New excavations at the Barbar Temple, Bahrain Introduction
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staircase leading to the pool in the Barbar Temple, this leaves a stair width of 60–70 cm. The southwest and northwest corners of the chamber were preserved in the original fill layer, sharply defined and right-angled, and interpreted as impressions of ashlars (Fig. 29). The chamber extends c. 50 cm further to the south than the present edge of the plaster layer, and indeed the whole chamber, apart from an entrance into the staircase, must have been roofed over. The well-hole in the bottom of the chamber is roughly circular, with a diameter of 80 cm in the upper part. In the north and south walls of the hole, 1.2 m above
the bottom,
almost identical channels emerged (Fig. 29). The channels are dug into the subsoil sand. The walls of the channels are built of uncut stone set in clay, sometimes reinforced with bitumen, and the roofs consist of uncut stones set in plaster (Fig. 31). The channels were almost com- pletely filled up with horizontal layers of sand and clay, some of them containing many small bits of bitumen. Similar bits of bitumen were found in two places on the chamber floor (Fig. 29), perhaps indicating where the channels had their outlet. The south channel was emptied to a depth of 1.4 m and found to slope towards the chamber by c. 10 cm over this short distance. The north channel was also found to slope towards the chamber. In the trenches dug south of the plaster founda- tion (see below) no continuation of the south channel was found. The interpretation of the plundered structure as a well accessed by a staircase seems straightforward. We must imagine that subsoil water appeared in the well-hole, and at least occasionally the water level stood high in the chamber. This is indicated by the fact that the sides of the hole in the subsoil sand, up to level c. 4.10, were covered by a thin layer of brown, plastic clay, such as would be deposited in a pool of still-standing water, which would penetrate all cracks and hollows behind any stone construc- tion. The two channels leading into the well chamber have presumably created the extra possibility of leading water into the well chamber from else- where, a feature that is also found at the pool of the Barbar Temple (50) and which may perhaps be explained by seasonal and yearly variations in the water table. During the cleaning of the plaster foundation in the area of the southeastern corner of the inner terrace wall (51), the upper layer of the plaster layer was brushed away and revealed the impression of a 4 m-long cord, parallel to the southern side of the monument, crossed by two other cord impressions over a distance of 30 cm, running parallel with the eastern side of the monument. The cords may perhaps have formed guidelines for the construction of the monument (52). During the cleaning of the east side of the plaster foundation, where the edge is made of cut limestone blocks (53), one of these blocks proved to be a phallic cult-stone of oolitic limestone (Fig. 32) (54). Its upper side measures 26.3 cm across and is slightly concave with a depression of 0.6 cm. The upper part, 39 cm, is in some places smooth, without cut-marks, other- wise it is eroded. The lower part, 22 cm, is roughly cut, as if intended to be inserted into a base (Fig. 33). Below this stone a carnelian bead was found Fig. 29.
Plan of plundered well-chamber in the Northeast Temple. Fig. 30.
Section through plundered well-chamber in the Northeast Temple. 1: foundation of stone and plaster. 2: yellow-brown gravelly sand with many small stones and a little pottery and bones. 3: yellow sterile sand, subsoil. 4: brown clayey sand. 5: hard, plasterlike sand with small stones. 6: brown clay. F. HØJLUND ET AL. 122
Fig. 31. South channel emerging in well-chamber of Northeast Temple, from the north (2004). Fig. 32. Phallic cult-stone in situ, secondarily used, from the south (2004). BARBAR TEMPLE, BAHRAIN 123
(Fig. 34). A similar bead was found, also during cleaning of the plaster foundation, 0.5 m east of the southeast corner of wall C1 (55) (Fig. 35). Both beads are irregularly biconical, with coarse grinding- facets. A temenos wall? Soundings in 1961 brought some, in the words of the excavators, ‘restricted’ and ‘insecure’ indications for a lower temple platform below and around the upper platform built on the 24 · 24 m plaster layer des- cribed above (56). According to this view, the terrace wall of a lower platform should lie 11–12 m south of the upper platform, but during the excavations in 2004 no evidence for a terrace wall was found in this area. In several trenches south of the upper platform there was evidence of a compact, 10–30 cm-thick layer of oolitic limestone chippings, i.e. residue from the final shaping of limestone ashlars, but generally much degraded, sometimes into something which looked like crushed plaster, which was, indeed, the description this layer received in 1956 (57). These chippings were probably produced during the sha- ping of limestone ashlars for the terrace wall of the upper temple platform, for the building that stood upon it and for the well-chamber and staircase it enclosed. Oolitic limestone chippings are commonly found in excavations at Barbar and are normally sharp-edged and well preserved. The degradation so characteristic of this layer of chippings must be due to the layer having been exposed over a prolonged period of time, and we are probably dealing with the ground level of the area surrounding the Northeast Temple.
