The Lost Paradise of Dilmun
By: Wael Sultan/Arab America Contributing Writer
If you have taken any level history class, you’re probably familiar with Mesopotamia, Egypt & Indus civilization. These societies have emerged in the near east and have grown massive in power and reputation. However, another civilization was as prominent, but its legends were lost in time. In fact, this 4,000 BC fertile heaven might have inspired the Garden of Eden story.
Nestled in the Arabian peninsula’s eastern portion, right off the Persian Gulf’s warm shores, is The Kingdom of Bahrain. A collection of islands comprises a small archipelago made up of 51 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered around the main island (Bahrain), which makes up around 83% of the country’s landmass.
At 300 sq miles and a population of 1.2 million, it is the smallest country in the Arab World and 3rd smallest in the Asian continent. Bahrain is the site and hub of the ancient Dilmun civilization. It has been historically famed since antiquity for its pearl fisheries, which were considered the best in the world into the 19th century.
Bahrain is literally the dual-form of the Arabic word Bahr (“sea”), so al-Bahrain originally means “the two seas.” This analogy dates back to the belief that the Island’s historical trait consists of two types of water-Sweet and Saltwater.
Dilmun was regarded as one of the most prominent ancient civilizations in the region and a vital trading hub. At its peak, it controlled the Persian Gulf trading routes connecting Mesopotamia to the Indus Valley. It was a faster and safer route than going through land and risk hostile encounters. Ancient Dilmun had commercial ties with many nations, including the Indus Valley in India and Pakistan, Haitian in Turkey, Elam in Oman, and Alba in Syria.
The abundance of sweet water from springs and groundwater supplied the island with an adequate amount of its drinking needs. It gave rise to civilization in a mainly desolate region.
The historical Dilmun was a prosperous place due to the fact that it was a land blessed by the Gods. The island was considered an oasis of fertility in ancient times. This could have given rise to a Sumerian legend that Bahrain may have been the biblical Garden of Eden.
“Sumerian tales of the Garden Paradise of Dilmun may have been an inspiration for the Garden of Eden story.”
The early ancient Sumerians knew it as a place where the waters were always sweet. Sickness and disease didn’t exist in this area, harmful and ferocious animals were absent, and humans never aged.
In the Sumerian poem Enki and Ninhursag, the god Enki carries sweet water, the source of life, to fertile heaven called Dilmun, where he lives with his wife. A portion of the poem reads:
“The land of Dilmun is a pure place; the land of Dilmun is a clean place,
The land of Dilmun is a clean place, the land of Dilmun is a bright place;
He who is alone laid himself down in Dilmun,
The place, after Enki is clean, that place is bright.”
Important centers of the Dilmun civilization culture and religion centers were located around the modern-day Bahraini cities of Barbar, Diras, and Saar.
On the northern edge of the island, archaeological expeditions have unearthed seven ancient relics at the 4,000-year-old Qal’at Al Bahrain. the first historical site in Bahrain to make it to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, under the oldest and most extensive fort category. Three Dilmun cities dating back to 2400 BC and a Greek city going back to 200 BC have been unburied.
Abdullah Hassan Yehia, the Qal’at al Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) gatekeeper, explains that Dilmun’s fertile nature was famed for its agriculture and vegetable production. Additionally, there is strong evidence of religious practices and beliefs compared with those in other advanced societies.
“The belief system here has a lot in common with those of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt,” he says. “Belief in the after-life is shown by burying the dead with possessions such as tools, food, drinking vessels, and gold. We’ve even found weapons.” – Abdullah Hassan Yehia.
But as with every great civilization, Dilmun began to decline about 2,000 BC as trade from India was cut off. From 750 BC on, Assyrian kings repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the islands. Shortly after 600 BC, Dilmun was formally incorporated into the new Babylonian empire.
Bahrain has approximately 170,000 burial mounds covering 12 square miles or 5% of the main island area. The majority of the burial grounds can date back to the second and third centuries BC, while some are as recent as 2,000 years old. The oldest and biggest burial mounds, referred to as the “Royal Tombs,” are found at Aali city and measure up to 15m (50ft) in height and 45m (148ft) in diameter.
Bahrain is a historical site that usually gets overshadowed by other big names in the region, like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Indus Civilizations. It is worthwhile learning more about the fascinating history of the lost paradise of Dilmun.
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