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The continuous archaeological excavation works in the Kingdom of Bahrain during 2019-2020 season have yielded many new promising discoveries unearthed by professional world renowned expeditions, expanding the broad horizons of country deeply –rooted history dating back to thousand years. The Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities (BACA) announced in an online-broadcasted press conference on 18 April 2020, the results of these excavation works carried out in cooperation with many Japanese, British, Danish and French expedition teams. The press conference was given by H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa, President of Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities, and Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa, Director of Museums &Monuments at BACA.
 
The online press conference coincided with the idea for observing IDMS came out of an ICOMOS conference in Tunisia on April 18, 1982, adopted by UNESCO in 1983. The full online press conference is made available now and accessible via BACA’s different official internet sites and social media platforms such as You Tube, Instagram on @Cultuebah.
 
H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa, started the press conference by stressing the importance of culture in turbulent times of crises and the need to shed lights on the ancient history and civilizations of peoples and celebrate them. H.E said: “As every year we used to meet you and celebrate the International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS), but given the current world pandemic, we opted for an online virtual meeting”. H.E added “We celebrate today with the whole world the International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS) via these online platforms that enabled us to communicate with all friends, experts and followers who are always present with us, taking pride of our most valuable treasure; our deeply-rooted monuments and artefacts”.
Commenting on the latest unveiled archaeological discoveries in the Kingdom of Bahrain, H.E argued that one of most important discoveries made this year was what most specialists think as the “ Dilmun Garden”, adding that this unveil is in line with the legends and myths around the “ Lost Paradise” of Dilmun. Indeed, many scientific theories and writings of the ancient Sumerians refer to Dilmun as a pure and sacred place where sickness and death do not exist, a paradise land of sweet waters and green areas all around, H.E added, pointing out to next studies next confirm the archaeologists’ theories about this period in the history of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
H.E Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa also lauded another landmark archaeological discovery made this year in the Samaheej-Muharraq, the first of its kind to constitute a missing link that will contribute to a better understanding of Christian history in the Kingdom of Bahrain, adding “It is probably a church or monastery, the center of Christianity in Samaheej before the Islamic period, reflecting the long history of religious tolerance of Bahrain”.
In addition, H.E asserted that there is a number of new discoveries made, arguing that it is the first time for the Danish Archaeological expedition to conduct excavation works at the Qala’at al Bahrain site since 1978, in a challenge to unveil remain of monumental artefacts that had not previously been unearthed. Maqabah area archaeological discoveries, which revealed Tylos period burial mounds (1st -2nd Century BC) and Early Dilmun period (1st Millennium BC), as well as the remains of a mosque and a cemetery, H.E said.
 
H.E also pointed out that the scientific studies and interpretations of the latest archaeological discoveries can only be a leading fact helping to better understand and decipher the ancient history of Bahrain and its settlers since the dawn of time, an undoubtful proof of the diversity and richness of its local culture. H.E said “This heritage is first and foremost forms the core of our cultural identity and it is crucially important to safeguard it, celebrate and share with the whole world the beauty of its content” 
 
The archeological discoveries announced during the press conference are part of an array of different other projects ranging between excavation, safeguard, documentation masterminded by professional teams; British-Bahrain Excavation team at the village  of Samaheej village led by Professor Timothy Insol, Dr Rachel MacLean from University of Exeter, Jumaa Farm excavation works at Maqabah site led by Bahrain  team, together with Al-Mehzaa Mosque in Manama,  the Maqabah Burial Mounds excavation by Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Nara Prefecture’s deputy director Dr Kiyohide Saito, head of the Japanese team in Bahrain, Wadi-al Sail archaeological site by the Japanese Archeological Mission led by Dr. Masachi Abiye. Safeguard and documentation projects included the documentation of Barbar Temple by the Japanese Kansai University, documentation and mapping of Dilmun Burial Mounds project, which was carried out by BACA, in cooperation with Japanese Archaeological Mission led by Dr.Akinori.
 
 
Samaheej: Cradle of religious tolerance in Bahrain and a leading proof of Christian existence in Bahrain
 
