Bahrain : Excavations in Muharraq have revealed unique and exceptional archaeological evidence that helps understand the history of Bahrain and the region, said Professor Timothy Insoll of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at the University of Exeter in the UK.
Professor Insoll, also head of the British-Bahraini exploration team, said that excavations on the hill in the cemetery of the village of Samahij revealed two archaeological buildings – a 300-year-old mosque, and a complex containing physical evidence of a Christian presence dating back to the 6th and 8th centuries AD.
He was speaking remotely via video conference as part of the lectures organised by the Bahrain National Museum to shed light on the developments of the work of archaeological excavation missions in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
He highlighted the latest results of the Bahrain-British joint team in various locations in Muharraq since 2017, adding that working in partnership with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) led to large archaeological discoveries in the historic village of Samahij and Muharraq.
Professor Insoll said that the building which was unearthed is 17 m by 10 m, while the remains of its walls are up to 110 cm high, adding that the edifice is more than just a church, but it is apparently a complex similar to other archeological structures discovered in both Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
“Excavation workers have unearthed pottery and inscriptions, which indicate that this Christian community was part of the Professor Timothy that flourished in the area”, he said,
Professor Insoll pointed out that the inhabitants of the village had at that time a strong relationship with marine activities.
