Bahrain has long and rich history dating back almost 5000 years to the ancient civilization of Dilmun (alternative: Telmun). It is an archipelago of 33 islands located East of Saudi Arabia. The name Bahrain literally means "two seas", this is often understood to refer to the two water sources in and surrounding Bahrain - one being the sweet water springs contained within, the other being the surrounding salty water present in the ocean.
Pre-Islamic Bahrain
Three major names are associated with ancient Bahrain, they are (in chronological order): Dilmun, Tylos, and Awal. Dilmun was an ancient civilization during the Bronze Age that played a role as a trade center between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The civilization is believed to have lasted over 2000 years (since 2500 B.C.). Following the collapse of the Indus civilization, Dilmun's status as a trading center began to decline. By 600 B.C., Dilmun was absorbed into the Babylonian empire. During 323 B.C., Greek influence (under the command of Alexander the Great) imposed the names "Tylos" for the city of Manama (on the mainland) and "Aradous" for the island of Muharraq (meaning: Place of Burning / Place of Ashes).
There are no clear dates as to the end of Greek influence on Bahrain, but following Tylos, the archipelago was referred to as Awal - in reference to the idol by the same name, which appeared in the form of an ox head. The name is estimated to have lasted nearly 8 centuries until the arrival of Islam in 692 AD.
* Pagan idol - Awal
* Dilmun Seal
"Recent finds have evidenced that Bahrain was indeed the site of the lost civilization of Dilmun dating from the third millennium BC, often refereed to as the fabled Garden of Eden and described as "paradise" in the Epic of Gilgamesh. The land is repeatedly mentioned in Sumerian , Babylonian and Assyrian inscriptions as an important seaport between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, due to the perennial abundance of sweet water." Bahrain Tourism Website
Post-Islam Bahrain
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Bahrain Emblem (a.k.a. Coat of Arms of Bahrain)