H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa highlighted during his press conference intervention the wonderful archeological excavation work carried out by the British-Bahraini archaeological team from the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, and Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities,  in two sites in Muharraq this year. Led by Professor Timothy Insoll, the team unearthed a first site in old Muharraq with remains of human settlement dating back to the Islamic period, around 8th century BC and Late period 18th -19th centuries.
H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa added that the second excavation site is located high hill in the center of Samaheej Cemetery, surmounted by the remains of a small mosque known as the Sheikh Malik Mosque, pointing out that the archaeological excavation works were carried out after many calls from the village inhabitants and Al-Jaafariya Awaqaf requested the intervention to discover the remains of Sheikh Malik Mosque in order to restorate and rebuild it. The results were amazing and unveiled the mosque’s components; a prayer room, and an open-air courtyard, but also another wall beneath the South wall Qibla belonging to an older building with an inclination to south east direction.
The last phases of the excavation works carried out last year also revealed the existence of remains of two additional buildings; a late period mosque dating back to the 17th Century according to Samaheej village inhabitants, and an early period building of width 17 X 10 length, and walls of 110 cm height, probably the remains of a monastery, a big house or a church. Based on a study of the pottery artifacts discovered by  Robert Carter, Professor of Arabian and Middle Eastern Archaeology, many broken pottery vessels which were also found used in storing wine, it is therefore possible that these Christians were part of the Nestorian Church, which probably flourished in the Gulf between the 5th  and 7th centuries. In addition of the pottery pieces, the building is made up of chambers with pieces of stone were inserted to complete the decoration in various gypsum and limestone.  A decorated crucifix or cross was also found on pottery broken glassware and other pieces used for storing and drinking wine figure also among the finds, suggesting that those Christians of the Nestorian Church were part of the congregation that flourished during that period of time (5thCentury-7th century). H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa added that the team expressed their desire to continue excavation works on site to explore more details and leads with regard to the building and its functionalities, hoping that the next excavation season will bring more happy news with regard to archaeological discoveries in the area of Samaheej, Al-Dair until Qalali with regard to Christian existence in Bahrain before Islam. 
 
 Jomaa Farm in Maqabah village: Preliminary Proofs of Dilmun’s Paradise Lost
Commenting on archaeological excavation works project conducted in Jumaa farm in Maqabah village, H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said that the site is made up of three essential elements; Tylos hill, the mosque and cemetery and rocky areas. H.E added that it is the first time discovery of a farm, “Dilmun Garden” in the Kingdom of Bahrain situated below Tylos hill. The garden is a square-shaped basins connected with small water canals. The number of these basins is 335 and many soil samples were taken from these basins to explore and study the type of vegetation and plants grown inside these square spaces. 
 
The Tylos period burial mound hill unveiled 16 graves or burial chambers made from roughly cut stones covered by plaster over the earth surface by different degrees, two small burial jars for children funerary customs. The exceptional feature of this hill remains, however, the discovery of 5 skeletons dating back to Dilmun period in squatting position below those belonging to Tylos period burial mounds. The usual funerary practice known so far in Bahrain is to find skeletons of Dilmun period in burial chambers built above earth level or below, which are scattered around different areas in Bahrain, and not skeletons like these thrown and laid out without burial chambers of sarcophagi, which leads to many explications and interpretations by archaeologists and experts who are studying the phenomenon. The team working on the study and analysis of these human skeletons’ remains, as part of their efforts to preserve and conserve these finds, treated and solidified one of these skeletons in order to safely transport it to Bahrain National Museum.
 
As to the mosque and excavation site cemetery, H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa explained that they probably date back to 16th century;  remnants of water canals cut in stone, as well as stone walls were found. H.E added that this mosque and cemetery date back, most probably, to the time of extinct village known as “Al-Ruwais”.
 
Al Mehza Mosque excavation project: The origins of the oldest Mosque in Manama revealed
The online press conference by Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities also shed light on Al-Mehza mosque, and H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa explained that excavation works carried out under directives of H.E Shaikha Mai, President of BACA, have yielded fruitful results; two walls remains of old foundations in good conditions were found, a gypsum parquet surface, some broken pottery in different shapes and sizes, glassware and a number of animal bones. Thus, it appears that the current mosque is built on an elevated hill made of construction materials’ remains of the old original mosque built in 1861. Consequently, it has been decided that works should come to a halt lest some parts of mosque would fall because of excavation works near and around its foundations. It is hoped that a comprehensive excavation project will see the light soon to discern the mystery of the remains of the old mosque.
Japanese Archaeological Teams in Bahrain Unravel Mysteries of Tylos and Dilmun Civilizations at Maqabah and Wadi Al Sail burial mounds
H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa also revealed during his press conference intervention that the Japanese archaeological team from Archaeological Institute of Kashihara, Nara Prefecture, had conducted in 2019 the third excavation season at Maqabah site, Tylos period. The objectives of these expeditions were finding the missing link between Bahrain ancient history and Palmyra –Syria, given that Tylos dominating the maritime trade linking southern Mesopotamia, Oman and the Indus.
Excavations conducted in 4 burial mounds revealed a number of precious discoveries; a grave in good condition in which a pottery glassware with ash inside was found, as well as human skeleton accompanied by funerary customary objects, such as a bronze square coin inside his mouth, while holding a leather bag in his left hand filled with 10 bronze coins, which was the first discovery ever of a buried man with a bag.  
The second discovery was a burial on a gypsum water grave in order to provide the dead with water supply, as well as a pottery glassware  “ cup” above the stone cover grave dating back to 50 BC-50 AD. The third discovery was the traces and proofs of funerary traditions as reflected by the recurrent findings of pottery glassware placed on stony tombstone covers in many burial mounds.  
The site’s fourth discovery was 10 pearl oysters considered as decorative funerary objects part of the customs inside the grave of a child, given that the pearl oysters were essential customary burial traditions for children during Tylos period.
In addition, H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said that the Japanese Archaeological Team led by Dr. Masashi Abe conducted a number of excavation works at Early Dilmun Burial Mounds in Wadi-Al Sail, discovering 9 small Early Dilmun burial mounds. The team found a number of human skeletons, as well as animal bones still under thorough investigation.
Other findings include jars dating back to Um al Nar civilization in Arabia and Mesopotamia, translating a clear cultural and commercial relations between Dilmun and others civilizations. The efforts of archaeologists also yielded the discovery of beads made of agate onyx and pottery in different shapes inside the graves, as well as two shells placed close to two pieces of   “malachite-green” a green substance material used for decoration and painting probably.
 
