The Barbar Temples

by Andersen, H. Hellmuth; Flemming, Hojlund; Andersen, Soren F. (CON); Casanova, Michele (CON); Kennet, Derek (CON); Kjaerum, Poul (CON)

• ISBN13: 9788788415278
• ISBN10: 8788415279
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-08-30
• Publisher: Aarhus Universitetsforlag
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Summary

This book provides a detailed description of the three ancient temples unearthed between 1954-1961 near Barbar on the northern part of Bahrain island in the Persian Gulf. Two of the structures, from the centuries around 2000 BC, reveal traditions going back to Sumerian temples. A number of spectacular objects were found here, including cylindrical alabaster jars, a human-shaped copper mirror handle and the most famous object from the Barbar Temples, a bull's head of copper. Structurally, a chamber was found over a freshwater spring, indicating the presence of a water cult and perhaps forging a connection to Enki, the Mesopotamian god of the subterranean freshwater ocean, apsu. The temple-apsu is well known from cuneiform sources, but has been extremely difficult to identify in Mesopotamian excavations. The Barbar well chamber may be such an apsu, as the authors point out among their highly detailed descriptions and analysis of the finds.

Table of Contents

VOLUME 1 -- Introduction; Stratigraphy; Temple I; Temple II - The Central Platform; Temple II - The Oval Platform; Temple II - The Pool; Temple II - The Eastern Court; Temple III; Islamic Masonry; The Northeast Temple; Pottery and the Dating of the Temple Phases; Copper and Copper Working; Alabaster and Calcite Vessels; Stamp Seals and Seal Impressions; Sasanian and Islamic Pottery; Parthian-Sasanian Sculpture; Other Finds; Conclusions. VOLUME 2 -- Animal Bones; Analysis of Wood; Metal Analyses; Metal Analyses; The Well at Umm as-Sujur; Phallic Cult-Stones from the Barbar-Temple Period; Bibliography and Abbreviations; Sections and Plans.