Bahrain to develop archaeological irrigation sites to recreational parks

TDT | Manama                                                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com     

A recreational park will soon be developed at the most recent archaeological irrigation site in Hamad Town following the completion of the second phase of excavation at the end of this year.

A four-kilometre-long ancient irrigation channel that provided water to a Karzakan village from the site’s main spring was discovered by a British archaeologist team a few months back.

This research, which was carried out by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) in partnership with the University of Exeter in the UK, sought to determine the historical significance of an irrigation channel.

“This is the first time we are carrying out a scientific archaeological research and excavation in Bahrain,” Salman Almahari, Director of Archeology and Museum, told the Daily Tribune in an exclusive interview.

The most recent investigation by a British researcher indicates that a triangle-shaped irrigation channel was constructed to speed up the delivery of water from the spring to the village of Karzakan.

Researchers discovered two different sorts of channels at this location that are referred to as “opened” and “closed” to safeguard the water supply from dust and to keep the water cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Following the primary excavation, BACA intends to transform the archaeological site into a public space that serves as a park for recreation and an informational hub for archaeology.

Almahari stated that “BACA is ready to assist anyone who wants to conduct historical research on Bahrain.”

Around 93 archaeological sites and barriers, which are already on the national heritage list, have been identified.

BACA is planning to convert most of them into archaeological public parks.