Tylos burials from three different sites on Bahrain

Transcription

1 Arab. arch. epig. 2003: 14: (2003) Printed in Denmark. All rights reserved Tylos burials from three different sites on Bahrain SINE TOFT JENSEN Moesgaard Museum, Denmark Introduction It was the burial mounds that attracted the Danish archaeologists to Bahrain in 1953, and already during the first season the different character of the mounds of the Bronze Age and those of the Iron Age was investigated during the excavation of two Bronze Age and three Iron Age mounds (1). Subsequent Danish excavations of Iron Age mounds in detailed the picture of the cist graves belonging to the late pre- Islamic period, in Bahrain called the Tylos period, after the Greek name of the island. These graves are presented in the following, a total of fifteen graves excavated on three different sites (2), and they supplement other recent excavations of Tylos graves in Bahrain (3). The human skeletons and animal remains from the graves are treated in separate articles in this volume of AAE by Judith Littleton and Kevin C. MacDonald, but their identifications of species, sex and age are briefly included below. The mounds near Pylon T158 In 1959 Harald Andersen, Mogens Ørsnes and Knud Riisgård excavated five tumuli containing a total of nine graves on a site east of the village of al-markh and south of the Manama-Budaya road, near a pylon numbered T158 (Fig. 1 (4)). The excavation is registered at Moesgaard Museum under No Mound 1 was 1.30 m tall, had a regular circular ground plan and a diameter of c. 12 m. It contained one grave. Grave 985.AG was intact when unearthed. It was oriented east to west and constructed in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock (Fig. 2.1). Here a 1.45 m-wide and 3.05 m-long grave frame was constructed of hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar. The actual burial chamber was 2.15 m long, 0.50 m wide and 0.50 m deep. On Fig. 2.1 the broken line indicates the upper edge of the chamber. The inside of the grave frame was lined with irregular limestone slabs placed edgeways in the full depth of the grave. The slabs had been plastered with a layer of mortar reaching beyond the top edge of the grave and onto the topside of the frame, where it formed a plane surface for the capstones, which were laid in mortar. The bottom of the grave was covered in a blackish brown, possibly organic material. 127

2 S. T. JENSEN Pylon T 159 N Pylon T 158 Mound 3 Mound 1 Mound 5 Mound 2 Mound 6 Masonry 0 50 m Mound 4 Fig. 1. Plan of the site of Pylon T158. Mounds 1 5 were excavated in 1959, Mound 6 in Surveyed by O. Brande-Lauridsen On top of this lay the skeleton of an approximately 35-year-old man, 985.AE. He lay on his back in an extended position with his head towards the east and his hands resting on his hip joint. Between his left shinbone and the south wall of the grave was a collection of eggshells. In the southwest corner of the grave stood a common ware bowl with incurving rim filled with very fine grey ashes (Fig. 2.2). The surface of the vessel varies between yellowish white and yellowish brown (Munsell 2.5Y 8/2-10YR 7/6). Mound 2 was 1.55 m tall with an approximate diameter of m. It contained three graves (Fig. 3). Grave 985.I was intact when unearthed and oriented east-northeast to west-southwest (Fig. 4.1). It was constructed in a hole dug Fig Grave 985.AG, Skeleton 985.AE, Mound

3 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Common ware bowl with incurving rim, H. 4.4 cm; D cm. through the top layers of the bedrock. In the hole, a 3 m-long and 1.50 m-wide frame was constructed of hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar. The walls of the burial chamber were built of big stones laid in mortar in two courses with the plane sides towards the inside of the burial chamber. The plaster on the walls reached beyond the top edge of the grave and onto the topside of the frame, where it formed a plane surface for the capstones, which were laid in mortar. The actual burial chamber was 2 m long, 0.50 m wide and 0.40 m deep. On Fig. 4.1 the broken line indicates the upper edge of the chamber. On the bottom of the grave, a blackish brown, powdery material was observed. It was concentrated in the east end of the grave. On top of this lay the skeleton of a year-old human being, 985.AL, of unspecified gender. The skeleton was lying in extended position on its back with the head towards east-northeast. Its right arm was extended parallel with the body, its left arm was partly resting on the body with the hand resting on the top of the thigh. Near the first cervical vertebrae was found a string consisting of ninety-two beads made of glass, carnelian, amethyst and bone (Fig. 4.2). The beads were removed from the grave in the original order. East of its right shoulder was one half of a flat, pierced, disc-shaped object made of bone (Fig. 4.3). On the western short wall of the Fig. 3. Mound 2, Graves 985.I, 985.AR, 985.BH. 129

4 S. T. JENSEN grave frame there was a carinated bowl with an almost vertical upper side in grey ware (Fig. 4.4). The bowl was found lying on its side. The bones of a small hen, 985.K, were found both in the vessel and just south of it. With its bottom towards this bowl lay a common ware bowl with incurving rim containing very fine, light grey ashes (Fig. 4.5). The surface of the vessel varies between white and very pale brown (Munsell 5Y 8/2-10YR 8/3). Grave 985.AR was oriented east to west (Fig. 3). The 1.45 m-long and 0.92 m-wide grave frame made of stones laid in mortar was constructed in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock. The inside of the grave frame as well as a 5-6 cm-thick layer of gravel on the bottom of the grave were finely plastered with mortar. The layer of mortar reached beyond the topside of the frame, where it formed a plane surface for the capstone. The east corner of the grave had been damaged as a result of a grave robbing, but the capstone lay in situ when the grave was unearthed. East of the grave some fragmentary remains from an adult skeleton, 985.AU, were found. The burial chamber was the smallest of the three graves with a length of 0.70 m, a width of 0.35 m and a depth of 0.37 m. Near the bottom of the grave and on the damaged part of the grave frame, a few bones from a 12-month-old child, 985.AS, were found. Fig Grave 985.I, Skeleton 985.AL, Mound 2. Grave 985.BH was oriented east-northeast to west-southwest (Fig. 5.1, 5.5). It was built in a hole dug only through the top layer of the surface soil. In this hole, a 2.95 m-long and 1.55 m-wide grave frame was constructed of hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar. The inside of the grave had been plastered with mortar, which reached beyond the top edge of the frame. The layer of mortar was only sporadically seen on the bottom of the grave. The actual burial 130