The layer is at level c. 2.40 close to the central temple platform and falls gently towards the south, probably because of the general development of the terrain, to level c. 2.50 in )15 m S, and c. 2.95 in )22 m S, from where it can be followed towards the west to )8.75 W, where it rises to c. 2.70. North of the upper platform the layer of chippings can be followed for almost 9 m and is here described as a ‘powdery plaster-like mass’ (58). Near the platform it is at level c. 2.40 and furthest to the north it has descended to level 3.00. The gently sloping surface of the layer of chip- pings south of the upper temple platform does not indicate the presence of a lower platform, but at 0/-15 m S a 1.70 m-wide and 35–40 cm-high con- struction of ashlars and hand-sized fragments of oolitic limestone (Fig. 36.3–4) is built directly on top of the layer of chippings (Fig. 36.5). In 1956 this construction was cut half a metre further east by a north-south section and described as masonry consisting of stone and plaster (59). This could possibly be the lower part of a wall enclosing the temple precinct, and it is notable that a similar phenomenon was observed east of the temple with approximately the same distance, c. 6 m, to the upper platform (60). No finds were associated with the layer of lime- stone chippings or with the possible enclosure wall. Several north-south going sections crossing the c. )15 m S line show that before the layer of chippings was formed a large pit was dug into the yellow subsoil sand to level c. 3.60 and filled with brownish gravel (Fig. 36.6 and 9). The southern Fig. 33.
Phallic cult-stone. Fig. 34.
Carnelian bead. Fig. 35.
Carnelian bead. F. HØJLUND ET AL. 124
termination of this pit seems to coincide with the possible wall enclosing the lower temple precinct described above. In the central well-chamber hole the same stratigraphy can be seen in layer 2 with base level in 3.60 (Fig. 30) (61), indicating that this pit may have covered all of the temple area. The few sherds found in the pit compare well with pottery found in the platform fill (62). The house Nine metres south of the upper platform and c. 3 m south of the possible enclosure wall, described above, the remains of a house were uncovered in two trenches in the shape of large portions of a fine plaster floor which seems to have been constructed directly on the layer of limestone chippings, des- cribed above (Fig. 37). The floor has a northeast- southwest orientation and evenly finished edges towards the northwest, northeast and southeast (Fig. 38.4). It is 3.75 m wide and at least 10.25 m long, but the southwestern edge has not been located. The evenly finished edges of the floor look as if the plaster was applied up to a vertical border such as a wall that has now disappeared. In the section through the house, the floor plaster towards the southeast continues into a thin, 30 cm-high, vertical layer of plaster, followed c. 60 cm further southeast by a similar vertical plaster layer (Fig. 39.9) – apparently the inside and outside coating of an ashlar wall later plundered. North and east of the plaster floor, a c. 70 cm-wide band seems to bear witness to the existence of this wall (Fig. 38.3). Fig. 37.
Plaster floor south of the Northeast Temple, from the northeast (2004). Fig. 36.
