Investigation and Discussion of the Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
The Japan Center for International Cooperation in Conservation sent a research team to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to take part in investigation and discussion of the preservation of cultural heritage in early October.
A tripartite memorandum of agreement had been signed among the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, and the Institute for the Study of Ancient Civilizations and Cultural Resources at Kanazawa University. Together they launched a research center to promote archaeological studies in Bahrain and cultural heritage preservation projects in collaboration. The purpose of this visit was to investigate the current preservation conditions of cultural heritage that had been damaged by heavy rain in the beginning of this year. In Qalat al Bahrain, collapse of the outer walls of the fort by water damage and serious bending of the ceiling beams made from palm trees were recognized, and the site was temporarily closed to the public. Additionally, soil erosion was recognized in a well thought to be the most sacred part of the Barbar temple, and several stones were inclined or moved by the water flow. Effects on the cultural heritage due to increasing annual precipitation is becoming more serious year by year across the Middle East. We proposed to periodically monitor the progression of deterioration in comparison with the past situation, and discussed immediate countermeasures to reduce flood damage.
We attended a symposium held in Riyadh that focused on the Al Faw Archaeological Area in Saudi Arabia, which had just been newly inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in September 2024, and then visited the archaeological site. Excavation has been completed only by a few percentages, as the Al Faw Archaeological site is large and complex, mainly composed of a pre-Islamic caravan city, and also includes an area of ritual practice and numerous mound tombs from the Bronze Age. We also had a meeting with the Heritage Committee of the government of Saudi Arabia, and agreed to continue discussions on a partnership to promote site management and research for a future public opening of the Al-Faw Archaeological Area.