5 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Beads. Glass: 3 4, 6 7; carnelian: 1, 5, 9; amethyst: 8; bone: 2. Fig Bone object, D. 3.1 cm. Fig Carinated grey ware bowl with an almost vertical upper side, H. 5.5 cm; D cm. Fig Common ware bowl with incurving rim, H. 5 cm; D cm. chamber was 2.10 m long, 0.45 m wide and 0.43 m deep. On Fig. 5.1 the broken line indicates the upper edge of the chamber. The capstone of the grave broke before a sketch could be made (cf. Fig. 3). Inside the grave was the skeleton, 985.BI, of a year-old man. He was lying on his back in an extended position with his arms parallel to his body, his head towards eastnortheast, his right hand upon his upper right thigh, and his left arm slightly bent with his hand above the hip joint. Between 131

6 S. T. JENSEN Fig Grave 985.BH, Skeleton 985.BI, Mound

7 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN his left leg and the south wall of the grave, lay the skeleton of a small hen, 985.BJ. Across his right shinbone lay a redslipped bowl upside down (Fig. 5.2). The outside surface of the vessel is covered in a greyish white slip. The inside of the vessel and the outside of the rim are covered in a red slip. On the inside of the vessel extending from its middle, polishing marks in the shape of rays can be seen. Near the chest of the skeleton lay a button-like silver object (Fig. 5.3). On the southwest corner of the grave frame stood a common ware bowl with incurving rim containing fine grey ashes (Fig. 5.4). The surface of the vessel Fig Red-slipped bowl, H. 9.2 cm; D cm. varies between white and very pale brown (Munsell 5Y 8/2-10 YR 8/3). Furthermore, a black-on-red painted Umm an-nar sherd as well as a collection of thirty-two coins, mostly lead, some of which have been determined as Qarmatian (c A.H.) (5) were found on the grave frame. Mound 3 was 1.05 m tall. It had a diameter of m and contained one grave (Fig. 6.1). Grave 985.AA was oriented east-northeast to west-southwest (Fig. 6.2). It was constructed in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock, where the 2.80 m-long and 1.50 m-wide grave frame was built in handto head-sized stones laid in mortar. The actual burial chamber was 1.97 m long, 0.45 m wide and 0.40 m deep. On Fig. 6.2 the broken line indicates the upper edge of the chamber. The bottom and walls of the grave were plastered with mortar reaching beyond the top edge, where it formed a plane surface for the capstones, which were laid in mortar. Fig Silver button, D. 0.8 cm. Fig Common ware bowl with incurving rim, H. 4.5 cm; D. 10 cm. Fig Grave 985.BH, looking ENE. 133

8 S. T. JENSEN Fig Mound 3, Grave 985.AA. Fig Grave 985.AA, Skeleton 985.R, Mound

9 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Mound 4 was 2.20 m tall. It had a diameter of 15 m and contained two graves. Fig Common ware bowl with incurving rim, H. 3.9 cm; D. 8.8 cm. The cover of the grave had been penetrated in two different places during a grave robbing. Only part of skeleton 985.R, a year-old man, lay in situ, while the rest was scattered on the bottom of the grave or on a pile of caved-in soil in the northeast end of the grave. Based on the position of the feet, which lay in situ, it must be presumed that the body had been placed with its head towards east-northeast. No artefacts were found in the actual grave, but the mound filling west of the grave and close to the western capstone contained a bowl with incurving rim in pale yellow common ware (Munsell 5Y 7/4) (Fig. 6.3). Grave 985.BP was intact when unearthed and was orientated east to west (Fig. 7.1). The grave was constructed in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock. The 3.05 m-long and 1.45 m-wide frame was made of hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar, which had then been lined with ashlars in two courses in the full depth of the grave. The actual burial chamber was 1.87 m long, 0.40 m wide and 0.50 m deep. The inside walls and bottom had been plastered with a very thin layer of mortar. The capstones had been laid in mortar on the top edge of the grave frame. On the night following the unearthing, the capstones were damaged and the grave was disturbed. The skeleton, 985.BR, of a young middle-adult man was lying on its back in an extended position with the arms parallel to the body. The right hand had not been preserved, whereas the left hand seemed to be resting on the thigh. He had been placed with his head towards east-northeast. Fig Grave 985.BP, Skeleton 985.BR, Mound

10 S. T. JENSEN The bones of a newborn lamb or kid, 985.BV, were scattered over the feet of the skeleton. A vessel was broken when the grave was disturbed. The excavators presumed that the vessel had been placed in the west end of the grave. The vessel was a round-bottomed bowl with thickened interior rim in pale yellow eggshell-ware (Munsell 5Y 7/3) (Fig. 7.2). Grave 985.CS was oriented northeast to southwest (Fig. 8.1, 8.2). It was intact when unearthed, and the capstones were laid in mortar. The grave frame was constructed of hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar in a hole dug through surface soil down into the top layer of the bedrock. The frame was Fig Round-bottomed bowl with thickened interior rim in eggshell ware, H. 7.5 cm; D cm m long and 2.20 m wide and lined with limestone ashlars in two courses, except for the eastern part of the southern long wall, where a single ashlar reached from the bottom to the top edge of the grave. The actual burial chamber was 2 m long, 0.46 m Fig Grave 985.CS, Skeleton 985.CU, Mound

