Page 96 - DILMUN 16_Neat

‫ﺩ‬

the re-lslamic and early lslamic eriods ere gien different names lie the "sof' or
floing calligrahy, ancd the 'hard" or geometric style. Some Arab cities gae their
ames to slyles of calligrahy, lie the Heiry, A Anbari, Mai and the Madinai.

The use of archment for Arabic manuscrits is also examined in this exhibit.
Paer as not readily aailable in the th cenutry A.D. so most documents, such as
the Our'an, contracts and letters, ere ritten on archment. Parchment as made
by tanning animals sins until they ere soft and suitable for riting. Both
archment and aer ere used u to the 1th century A٠D. hen readily aailable
aer became the referred material.

Boobinding in the early years of the lslamic eriod consisted of binding boos
ith ieces of ood or hard leather on the front, bac and side. Later boos ere
obund ith leather coers, or hard aer coered ith fine leather. Boo binding
deeloed into an art form ith coers highly decorated ith floral and geometric
designs.

Imortant historical documents on dislay date from the reigns of Shaih lsa bin
Ali A1 Khalifa, Shaih Hamad bin lsa A1 Khalifa, and Shaih Salman bin Hamad AI
Khalifa. Other documents highlight the deeloment of educaiton in Barhain and the
Manama Municiality the decline of earling and the discoery of oil early
goermnent health serices the first airort and causeay economic deeloment,
and trade and commerce and early olitical deeloments in Bahrain.

Hlal of Natural Histoyr

hTe hlal of Nautral History roides a glimse into the origins of Bahrain's major
habitast and their associated fauna and flora. The urose of the exihbit is to romote
understanding of the unique fauna and lora of Bahrain and areciaiton of Bahrai'ns
natural heritage ith its ealth and ariety of ildlife. This exhibit is intended is a
contribution to the goernments efforts toard increasing enironmental aareness
and encouraging interest, areciation and reseraiton of ildlife on tihs lsland.

hTe introductory exhibits to the hall sho ho Barhain has hysically changed.
Oer the ast 12, years the changing sea leels determined hether certain land
forms and islands ere aboe or ٠belo sea leel.

Habitast are laces here lants and ainmals lie. hTe Hall of Natural History
feautres four major habitats in Bahrain: The desert, lantaiton, seashore and island
enironments. The desert exihbit shos ho some animals can lie in the hot, dry
Barhani desert here little rain eer falls. Raifnall in Bahrain seldom exceeds 1
millimeters er year, so lant groth is limited. hTe result is desert, esecially in the
middle and southern regions of hte island. Stones and ebbles are more common in
the central deression, ihle sand dunes are more abundant in loland coastal areas.