Documentation of Barbar Temple and Dilmun Burial Mounds Project
Speaking of “Barbar Temple”, which is one of the significant archaeological sites in the Kingdom of Bahrain, dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE belongs to the ancient Dilmun civilization which has a relation with the Mesopotamian and Indus civilizations, H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said that a Japanese team from Kansai University, Japan, completed, last December, the documentation procedures of Barbar Temple, which had previously started in 2016. Professor YOSHIHIRO YASUMURO led the team in this mission sponsored by The Okawa Foundation for Information and Telecommunications.
Indeed, this remarkable site has been required to be protected and listed on the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage. The documentation of Barbar Temple has been started since the first excavations by a Danish mission in the 1950s -1960s, H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said and many advanced technology, including a drone and temperature change parameters to preserve the site, giving a possibility to grasp the changes and damages of the site caused by environmental or human factors over the decades by utilizing the photographs taken in the past. The Japanese case study to apply 3D digitalization for protecting the archaeological site, proposes a methodology for collation of the ‘past photographs’ and current physical appearance. The process of this method consists of three steps; estimate 3D positions and the orientation of the camera by which ‘past photographs’ were taken; make corresponding pairs between ‘past photographs’ and the 3D data of the current site; and render a CG (Computer Graphics) model of the current site from the viewpoint of the estimated camera position and orientation; overlay the CG with the ‘past photographs’ on the same view. The Japanese team applied the method to the ‘pool’ area of Barbar Temple, which was a pivotal facility of the temple with a sacred spring used for worship of Sumerian water god Enki. It was expected that the piled-up blocks of the stone construction surrounding the spring have caused strains on itself and changed its appearance. This methodology enabled us not only to grasp the changes in the whole appearance of this area easily but also to find the slight changes in the orientations of the stones quantitatively.
 
As to Mapping and documentation of Dilmun Burial mounds, H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa said that it aims to provide a comprehensive data about Early Dilmun burial mounds. While statistics estimate their number around 80,000 burial mounds, the huge urban expansion plans widely increasing since the 1960s and 1970s, have led to the destruction and disappearance of many tells. Despite the relentless and great efforts made by Museums and Antiquities’ Directorate, in cooperation with many famous archaeologists, there is still a substantial number of mysteries unrevealed completely, such as the topography data, the exact number of these burial mounds, their geographical locations and types and the relations between burial mounds and the terrain reliefs and geology.  
 
H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa asserted that conservation processes have contributed hugely to safeguard those burial mounds in different locations, like those in A’ali, Buri, Sar, Wadi-al Sail, Karzakan, Al-Malkiya and others. It is crucially important that the documentation of the burial mounds in good conditions should not stop, and that scientific study and exploration of their components to reconstitute its original forms amid the natural environment should also carry on to give back to Bahrain its exceptional beautiful Dilmun settlements and burial mounds, H.E added.  
 
H.E Shaikh Khalifa Bin Ahmad Al-Khalifa also argued that Bahrain Authority for Culture & Antiquities, together with the Japanese Archaeological team, have been implementing a 5-year pioneer project (Documentation and Mapping of Dilmun Burial Mounds), which will encompass a number of topographical surveys of Early Dilmun burial mounds using an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) “drone”, the 3D modeling to document the burial mounds. The first season coverage project started in January 2020 with the Royal Mounds in A’ali and East A’ali burial mounds with bright success in determining their exact number, namely 3890 burial mounds.