Page 65 - Life & Land Use on the Bahrain Islands (Curtis E Larsen)

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that early second millennium Dilmun was an entrepot which sought out markets
that connected the greater network and thereby insured its own prosperity.
Figure 8 shows a comparative correlation among other known
archeological sites in the gulf region. Alignment with Mesopotamian periodization
is clear, based upon diagnostic pottery from this region. Unfortunately, the
sequences of the opposite end of the Gulf are less well known, This fact is
consequently reflected in the correlation.
14
Indus Valley sequences are presented as based upon the C chronology
proposed by Lai (1963), and upon the calibrated chronology shown by Brunswig
(1975). 'Hius, the Mature Harappan phase is roughly contemporary with the Early
Dynastic IE, Akkadian, and possibly Ur m sequences in Iraq. Late Harappan seems
to have been sysnchronous with the Isin-Larsa dynasties. The Ranjapur HA
similarities noted on Bahrain fit into the 2000-1700 B.C. range, and the Persian
Gulf seal found near Lothal and dated by Rao (1963a) to Lothal IVA has been placed
in a more secure temporal frame by Dales (1965), who gives dates of 1900 + 115
and 1895 + 115 B.C. for this phase.
The sequence at Tepe Yahya is adapted from Lamberg-Karlovsky (1973)
and Weiss (1978) and is highly tentative. It can be shown that the Umm an-Nar
materials in Barbar I support a Late Akkadian-Ur HI date for this settlement in
accordance with the dating proposed by Frifelt (1975a,b). Yahya IVB, on the other
hand, has parallels with Early Dynastic HI materials. This suggests that Umm
an-Nar parallels at Tepe Yahya may correlate with the earlier Umm an-Nar
settlements. The hiatus of unknown duration that separates Yahya IVB and IVA
prohibits setting a final date for Yahya IVB. Similarly, Yahya IVA may have
occurred as temporally equivalent with Barbar n. However, there are very few
pottery parallels between Barbar n and Yahya IVA that can be used with security.
An appearance of bichrome painted wares, as well as painted buff wares may
provide a clue, but this must remain a tenuous correlation. More indicative is the
absence of Umm an-Nar wares at roughly the same time as on Bahrain. Carbon 14
dates from both sites would alleviate this situation. Correlation with
Shahr-i-Sokhta is more secure. The placement of Tosi's phases I-IV are in keeping