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I lie construction of the second fort of Qal’at al-Bahrain is among the least known episodes
t’l the history of the island. Ncverthless, when in 1956 Danish archaeologists undertook the
exploration of the site, Sheikh Salman explained that the “Portuguese fort" was only the
reconstruction of an old arab fort, and in due course the Danes found certain traces of this
.>lder building.9 Investigations carried out last spring have revealed the outline of the earlier
fort and the design of its towers.

The exact dale of its construction is not precisely known. It falls between the abandonment
of the shoreline fort (perhaps towards the middle of the 14th century) and the Portuguese
alterations which are dated by an inscription: 1004 AH/1586 AD. The Portuguese entirely
covered the preceding fort with new masonry, arid gave its towers and bastions a particular
form which had recently been developed in Western Europe. A few walls remain visible of the
older building. Thus those who arc unaware of the history of Bahrain arc accustomed to think
of the fort as purely Portuguese.

The Arad fortress
By about the 16th Century, Qal’at al-Bahrain had ceased to be regarded as the only position
•f strategic value in the immediate area : another fort had been constructed on the island of
'iuharraq, the fort of Arad, the ancient name of the island. This construction took place at a
►articularly dramatic period in the history of Bahrain, when the Ottomans, Persians and
’ortuguese were contesting control of the Island, at that time held by the Banu Djaber. It
•ecame important to have a base from which to reconquer Bahrain and its fortress, and Arad
^as chosen, as it was accessible to deepwater shipping. The fortress, as shown on Portuguese
niniatures, is depicted as having a double enceint and 6 towers: traces were found a few years
go under the present Arad Fort." This present fort, which dates from the very beginning of
he last century, was no more than a reconstruction of the inner enceint of the old fort.

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