Page 11 - DILMUN NO 6

Further South are radial cross channels which wells. These increase in depth on the Soutn-
may have been “feeders” to the tnain channel. ccntral plateau and the most southerly well
Some of these are of considerable depth. lies about two miles South of Rumaitha. Here
There are traces of extensive, but long- the labour involved in hauling the water bucket
abondoncd, areas of cultivation most of the way to the .wellhead necessitates the use of a
South towards the village of Dar Kulaib and donkey. This water is used for grazing
a wide variety of pottery sherds litters the live-stock and there is no evidence of crop
ruined dwellings alonge the route. cultivation.
Approach from the southern end is via During the 12 years he has been in
a very large cistern about a mile North of Bahrain, John Clingly, the Head Master at
Sharakan and here the underground tunnel Awali School, has actively pursued his interest
can be safely - if uncomfortably - explored, in exploring various areas of Bahrain. His hikes
till it emerges about a quarter of a mile N.W. around all the chains of underground qanats,
of the cistern at a point where an extension or water channels, which are to be found in
channel turns west to Malchiya. various stages of disuse in many parts of
Care should be taken on the surface route. Bahrain.
The channels were built to prevent water
Water below
being wasted from evaporation, which would
There* exists sufficient vegetation in the
have occurred if the water had been carried in
form of scrub palms to suggest the presence of
surface channels. It is thought that the
water not too far below the surface and the
channels were first built as open ditches and
very large cistern, already mentioned, must
then roofed with slabs of sea rock called
have once contained a considerably volume of
farouche. The roofs of the channels are arched
water. It is now quite dry, but local cultivators
and, after being built, they were covered with
occasionally scoop out the rock basin to produce
sand to ground level. At about 15-yard
limited quantities of water
intervals, the roofs are interrupted by ventila­
The extreme southern limit of the qanat
tion shafts.
appears to be on the Zellaq road area and from
thereon southwards water is obtained from J.H.C.
booklist
& *

Later Islamic Pottery The Northern Hijaz
Persia, Syria, Egypt, Turkey In the writing of the Arab Geographers
By Arthur Lane 800-1150
Pub : Faber & Faber - London By Abdullah Al-Wohaibi Lecturer in History,
Price : B.D.8.200 University of Riyadh.
Pub: AI-Risalah Ets. Lebanon
Price : B.D.6.125
Portrait of a Desert.
The Story of an Expedition to Jordan
By Guy Mountfort
Illustrated by Eric Hosking Near Eastern Mythology
Foreward by Sir Julian Hulian Huxley F.R.S. Mesopotamia - Syria - Palestine
Pub : Collins - London By : Hamlyn Group
Price : B.D.3.600 Price B.D.1.500

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