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advances the notion that “the possibility existed that this tomb was dedicated to one who died
outside his homeland.” Me also alludes to the frequent occurrence of fragmentary burials and
suggests that some mounds were for “family burials.”

The issue as to whether the burial mounds of Bahrain arc the exclusive cemeteries of an
indigenous population or, as recently proposed by me (Lamberg-Karlovsky 1982), include the
burials of peoples from surrounding areas is directly addressed in the provocative article by
Dr. Bruno Frohlich (1983) who is the physical anthropologist incorporated on the above
mentioned Arab Expedition. Dr. Frohlich (1983:8) concludes his study, based on the techni­
ques of archaeological demography, in the following manner:

“The data docs, however, suggest one important factor; it is not necessary
to explain the large number of burial mounds by ‘importing’ the dead from
surrounding geographical areas. The size of the island, the number of
people it can support, is .assumed to be such that it may be necessary to look
for more burials in order to explain the known settlement patterns.”

Mutatis mutandis!
Two points, of which Dr. Frohlich is fully aware, makes this conclusion premature. Firstly,

there is a lack of data concerning the distribution of settlement and structures on Bahrain. The
lack of data and research on the carrying capacity of the island, as well as settlement pattern
prohibits an adequate estimation of population size. In the absence of the above data it is
difficult to explain how Dr. Frohlich concludes that one needs “to look for more burials in
order to explain the known, settlement pattern.” Secondly, Dr. Frohlich bases his conclusions
on calculations of average life expectancy, derived from a study of the burials, which he
believes to be between 35-40 years. Thus, if the life expectancy is 35 years and the tumuli
represent a time-span of 500 years a population of 10,500 would be sufficient to produce
150,000 dead pe/sons. The use of life table calculations are not without interpretive difficulty.
Life table calculations present averages and means as a substitute for population structure,
assuming that the population is stationary without fluctuation in birth-rate, male-to-female
ratio, and mortality rates: in short without variability during a defined time span.

Dr. Frohlich’s work is nevertheless of extreme importance and will undoubtedly provide
an archaeological demography ofwhat clearly appears to be the largest prehistoric cemetery in
the ancient Near East. Even if it is conclusively shown that the burials are exclusively of an
indigenous population several important factors require further consideration. In order to
emphasize these I have compiled the following summary of the Arab Expedition’s excavations
of the burials and tumuli of Sar el-Jisr.

Summary Total of Burial Mounds Excavated
155 mounds excavated
27 mounds without human burials
33 mounds without artifacts/ceramics

17.4% mounds without burials
21.2% mounds without artifacts/ceramics

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