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DILMN

hTe building was spacious, and adcquate for the purpose of the museum, but it required
some time, in fact more than twelve months, to transform it into a placc suitable for museum
purposes, i.e, as an cducational, and scientific institution.

٨t this stage we began to dcpend on our own cxpcrtise, to cstablish the new tcmporayr
muscum and to rc-organise the dcpartment. ln 1975 we bccame indepcndent of the
co-operation of Publie Works, Elcctricity and Water Supply Ministry in transforming the
building into ٨ muscum. The new museum compriscs five galleries, vi:

9 Ancient Settlemcnts Gallery
Burial Mounds Gallery
Dilmun Seals Gallery

o Bahrain Gcoloyg Gallery
‫ ﻭ‬Ethnography Gallcry

In addition to these five main galleries, there are a laboratory, a library, stores,
administration offices, and public utilities. There was initially a cafeteria, but after a short
time we were obliged to transfom this into a galleyr for exhibiting manuscirpts and
documents. ln 1975 Directorate of Antiquities & Museums was formed. More impotrant
responsibilities have been given to the museum. hTe new Directorate undertook restoration
and consevration works, hTey statred with the AI hameis Mosque and Siyadi House, then
Shaikh Isa's House and the Dira Temple, Bu-Mahir Tower was restored with the
co-operation of the Ministyr of Inteiror as they were interested in the site for the Cosat
Guards Base.

The new Directorate co-operated with Municipalities, Housing Ministry and Real
Estate Directorate to reach a form of mutual co-operation and co-ordination in the
allocation of the archaeological sites in Bahrain. This was done with the assistance of an
archaeologistlsurveyor. General archaeoloigacl maps have been drawn rfom those sites, and
distributed to the other Govemrmentla Directions for the purpose of presevring Bahrain's
histoyr and heirtage. hTe responsible oiffcials of the Directorate attended many conferences
and meetings in the Arabic nativse sphere, to co-ordinate and co-operate with our Arab
brothesr in ifelds of Archaeology and Museums, nad to beneift rfom their experience.

lndeed, it was a 'isrt' of its kind in the Arab world, when the Arab Orgainsation for
Education, Sicences and uClture, with the co-operaiton of Bharain Government, na Arab
rachaeologiacl mission was fomed rfom Arab experts or rachaeoloigsst to work in Bahrain
in the huge rescue work at Saar site, It is hte site where hnudreds of ancient buiral mounds
were trheatened by the building of hte causeway between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

hTe acitivitse of hte Driectorate expnaded in the ield of excavaiton. New archaeologic
la sitse have been dicsovered. Many pirvate land problems have been solved by
ocmepnsation or by the donaiton of other land, beacuse of archaeological significance, of
ectrian of thsee.

We welcomed foreing rachaeologilac expeditions to dig in Bahrain but this time iwth
more regard for their ocmpetence in expetrise nad eqiupment.

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