Isa Necropolis, Al-Maqsha Necropolis, Palace of Uperi, Shakhura Necropolis, and the Northern City Wall. The ruins of the Copper Age consists of two sections of the fortification wall surrounding streets and houses, and a colossal building on the edge of the moat of the Portuguese fort in the centre. Relics of copper and ivory provide an insight into ancient trade links. Many vessels have been unearthed on the site, and Danish excavations of the Palace of Uperi area revealed "snake bowls", sarcophagi, seals and a mirror, among other things.
💫 The archaeological findings, which are unearthed in the fort, reveal much about the history of the country. The area is thought to have been occupied for about 5,000 years and contains a valuable insight into the Copper and Bronze Ages of Bahrain. The first Bahrain Fort was built around three thousand years ago, on the northeastern peak of Bahrain Island. The present fort dates from the sixth century AD. The capital of the Dilmun civilization, Dilmun was, according to the Epic of Gilgamesh, the «Land of immortality», the ancestral place of Sumerians and a meeting point of gods.
💫 The first excavation at the site was carried out by a Danish archaeological expedition led by Geoffrey Bibby between 1954 and 1972, and later by a French expedition from 1977. Since 1987 Bahrain archaeologists have been involved with this work.
💫 Over the past 50 years, about 25% of the site has been excavated, and structures for various purposes — residential, commercial, public, military, and religious-have been discovered. The presence of these structures confirmed the presence of a large commercial port in this place.
💫 The fort is located 6 km from Manama, the capital of Bahrain, on the north coast and has been open to visitors since 2008. The museum consists of 5 exhibition halls located around the Tel Wall. There are as many as 500 artefacts on display, attesting to the rich history of Qal'at al-Bahrain. You can listen to the stories of these finds using the audio guide at the Fort Museum.
#QalatalBahrain #MiddleEast #fort #Dilmun #byjob4arabists #shopforarabists #speakar #arabiceasy #arabiconline#онлайнарабский #арабскаякультура #Bahrain