Page 69 - Life & Land Use on the Bahrain Islands (Curtis E Larsen)

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Prideaux (1908-9) noted this difference and stated that these wind-swept
tombs at the higher elevations had been eroded by greater exposure to the wind.
This theory was tested in the field by making traverses through tumuli fields along
convenient wadis. Had there been surface erosion of tombs by wind as a function
of elevation, one would anticipate a gradational relationship in the degree of
erosion observed. Thus, tombs at the highest elevations would be expected to be
severely eroded while those at lower elevations would be less affected by wind.
This gradational relationship was not present. Barbar period tomb clusters abruptly
bordered the lower limit of the shallower tomb groups. There was no difference in
tomb height as a function of elevation, and thus wind erosion was not a factor in
their shape. With this in mind, estimates of tomb number for the Barbar period can
be narrowed by relative dating of the dense clusters of mounded tombs. Shallow
tombs at higher elevations have been recently excavated by Aziz Ali Ibrahim of the
Bahrain Department of Antiquities as well as Habgood (1982). Pottery from these
tombs is identical with material illustrated in Figure 43h and Figure 47s in
Appendix I pointing to Pre Barbar and Barbar I use.
A mean density of the remaining Barbar tombs was determined by finding
the area and number of tombs per hectare from each of the discrete clusters. The
mean density was found to be 53 tombs per hectare. The combined area of the
clusters was calculated to be of 3247 hectares. TTiis gave an estimate of 172,093
individual tombs, well above Bibby*s estimate. This number provides a basis for
approximating the Barbar period population.
Recent detailed physical anthropological work by Frtfhlich (1982, 1983)
shows there was no sexual segregation in the use of these tombs. Both male and
female skeletal remains were present. Infant burials, too, were represented, but as
subsidiary interments (Fr#ich 1983). Notwithstanding IbrahimTs reports of multiple
or subsidiary burials present in the dense Barbar tomb clusters, it is clear that the
majority of tombs are primary, individual burials. This is borne out in discussion
with Frtfilich, who performed the skeletal recoveries. Of a total of 60 surface
tombs excavated by Ibrahim and his team, 47 (78%) were found to be individual
interments. Thus, even though the data base is not complete, it is initially helpful