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Finally, the only examples of basins with 'base" handlcs (Fig. 8:9 and Fig. 9:1
:and 2) were found at Najran-Uiidud (Fig. I0:5). hey were associatcd with the

pes yof ceramics of South .Arabia‫ﺍ‬

hus the majority of parallels which one can find for the ccramic corpus of the
second group of the pcriod I٧ at Oal'at al-Bahrain is found on the Arabian
peninsula. Morcover, thc ccramics of this group, lie those of the Arabian sites, is
particularily mared by the use of chaff tenper in its manufacture.

CONCLUSION
It is thus possible to evaluate the information gathered in the soundings 2,3,8 and

9 of the Oal'at al-Bahrain. he ceramics of period I٧ are divided into two groups:
the first is a continuation of the ceramics of period III (ceramisc said to be of
Kassite age); the second group, more numerous, introduces forms previously
unnown unti! then to Bahrain, accompanied by new manufacturing techniques.

In sounding 3, the only one in which was located the antecedents to period IV
(period II and III), a possible abandonment between period III and period I٧ was
noted. his abandonment was perhaps quite localied or rather brief, since the
ecramic traditions of period III were continued during the course of period I٧ (a &
b). 1t was also noted that the ceramisc of the Kassite tradition were in a smaller
proportion to those of the new tradition, and that the two were utilied in the same
way.

It is possible to conclude.that the population which had imposed its technology
on Oal'at al-Bahrain during period III was still present during period IV. Fom the
beginning of this period, another group had occupied the site and added its ceramic
tradition to that of the previously established group.

If we may judge on the basis of the percentage of ceramics, this new 'ethnic'
rgoup was relatively numerous, and appears to have letf the island, taing with
them their technology, because this ceramic tradition is not found in levels ٧, VI,
nad ٧II. he disappearance of this population does not appear to be accompanied
by violence, and left the site of Oal'at al-Bahrain for some tmie unoccupied. he
level of abandonment atfer period IV in soundings 2 and 3.appears to support this
hypothesis.

his reconstruction is based upon the stratigraphic obsevrations rfom four
small-sived soundings. It must be conifrmed by further research on the same site as
well as on other sites on the island.

• EXPLANAORY PROPOSIION

We are at the moment letf with a picture of Bahraililmun in the middle of the
2nd miilennium B.C. as a countyr busily engaged in trade, ocntrolled by the

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