Section through foundation of possible temenos wall around Northeast Temple. 1: brown sand with many small stones and some sherds. 2: brownish gravel with some small stones and plaster rubble. 3: limestone ashlars. 4: hand-sized oolitic lime- stone chippings in fine yellow-brown sand. 5: small oolitic limestone chippings, much degraded. 6: brownish gravel. 7 : brownish gravel with charcoal particles, plaster rubble and oolitic limestone chippings. 8: dark yellow sand. 9: very compact, brown gravel with charcoal particles and some small stones. 10: yellow sand, subsoil. BARBAR TEMPLE, BAHRAIN 125
A few holes were visible in the plaster floor (Fig. 38.5), possibly later disturbances. One metre from the northwest side of the floor was a row of five, uncut stones placed on the floor, and in the section a new course was visible, made of plaster and smaller stones (Fig. 39.3). On the floor south of this wall was a 10–20 cm-thick layer of yellow- whitish clayey soil. In the soil above the plaster floor potsherds were plentiful in both trenches and almost only from necked storage jars with late variants of the triangular rim, with a few rims from bowls and hole-mouth vessels, plus one rippled shoulder sherd of Failaka type 47 and one scored shoulder sherd of Failaka type 48 (Fig. 40) (63). The ware is almost only of type 2 (64), side-sherds are either smooth or low-ridged, bases are either marked of type B40 or simple, flattened of type B43 (65). Altogether, the assemblage is very similar to one (517.ARU) found in a 1961 sounding, also located outside the central plaster platform of the North- east Temple (66), and as here with a variation of triangular rims that characterizes a late phase of Qala’at al-Bahrain period II till now only rarely Fig. 38. Plan of the house south of the Northeast Temple. 1: limestone ashlar. 2: yellow-brown sand with many small stones, some bones and potsherds. 3: hard whitish-yellow sand. 4: plaster floor. 5: disturbance of 4. 6: hard clay covering 4. 7: five stones on 4. 8: stones and plaster rubble. 9: hard yellowish-grey sand with many small stones and plaster rubble. 10: vertical plaster ridge. 11: hard yellowish-grey sand with large, up to 40 cm, uncut stones. Fig. 39.
Section through the house south of the Northeast Temple. 1 : brown-greyish soil. 2: brown-greyish sand. 3: uncut stones the size of a hand set in plaster, wall on row of stones (12). 4: brown- greyish sand. 5: brown-yellowish clayey sand. 6: brown-yellow- ish clayey sand with many small stones. 7: as 6, but without small stones. 8: compact brown soil with plaster rubble, oolitic limestone chippings and hand-to-head-size stones. 9: vertical plaster. 10: yellow-whitish soil with many bones and potsherds. 11 : plaster floor. 12: stones in a row, foundation for wall (3). 13 : hard clay covering 11. F. HØJLUND ET AL. 126
found in Bahrain, but well represented in Failaka as period 2B (Fig. 6) (67). This accords well with the sparse finds from the old excavations indicating that the Northeast Temple postdates Barbar Temple IIb (68). Fig. 40.
Pottery found on the floor of the house south of the Northeast Temple. References 1. Andersen HH & Højlund F. The Barbar Temples, vols 1–2. Aarhus: JASP, 48: 2003. 2. For their generous hospitality and efficient assistance our warm thanks go to the Bahrain Minister of Infor- mation, HE Mr Nabil bin Yacoub Al- Hamer, Undersecretary Mr Mahmoud Al-Mahmoud, Assistant Undersecre- tary Shaikha Mai Al Khalifa, Acting Director of Archaeology & Heritage Mr Khaled Al-Sendi, and Supervisor of Archaeology Mr Abdelkarim Al-Moft. For permission to excavate in the private garden north of the temple we are grateful to Mr Isa bin Ali and his sons. The excavations were carried out by Pernille Bangsgaard, Jesper Hansen, Niels Haue, Dorthe Danner Lund and Flemming Højlund, assisted by twenty Bahraini labourers. The excavations were supported by the Carlsberg Foundation, the University of Aarhus, the University of Aarhus Research Foundation, and the Minis- try of Information of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Poul Kjærum dealt with the stamp seals and the tokens. The English was revised by Peter Crabb. Karsten Mikkelsen digitized the drawings. The excavations in 2004 are registered at the Oriental Department at Moesgaard Museum as nos 691–693.
3. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 147–151, Figs 185–201, 2: plan 6:4, 6, 7 and 9. 4. Cf. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 233–241. 5. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: Fig. 221. 6. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 147, Fig. 250, 2: sections 13.G and 33.G. 7. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: Figs 185–200. 8. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 147, 2: section 33.G. 9. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 2: Plan 6:2 and 36. 10. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 33.F (the door), section 33.K, Plans 6.10 (the wall) and 6.11 (the threshold). 11. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 185, 2: Plan 7:25. 12. Cf. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 233–241, Figs 463–518. 13. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 327. 14. Frifelt K. Islamic Remains in Bahrain. Aarhus: JASP, 37: 2001: Figs 22–24. BARBAR TEMPLE, BAHRAIN 127
15. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 185, Fig. 235. 16. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 175–185. 17. Carried out by Niels Breiner of the Institute of Geology, Aarhus Univer- sity. 18. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2. 19. Kjærum P. Stamp-seals, seal impres- sions and seal blanks. In: Højlund F & Andersen HH. Qala’at al-Bahrain vol. 1. The Northern City Wall and the Islamic Fortress. Aarhus: JASP, 30/1, 1994: nos 18, 19, 20, 22. Crawford H. Early Dilmun Seals from Saar. Archaeology International: Stoke Saint Milborough, 2001: no. 4361:01. 20. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 323ff. 21. Andersen HH. The Barbar Temple: stratigraphy, architecture and inter- pretation. BTAA 1986: 177. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 187. 22. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Fig. 14, 2: plan 8.3–4. 23. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Main section: A and Plan 5.2. 24. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 131, 2: Plans 3.46 and 5.1. 25. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Main Section: A, Section 30.A. 26. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 187. 27. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2.
28. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Fig. 243. 29. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 31:2–3. 30. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Fig. 222, 2: Plan 6.60. 31. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 31.A. 32. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Plan 3.52–53. 33. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Figs 182–183, 2: Section 31.8–10. 34. Kjærum P. Stamp Seals and Seal Impressions. In: Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 300–305. 35. Kjærum P. The Stamp and Cylinder Seals. Plates and Catalogue Descriptions. Failaka/Dilmun. The Second Millen- nium Settlements 1:1. Aarhus: JASP, 17.1: 1983: no. 337. 36. Crawford, Early Dilmun Seals from Saar: no. 5168:01. 37. E.g. Kjærum, Stamp and Cylinder Seals: nos 25, 31, 71. 38. E.g. Kjærum, Stamp and Cylinder Seals: nos 97, 117, 150, 247 and 131. 39. Kjærum, Stamp Seals and Seal Impres- sions: 303, Figs 783–84, 787. 40. Kjærum, Stamp Seals and Seal Impres- sions: 302ff. 41. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 326, Figs 242–245, 2: plan 8.3–4. 42. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Fig. 203, 2: Plan 6.47–54. 43. Cf. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 140 and 2: Plan 5.4 with 1: 165, 2: plan 6:43, and section 33:O. 44. Kjærum, Stamp-seals, seal impressions and seal blanks: 331f, 345f. Kjærum, Stamp Seals and Seal Impressions: 298ff, 303f. 45. E.g. Al-Sindi K. Dilmun Seals. Manama: State of Bahrain, 1999: nos 45 and 47. 46. Oral comm. from S.F. Andersen who examined the sherds in the field. 47. Andersen SF & Kennet D. Sasanian and Islamic Pottery. In: Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 307–10. 48. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 199–208, 2: Plan 10. 49. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: 35–45. Konishi MA. Legendary Spring and the Stepped Wells of 2000 B.C., Bahrain – from the excavations at ‘Ain Umm es-Sujur. Lahore Museum Bulletin 9/1: 1996: 81–93. 50. The two similar well-chambers at Umm as-Sujur are also connected to a subterranean channel and an open channel respectively, although it is difficult to judge the direction of their inclinations from the plans, cf. Konishi, Legendary Spring: Figs 3–5. 51. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Plan 10.B. 52. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 1: 204–208. 53. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 202, Fig. 258. 54. For this group of objects, see Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 2: 47–49. 55. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Plan 10. 56. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Fig. 265, 2: Sections 34.F and 35.3. 57. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 35.8. 58. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 35.18. 59. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 35.F. 60. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 2: Section 34.G. 61. Cf. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Temples 2: Section 34.2–3. 62. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Figs 600–615. 63. Højlund, F. The Bronze Age Pottery. Failaka/Dilmun. The Second Millen- nium Settlements 2. Aarhus: JASP, 17/2: 1987. 64. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 210. 65. Højlund & Andersen, Qala’at al-Bahrain vol. 1. 66. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: Figs 633–656. 67. Højlund, The Bronze Age Pottery. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 210. 68. Andersen & Højlund, The Barbar Tem- ples 1: 249. F. HØJLUND ET AL. 128 Yüklə 249,31 Kb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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