11 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Grave 985.CS, looking SW. wide and 0.54 m deep. Only the topside of the frame was covered in a layer of mortar, the surface of which had been imprinted with footprints on the southern long wall. In the east end, the bottom of the grave was covered in a loose, white, powdery substance. On top of this, in the full length of the grave, was a blackish brown layer and in this layer was the skeleton of an adult man, 985.CU, with the head towards the northeast. He was lying on his back in an extended position with his arms parallel to his body and the hands resting palms down on his thighs. Across the skeleton s right foot stood a glazed, rounded bowl (Fig. 8.3). The glazing of the vessel varies between white and brown, while a green colour has been preserved on parts of the rim. Inside the vessel there are marks from the clay tripod that was used for stacking the vessels in the kiln. Another vessel, a glazed bowl with flaring side and offset lip, of Hannestad s variant 1 lay upside down across the left foot and lower part of the left shinbone of the skeleton (Fig. 8.4) (6). The glazing varies between white and brown, and on the inside there are marks from a clay tripod. Another glazed bowl with an incurving rim (Fig. 8.5) was partly covered by the bowl from Fig The vessel was filled with fine, grey ashes. The glazing on the vessel is slightly iridescent. On the outside it has been preserved in a light yellowish colour, on the inside it varies between green and brownish green. Mound 5 was 2.20 m tall and had a diameter of approx. 25 m. It contained three graves of which one grave, 985.EK, was not further examined. The excavators noted that it was constructed in a similar way to the other graves on the site (Fig. 9.1). Fig Glazed bowl with flaring side and offset lip, variant 1, H. 8.3 cm; D cm. Fig Glazed rounded bowl, H. 6.9 cm; D cm. Fig Glazed bowl with incurving rim, H. 3.8 cm; D cm. 137

12 S. T. JENSEN Fig Mound 5, Graves 985.EJ, 985.EH. Grave 985.EH was oriented north-northwest to south-southeast (Fig. 9.2, 9.3). Its 2.60 m-long and 1.30 m-wide frame, built of hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar, was constructed in a hole dug through surface soil down into bedrock. The inside of the frame was plastered with a layer of mortar reaching down over the bottom of the grave and up onto the topside of the frame. At the bottom, the layer of mortar was 1 3 cm thick. The actual burial chamber was 1.94 m long, 0.50 m wide and 0.55 m deep. On Fig. 9.2 the broken line indicates the upper edge of the chamber. The capstones of the grave, which was intact when unearthed, were laid in mortar. The short walls of the grave had at some time been opened, but the holes had been walled up again with flat stones laid in mortar. The grave contained four skeletons, which may explain why it had been repeatedly reopened: two of the skeletons, a year-old man and a year-old woman, 985.DV, had been pushed into a pile at the southern end of the grave, while the skeletons of two women lay side by side in an extended position. One woman, 985.DL, who was between 30 and 45 years old, lay on her back with her feet in the northwest corner of the grave and her head resting on the eastern long wall of the grave. The other female, 985.DM, a young woman between the ages of 15 and 25, was partly lying underneath skeleton 985.DL in an extended position on her back alongside the western long wall of the grave with her feet in the northwest corner and her head resting on skeleton pile 985.DV. The two women (985.DL and 985.DM) had been interred at the same time or so soon after that the body which had been interred first had not yet become decomposed when the next interment took place. A number of bones from a small hen, 985.EB, were found scattered between the bones of skeleton pile 985.DV. Other bones from an immature chicken, 985.DK, were found scattered between the shinbone of skeleton 985.DM and the thighbone of skeleton 985.DL. Underneath skeletons 985.DL and 985.DM was a dark layer, only partially preserved. The remains of a dark, organic material were also found on top of and between the bones. Sporadic lumps of a greyish black, compact material were observed at the bottom of bone pile 985.DV, and in the middle of the grave, textile remains were found. Quite a few artefacts were found in the grave. A pinkish 138

13 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Grave 985.EH, Skeletons 985.DV, 985.DL, 985.DM, Mound

14 S. T. JENSEN Fig Cont. 140

15 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Glazed rounded bowl, H. 5.4 cm; D cm. Fig Grave 985.EH, looking NNW. Fig Glazed rounded bowl, H. 5.4 cm; D cm. Fig Glass bottle, H. 10 cm; max. width 8.8 cm. Fig Glazed rounded bowl, H. 5.2 cm; D cm. grey, glazed rounded bowl was found sitting on bone pile 985.DV (Fig. 9.4). There are marks from a clay tripod on the inside as well as the outside of the vessel. A crack in the side of the vessel has been repaired. Another glazed, rounded bowl (Fig. 9.5) was found near the right knee of skeleton 985.DL. The glazing, which has been preserved in a white colour with sporadic specks of green, is iridescent. There are marks from a clay tripod on the inside of the vessel, and its wall is strongly fluted. A third glazed rounded bowl (Fig. 9.6) was found sitting on top of Figure 9.5. The glazing of the vessel, which has been preserved in a white colour with a few specks of green, is slightly iridescent on the inside. There are marks from a trivet on the inside as well as the outside of the vessel. A glass-bottle (Fig. 9.7) (7) was found on top of Figure 9.6. Fragments of a vessel (Fig. 9.12), woven in palm leaves and coated with bitumen were lying south of the group of vessels (Fig ). Scattered between the bones of skeleton 985.DL and 985.DM were three fragmented bronze bars, one of which had an eye. Two silver rings (Fig. 9.8, 9.9) were found underneath the tip of a finger bone and around another finger bone of skeleton 985.DM s left hand. Underneath the same hand lay 141

