Manama, Bahrain
Sacred architecture
Barbar Temple is an archaeological site in the village of Barbar on Bahrain's north-west coast, one of the key monuments of Dilmun, the civilisation that flourished here more than four thousand years ago as a trading hub between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. A Danish archaeological team found it in 1954 and uncovered three temples built one on top of another: the oldest from around 3000 BC, the second about five hundred years later, and the third between 2100 and 2000 BC. The temples were built of cut limestone blocks thought to come from nearby Jidda Island, and were probably dedicated to Enki, god of wisdom and fresh water in the region's ancient beliefs, and his consort Ninhursag. The site has two altars and a natural spring that clearly mattered to its builders, on an island famous for fresh springs amid the salt sea. Excavations turned up tools, weapons, pottery and small pieces of gold, most famously a copper bull's head, now displayed in the Bahrain National Museum. The site is on UNESCO's tentative World Heritage list.
The site is small and exposed; thirty minutes is enough, so go in the morning or before sunset with water and a hat. Visit the Bahrain National Museum before or after to see the finds and get the context. Combine it with Bahrain Fort and the Dilmun burial mounds on a north-coast drive; a car is essential.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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MuseumManama, Bahrain
