The World Heritage Site of Qal’at al-Bahrain, about a 10-minute drive west of downtown Manama, Bahrain, defines the most distinctive archaeological finds of one of the earliest civilizations of the region – the Dilmun Civilization. The site was once the center of commercial activities linking the traditional agriculture of the land and maritime trade between diverse areas such as the Indus valley [today = India] and Mesopotamia [today = Iraq and Kuwait and parts of Iran, Syria and Turkey] in the early period (between the 3rd millennium BC and the 1st millennium BC) and China and the Mediterranean in the later period (from the 3rd to the 16th century AD).
Qal’at al-Bahrain comprises the ancient harbor and capital of Dilmun and the ruins of a 16th century Portuguese fort (”Bahrain Fort”) and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. The property was inscribed on the World Heritage List for being an exceptional testimony of a surviving ancient landscape with cultural and natural elements associated with the Dilmun Civilization and culture and its successors during the Tylos and the Islamic periods, surviving almost 4,500 years of history. Being an important port city, Qal’at al-Bahrain was a real meeting point of different cultures – all reflected in the defensive and monumental architecture of the site, wonderfully preserved urban fabric and the significant finds retrieved through excavations.
“Whilst only around a quarter of Qal’at al Bahrain has been uncovered, the excavations revealed streets, residential structures and monuments from 2300 BC surrounded by a protective wall, a further fortification dated 1450 BC, a temple from the Iron Age together with sanitation systems and lavish residences and several sarcophagi. The Bahrain Fort site has been occupied continuously from 2300 BC to the 18th century.
“The fort was the capital of the important Dilmun civilisation mentioned in the 4th century BC Sumerian cuneiform clay tablets. It provides an outstanding example of the might of Dilmun, and its successors during the Tylos and Islamic periods, as expressed by their control of trade through the Persian Gulf. These qualities are manifested in the monumental and defensive architecture of the site, the well-preserved urban fabric and the significant finds made by archaeologists excavating the tell. The sea tower, probably an ancient lighthouse, is unique in the region as an example of ancient maritime architecture and the adjacent sea channel demonstrates the tremendous importance of this city in maritime trade routes throughout antiquity.
“Qal’at al Bahrain or Bahrain Fort is probably most well-known and is named after, the Portuguese fort found in the northern part of the site. This fort has a history dating back to the early 16th century, but it was in 1561, under Portuguese rule, that it became an important military installation protecting trade routes from Africa, India and Europe and gained its currently identifiable shape.
“Sources from 17th century imply that Bahrain fort was actually ineffective as a military stronghold as it was inaccessible by sea, a factor believed to be central to its abandonment. The site was only rediscovered in 1954. Restoration began in 1987.” — www.historyhit.com/locations/bahrain-fort/
Legal Notices: All photographs copyright © 2022 by Richard C. Edwards. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Permission to link to this blog post is granted for educational and non-commercial purposes only.
Where in the world is Riccardo? 