16 S. T. JENSEN Fig Silver ring, max. D. 1.8 cm. Fig Silver ring, max. D. 1.8 cm. Fig Horn loom weight, D. 2.2 cm. Fig Bitumen vessel, H. 12 cm; D. 7 cm. Fig Silver button, D. 1 cm. three fragments of a horn loom weight (Fig. 9.10). One half of a button-like silver object was found underneath the right shoulder of the skeleton 985.DM (Fig. 9.11). A rectangularly carved piece of bone lay by the left foot of the skeleton alongside the western long wall of the grave. Two steatite loom weights were found in skeleton pile 985.DV in the south end of the grave (Fig. 9.13, 9.14). A thin bronze bar lay Fig Steatite loom weight, D. 1.9 cm. 142

17 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Steatite loom weight, D cm. Fig Glass amphora, H. 7.2 cm; max. width 6.2 cm. through the hole in loom weight Fig. 9.13, while the other loom weight lay in close proximity to a similar bronze bar. Outside the grave, several objects were found, both on the grave frame and on the capstones. On the short wall towards the south lay two glass vessels, one amphora (8) (Fig. 9.15) and one arybal (9). Two fragmented bronze spatulas (Fig. 9.16) were found close to the arybal. The sherds from a glazed vessel (Fig. 9.17) were found in the soil Fig Bronze spatula (L cm) and fragment of bronze spatula. Fig Glazed vessel, H. 7.2 cm; D. 17 cm. 143

18 S. T. JENSEN Fig Glazed pitcher, H cm; D. 6.8 cm. Fig Dark organic material containing finds at the northeast corner of Grave 985.EH. Fig Steatite loom weight, D cm. Fig Steatite loom weight, D cm. covering the capstones of the grave on the southwest corner. The glazing of the vessel is white, slightly iridescent with a sporadically green shade. Inside the vessel there are marks from a clay tripod. On top of the capstone on the southeast corner of the grave was a large sherd from a vessel in pale olive common ware (Munsell 5Y 6/3) (Fig. 9.2). A compact, greyish black material was observed underneath the sherd and indicated by a broken line. A pitcher, brown glazed with specks of green (Fig. 9.18) was found at the north end of the grave. At the northeast corner of the grave, a small area of a dark organic material was observed (Fig. 9.2, 9.19). It was partly ruined during the excavation, but the excavator interpreted it as the remains of a wooden box. Near the area lay two steatite loom weights (Fig. 9.20, 9.21). Carved pieces of bone were scattered on and close to the actual layer (Fig. 9.22). Two of these bone pieces formed a right angle in the southwest corner of the area and may have functioned as decoration on a box. In the sand above this angle, a bone comb was found. Of metal objects, there were two pieces of lead (Fig. 9.23); a crumbled piece of gold sheet; a bead-like bronze object (Fig. 9.24); a fragment from a bronze bar (Fig. 9.25); and a strongly disintegrated, 144

19 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Pieces of bone. Fig Fragment of bronze rod, L. 8 cm. Fig Two pieces of lead, L. 1.4 and 1.7 cm. Fig Bronze object, L.1.1 cm. oblong iron object. Furthermore, fifteen glass beads and one bone bead were found in and around the layer (Fig. 9.26). Grave 985.EJ was oriented east to west (Fig. 10.1). The grave was not unearthed in its full outline. The grave frame was raised in hand- to head-sized stones laid in mortar in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock. The core of the frame did not consist of the usual solid body of stone and mortar, but of loose soil. Furthermore, it had an outer, box-shaped shell of mortar, which surrounded and heightened the otherwise uneven frame, thus giving the 3.05 m-long and 2.05 m-wide grave the appearance of a sarcophagus. The inside of the grave and the top and outside of the extension was plastered with mortar and the topside and the top 10 cm of the outside was plastered with mortar of a slightly different type. Only the capstone over the west end of the grave was preserved in situ. On the inside, the grave was 2.10 m long, 0.65 m wide and 1.20 m deep. Bits of human bone (985.EI), possibly from an elderly man, were scattered in the soil of the tumulus and through a hole made by grave robbers. No artefacts were found in the grave. A glazed vessel was found sitting in the gravel on the northeast corner of the frame (Fig. 10.2). The glazing has been preserved in a greyish white colour, on the lip it is iridescent with sporadic remains of green glazing. On the west end of the frame was a bronze cylinder which is presumed to be recent, since it is only slightly corroded, as is a bronze bracelet found in the soil close to 145

20 S. T. JENSEN Fig Beads. Bone: 1; glass: 2-4. Fig Grave 985.EJ, looking E. Fig Glazed vessel, H. 8.8 cm; D cm. the grave. A coiled iron bracelet with rolled up loop ends was also found in the soil by the southwest corner of the grave (Fig. 10.3). Fig Iron ring, Max. W. 9.4 cm. The Mound of Said Zeera In 1959 Harald Andersen, Hans Berg and Mogens Ørsnes excavated a tumulus just west of the Ras al-qala a road, where it joins the Manama-Budaya road. The eastern foot of the tumulus had been removed when constructing the road to Ras al-qala a, and its diameter could not be determined. It contained two graves. The land was owned by Said Zeera, who was secretary to Sir Charles Belgrave, the advisor to Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah. When the excavation was completed, the excavated objects were placed in the hands of Said Zeera, and the following account is therefore based on sketches and photographs. The excavation is registered at Moesgaard Museum under No

21 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Grave 982.A, Mound of Said Zeera. The hatching marks a cover stone. Grave 982.A was oriented east to west (Fig. 11.1). Around the 1.95 m-long, 0.55 m-wide and 0.75 m-deep burial chamber, a stone packing had been constructed the inside of which was plastered with mortar reaching down over the bottom of the grave. When the grave was unearthed, the capstones had partly caved in. The collapse is unlikely to have been caused by grave robbery. Since artefacts were found in the grave, it is more likely that the capstones were too thin to resist the weight of the mound. No skeletal remains were found. The bottom of the grave and the artefacts were covered in a blackish brown, greasy layer (Fig. 11.1). On top of this layer was a loose, powdery, white material. A pointed, oval gold sheet, 8.1 cm long, with a hole in each end, 982.H, was found in the east end of the grave. It was presumably a mouth sheet placed on the mouth of the deceased (Fig. 11.1, 11.2) (10). In extension of this lay a string of beads, 982.I, consisting of more than a score of beads of agate, carnelian and glass (Fig. 11.1, 11.2). Further to the west of the grave was a solid silver ring with a maximum diameter of 6.1 cm, 982.G (Fig. 11.1, 11.2). An alabaster vase, 982.B, was also found in the west end of the grave, with an alabaster lid lying next to it, along with a sherd from a glass bottle, 982.D, and close to it, a steatite lid 982.E (Fig ). According to the excavators, the steatite lid probably belonged to the glass bottle. Seven beads of carnelian and agate, 982.F, were also found (Fig. 11.1, 11.2). Grave 982.L was oriented east-northeast to west-southwest. A heavy stone packing had been constructed around the 0.85 m-long, 0.30 m-wide and 0.35 m-deep burial chamber. The southern long wall of the grave had been removed in connection with a grave robbing. Only the capstone covering the west end of the grave was in situ. No skeletal remains were found, but an undescribed vessel stood against the western short wall of the grave. 147

22 S. T. JENSEN Fig Objects found in Grave 982.A. Fig Sketch of steatite lid, 982.E, W. c. 2.7 cm. The Sar Mound In the area with mounds a little southeast of the village of Sar, Knud Thorvaldsen, Arne Thorsteinsson and P. V. Glob excavated a single mound containing four Tylos burials Fig Sketch of alabaster vase, 982.B, H. c. 7 cm. 148

23 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Sar Mound with cross section of Graves and elevation and section of three anthropomorphic stelae. in 1960 (11). The mound was 2.20 m tall, with an oval ground plan, c. 26 m 18.5 m (Fig. 12.1). The excavation is registered at Moesgaard Museum under No Grave 961 was oriented east-northeast to west-southwest (Fig ). The 2.85 m- long and 1.35 m-wide frame, made of stone and earth, was built in a hole dug through surface soil into bedrock. On the inside of the frame, stones had been raised in the full depth of the grave. On top of the stone wall was a layer of smaller stones, a thick layer of mortar and finally a layer of humus, which formed a plane surface for the capstones. When the grave, which measured 2 m in length, 0.60 m in width and 0.50 m in depth on the inside, was closed, a 2 3 cm-thick layer of black soil was spread over the capstones. The skeleton of a man, 961.C, more than 45 years of age, lay extended on his back with his head towards east-northeast and his hands resting on his groin. No artefacts were found in the grave. In the soil a few centimetres west of the grave, a glazed bowl with flaring side and offset lip of Hannestad s variant 2 lay upside down (Fig. 13.3) (12). The glazing of the vessel was greyish white with traces of a green colour sporadically preserved on the rim. There were marks from a clay tripod on the inside of the vessel. Underneath the vessel, dark grey, very fine ashes were found. In close proximity lay another bowl in common ware, also upside down (Munsell 10 YR 7/6, yellow) (Fig. 13.4). 149

24 S. T. JENSEN Fig Grave 961 with capstone in situ, looking ENE. Grave 962 was oriented east to west (Fig ). The grave was constructed in a hole dug through surface soil into bedrock. Here a 2.66 m-long and 1.30 m-wide grave frame was constructed in courses of rough stone, where the builder had aimed at placing the larger stones in the bottom layer with the plane side towards the burial chamber. The actual burial chamber was 2 m long, 0.50 m wide and 0.46 m deep. When the grave was unearthed, the capstones of the grave had been damaged, but since the inventory of the grave was untouched, it must be presumed that the damage was not the result of a grave robbing, but rather because the cover had given in to the weight of the mound. The skeleton of a young adult woman, 962.L, was lying on its back in an extended position with the head towards the east and the hands resting near the hips. Next to the left foot, alongside the southern long side of the coffin, was a collection of bones from an immature chicken, 962.K. In the southwest corner of the grave was a greyish white, glazed bowl with outside marks from a clay tripod (Fig. 14.3). Inside the vessel were fragments of what was presumably a lid woven in palm leaves and coated with bitumen. The other finds from the grave included two steatite loom weights lying south of the left thighbone 150

25 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Grave 961 after removal of capstones, looking E. Fig Glazed bowl with flaring side and offset lip, variant 2, H. 5.4 cm; D cm. Fig Common ware bowl, H. 7.6 cm; D cm. (Fig. 14.4). Near the neck region were fiftyseven unbroken carnelian and glass beads and several fragments (Fig. 14.5). Around the left forearm of the skeleton lay a bronze bracelet (Fig. 14.6), and near this lay eleven glass and carnelian beads (Fig. 14.7). In the soil outside the grave c. 0.5 m from the southwest corner of the grave lay a grey ware bowl with an angular profile and outturned rim (Fig. 14.8). Two anthropomorphic monoliths stood side by side supported by a stone packing 151

26 S. T. JENSEN Fig Grave 962, Skeleton 962, Sar Mound. Fig Grave 962 looking W. 152

27 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Glazed bowl, H. 7 cm; D cm. Fig Bronze ring, D. 6 cm. Fig Steatite loom weight, D. 2.6 cm. Fig Beads. Glass: 1, 5-8; carnelian: m west of the grave (Fig. 14.9). About 1 m further to the northeast, a third anthropomorphic monolith lay overturned, resting on a slightly bigger stone (Fig ). It seems that the monoliths were originally placed at the perimeter of the tumulus, and they have been projected on its lines (Fig. 12.1). Grave 963 was oriented east-northeast to west-southwest (Fig. 12.1). The 2.50 m-long and 1 m-wide frame of the grave was built of stones laid in mortar in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock. Big stones laid in mortar had been raised on the inside of the frame. The top edge of the frame, on which the capstones rested, had been plastered with mortar. The actual burial chamber was 2 m long, 0.45 m wide and 0.46 m deep. The skeleton of a year-old woman, 963.M, lay with its head towards the east, extended on its back with the hands resting near the hip joint. Faint traces of an organic material were observed in several places on the bottom of the grave. Quite a few finds were made in the grave, including two silver earrings, which lay underneath the skull and near the right collarbone (Fig. 15.1). Eighteen glass and agate beads 153

28 S. T. JENSEN Fig Beads. Carnelian. Fig Grey ware bowl with angular profile and out-turned rim, H. 6.5 cm; D cm. were also found underneath the skull (Fig. 15.2). Next to the left hand and across the left thigh lay a bone spindle (Fig. 15.3). In the southwest corner of the grave stood a bowl in red-slipped ware (Fig. 15.4). The inside surface of the vessel is covered in a red slip, the outside rim is covered in a yellowish white slip, whereas the outside belly has the colour of the clay, which varies from light reddish to reddish brown. Next to it lay a Mesopotamian amphora (Fig. 15.5). The glazing varies from white to green. A steatite lid lay just east of the two vessels (Fig. 15.6). A collection of smaller objects was found underneath the vessels: a total of ninety-nine beads of which ninetysix were made of glass and three of carnelian (Fig. 15.7); four steatite loom weights; a flat steatite stone which had been pierced in three places (Fig. 15.8); two flint stones polished to a finish; and a cockle-shell. A few metal objects were also found underneath the vessels: a bronze spatula (Fig. 15.9), fragments of a copper and silver ring, and three bronze rods (Fig ). Grave 964 was oriented east-northeast to west-southwest (Fig. 12.1) The 2.05 m long and 0.90 m wide grave frame was constructed in a hole dug through surface soil to bedrock. The frame was made of stones laid in mortar, and on the inside it was lined with plane limestone slabs plastered with mortar. The north and south walls of the grave had been damaged by a grave robbing, and the capstones had partly caved in. The actual burial chamber was 1.98 m long, 0.47 m wide and 0.53 m deep. The skeleton of an adult, 964.A, lay in an extended position on its back with its head pointing towards the west and its knees pointing to the sides. In the east end was found a smaller collection of bones, 964.B, possibly from a middle adult man and with certainty from an adult woman. No artefacts were found in the grave. Discussion of dating evidence The fifteen graves described above all belong to Bahrain s Tylos period. It has not been possible to date the two graves 154

29 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Two anthropomorphic monoliths, 1.50 m west of grave 962, looking E. from the Mound of Said Zeera more precisely within the period, but as for the graves from Pylon T158 and Sar, a comparison of ceramics and glass excavated at Qala at al-bahrain and on Failaka, among other places, may indicate a more precise dating, which will be presented below. The ceramics excavated at Qala at al-bahrain are divided into Periods Va e (13). The settlement on Failaka is divided into Periods I and II with a subdivision of Period I into an upper and a lower level (14). The two periods, I and II, correspond approximately to Etats I V of the French chronology for the settlement (15). The mounds by Pylon T158. Several graves within the grave field by Pylon T158 contained a roughly-made common ware bowl with incurving rim, either in the actual grave or on the grave frame: Grave 985.AG in Mound 1 (Fig. 2.2), Graves 985.I and 985.BH in Mound 2 (Fig. 4.5, 5.4) and Grave 985.AA in Mound 3 (Fig. 6.3). Parallels to this common ware type appear in Periods Vb Vc in the material from Qala at al-bahrain (16). 155

30 S. T. JENSEN Fig Two anthropomorphic monoliths, 1.50 m west of grave 962 plus a third monolith found 1 m further to the north, looking W. Fig Silver earrings, D. c. 2 cm. A glazed bowl with incurving rim with a central circular depression in the bottom of the vessel (Fig. 8.5) was found in Grave 985.CS in Mound 4. At Qala at al-bahrain, glazed bowls with an incurving rim are common in Periods Va and Vb (17). The circular depression in the bottom of the vessel can be seen in several types of vessels and bottoms in Periods Va Vd (18). Bowls with an incurving rim appear in Period I on Failaka in both glazed and common ware (19). Another bowl was found in Grave 985.CS (Fig. 8.4), a glazed bowl with flaring side and offset lip, variant 1. This type is seen on Failaka in Period I, in both upper and lower levels (20). At Qala at al-bahrain this type is to be seen in Period Va (21). 156

31 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Beads. Glass: 1-4; agate: 5. A third bowl was found in the grave: a glazed rounded bowl (Fig. 8.3), the earliest published example of this type appears in common ware in the material from Qala at al-bahrain in Period Vd (22). On Failaka the round-bottomed bowl is popular in Period II, in BI-ware (23). Grave 985.BH contained a vessel in redslipped ware (Fig. 5.2). The comparatively angular lines of the vessel s feet date it to no earlier than Period Va2, but the type remains in use until Period Vd (24). A deep bowl with a thickened interior rim in eggshell ware (Fig. 7.2) was found in Grave 985.BP in Mound 4. Parallels to this type appear in Period Vb in the material from Qala at al-bahrain (25). In the material from Failaka the type appears in Period I in both upper and lower level, where it seems to be more common in the upper than in the lower level (26). Three low bowls with a slightly flattened base and a simple rim (Fig ) were found in Grave 985.EH in Mound 5. The vessels have parallels in both Period Vd at Qala at al-bahrain and in Period II on Failaka (27). The vessel in Fig. 9.17, also from Grave 985.EH, has a parallel in the material from Susa from level 5b, which has been dated to about the second century AD (28). Deep, concentric grooves on the inside bottom of a bowl similar to the ones seen on the vessel in Figure 9.17 generally appear on vessels in Period Vd at Qala at al-bahrain (29). In addition to ceramics, several glass vessels were found both in the grave and outside on the grave frame. A parallel to the glass bottle in Figure 9.7 appears in a grave in ed-dur that has been dated to the first century AD (30). A possible parallel to the glass arybal (31) is also seen in the material from ed-dur from Area M. However, only the mouth and the uppermost part of the handles of the glass vessel have been preserved. Based on its context, the fragment has been dated to the first century AD (32). The vessel depicted in Fig sat on the northeast corner of Grave 985.EJ, the second of two excavated graves in Mound 5. A parallel to the vessel is seen in the material from Karranah Mound I, which has not yet been dated any closer than the Tylos period (33). Vessels of a similar type have been observed on several sites on Bahrain and in ed-dur in Pir.C (first century BC second century AD) (34). The Sar Mound. According to Hannestad s typology, the vessel in Figure 13.3, which lay in the mound fillings close to Grave 961, 157

32 S. T. JENSEN Fig Mesopotamian amphora, H cm; D. 4.8 cm. Fig Bone spindle, L cm. Fig Red-slipped bowl, H. 7.6; D Fig Steatite lid, D. 6.8 cm. 158

33 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Beads. Glass: 1-4, 6, 8-9; carnelian: 5, 7. is a bowl with flaring side and offset lip of variant 2. It is common on Failaka in both upper and lower levels in Period I, where a few examples in BI-ware are also seen in Period II (35). At Qala at al-bahrain it appears in Periods Vb and Vc (36). Figure 13.4, a common ware bowl with a pointed, slightly everted rim and a gently marked shoulder with grooves, appears in Period Vb at Qala at al-bahrain and at the Janussan burial place in Mound IIIB, which has been dated to the early Tylos period (c BC) (37). No parallels have yet been found to the rounded glazed bowl in Figure 14.3 from Grave 962. As mentioned above, the rounded bowl appears for the first time in Period Vd in common ware in the material from Qala at al-bahrain. The atypical type of rim may be represented in the material from Failaka (38). The grey ware bowl with an angular profile and out-turned rim (Fig. 14.8) found in the mound fillings near Grave 962, appears in the material from Failaka in glazed ware in the upper and lower levels in Period I, whereas a deeper, glazed version very similar to Figure 14.8 only appears in BI-ware in Period II (39). At Qala at al-bahrain the type is seen in 159

34 S. T. JENSEN Fig Steatite loom weights: 1-4. Flat steatite stone pierced in three places: 5. glazed ware in Periods Va, Vb and Vd (40). A circular depression can be seen on the inside bottom of the bowl, a phenomenon which, as stated above, appears on several types of vessels and bottoms in glazed ware in Periods Va-Vd at Qala at al-bahrain and in Period I at Failaka (41). No parallels in grey ware have been found to Figure 14.8, let alone vessels of this type with a central depression in the bottom of the bowl. The Mesopotamian type of amphora (Fig. 15.5) from Grave 963 appears in Periods Va and Vd at Qala at al-bahrain (42). In the material from Failaka, it is seen in both Periods I and II (43). The red-slipped bowl (Fig. 15.4) with a slightly demarcated rim from the same grave has parallels in both red-slipped and common ware in Period Va in the material from Qala at al-bahrain (44). This type of bowl, the rim of which is marked by one or more grooves, is also common in Periods Vb and Vc at Qala at al-bahrain (45). Conclusion From the descriptions above it is clear that the graves cover the entire Seleucid- Parthian Period. For some of the graves it is not possible on the basis of the above considerations to date them more exactly than to the Tylos period. This applies to Grave 985.CS in Mound 4, Grave 985.EJ in Mound 5 and Graves 962 and 963 in the Sar Mound. The majority of the graves must be dated to the early Tylos period, to what 160

35 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN Fig Steatite bronze rods, L. 6 cm. Fig Bronze spatula, L cm. corresponds to Periods Va-Vc at Qala at al-bahrain. Thus Grave 985.AG in Mound 1, Grave 985.AA in Mound 3, Grave 961 in the Sar mound and Grave 985.I in Mound 2, which can all be placed within the periods Vb-Vc. As appears from the section of Mound 4, Grave 985.BH was constructed at an earlier time than Grave 985.I. One of the graves, 985.EH in Mound 5, has been dated on the background of both ceramics and glass to the late Tylos period, Period Vd. This grave differs from the others in that it has been used for several interments. From the above considerations it would appear that dating the Tylos burials within a fairly defined period remains problematic, but we hope the material presented here will improve our understanding of the Tylos burial customs. References 1. Bibby G. Five among Bahrain s Hundred Thousand Grave-mounds. Kuml: 1954: With the presentation of these fifteen graves, all Tylos graves excavated by the Danish mission have now been published. This material formed the basis of my M.A. thesis at the University of Aarhus (1999) which was supervised by Lise Hannestad and Flemming Højlund, to whom I am grateful for advice, encouragement and unfailing patience. Thanks are also due to Khaled Alsendi and Ernie Haerinck for letting me participate in the excavations of Tylos graves in Bahrain in My work was supported by Dronning Margrethe II s Arkæologiske Fond. 3. Marcillet-Jaubert J. Stèle funéraire du Musée de Bahrein. Syria 67: 1990: ; Herling A & Salles J-F. Hellenistic Cemeteries in Bahrain. In: Finkbeiner U, ed. Materialen zur Archäologie der 161

36 S. T. JENSEN Seleukiden- und Partherzeit im südlichen Babylonien und im Golfgebiet. Tübingen: Wasmuth, 1993; Herling A. Excavations at Karranah Mound I, Bahrain. A Preliminary Report. IrAnt 29: 1994: ; Littleton J. Skeletons and Social Composition, Bahrain 300 BC AD 250. Oxford: BAR Int Ser, 703: 1998; Herling A. Nécropoles et coutumes funéraires à l époque de Tylos. In: Bahreïn, La civilisation des deux mers de Dilmun à Tylos. Paris: Institut du monde arabe, 1999: ; Al Sindi K & Ibrahim M. Une nécropole représentative des diverses phases de Tylos: le mont I de Shakhoura. In: Bahre ın, La civilisation des deux mers: ; Daems A & Haerinck E. Excavations at Shakhoura (Bahrain). AAE 12: 2001: With respect to mound 6, see: Field H. Reconnaissance in Southwestern Asia. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology 7: 1951: Kindly determined by the late N. M. Lowick, British Museum. 6. Hannestad, L. Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlements, The Hellenistic Pottery, vol. 2: 1 2. Aarhus: JASP, 16/2: 1983: Lombard & Kervran M. eds. Bahrain National Museum Archaeological Collections. Vol. I. A Selection of pre-islamic antiquities from excavations Manama: Directorate of Museums and Heritage, Ministry of Information, 1989: Cat. No Lombard & Kervran, Bahrain National Museum: Cat. No Similar glass vessels are illustrated in: Nenna M-D. La verrerie. In: Bahreïn, La civilisation des deux mers: , Fig. 275 and in Whitehouse D. The Glass Vessels, vol. 1. The University of Ghent, South- East Arabian Archaeological Project, Excavations at ed-dur, Umm al-qaiwain, United Arab Emirates. Leuven: Peeters, 1998: Cat. No. 79, Fig. 8, Pl Lombard P. L orfèvrerie et la joaillerie. In: Bahreïn, La civilisation des deux mers: , Figs Glob P.V. Danske arkæologer i Den Persiske Golf. Kuml: 1960: Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 23 24, Pl Højlund F & Andersen HH. Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1 The Northern City Wall and the Islamic Fortress. Aarhus: JASP, 30/1: 1994; Højlund, F. & Andersen, H.H., Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 2 The Central Monumental Buildings. Aarhus: JASP, 30/2: Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlements. 15. Gachet J & Salles J-F. Failaka, Koweit. In: Finkbeiner, Materialen zur Archäologie: 64; Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs , 1521; Andersen SF. An Examination of the Ceramic Material From the Period ca 300 BC to ca 600 AC from the Danish Excavations at Qala at al-bahrain. Unpublished Cand. Phil. thesis, in Danish, Aarhus University, 2001: 72, Cat. No. 126, Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs. 1213, 1407 and Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs. 1236, 1446 and Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs and 1316; Bernard V et al. Apostilles en marge de la céramique des états IV et V. In: Calvet Y. & Gachet J, eds. Failaka Fouilles Françaises Lyon: TMO, 18: 1990: 242, Fig. 1, No Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Fig Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: 243, Figs. 1262, 262, 270, 1491, 278 and 1558; Andersen SF. The Chronology of the earliest Tylos period in Bahrain. AAE 13: 2002: Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 46, Pl. 37, Cat. No Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: 276, Fig. 1538; Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 23, Pl. 5, Cat. Nos. 52, Boucharlat R et al. Les niveaux post-achéménides à Suse, Secteur Nord. Fouilles de l Apadana-Est et de la Villa Royale Ouest ( ). DAFI 15: 1987: , Fig Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: 276, Fig Lombard & Kervran, Bahrain National Museum: 118, Cat. No. 210; Whitehouse, The Glass Vessels: Cat. No. 94: See note 8 above. 32. Haerinck E & Stevens KG. The Belgian Excavations in Mesopotamia, 24: 1989; 67, Fig. AT 10; Whitehouse, The Glass Vessels: Cat. No. 79, Fig. 8, Pl Herling, Excavations at Karranah Mound I: Fig. 7a. 34. Lombard & Kervran, Bahrain National Museum: Cat. No ; Mouton M. La péninsule d Oman de la fin de l âge du fer au début de la période sassanide (250 av. 350 ap. JC). Thesis submitted to the University of Paris I, 1992: Fig. 71: Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 23 24, Pl

37 TYLOS BURIALS FROM THREE DIFFERENT SITES ON BAHRAIN 36. Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs. 1409, 1410 and Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: 265, Figs ; Herling & Salles, Hellenistic Cemeteries in Bahrain: 168, Fig. 3: Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Fig. 1624; Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 23, Pl. 5, Cat. Nos Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 17 20, Pls. 2 3, Cat. Nos Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs. 1226, 1414 and See note 18, Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: 250, Figs and Hannestad, Ikaros The Hellenistic Settlement: 35 38, Pls , Cat. Nos Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: 243, Figs. 1256, 248 and Højlund & Andersen, Qala at al-bahrain, vol. 1: Figs and Address: Sine Toft Jensen Moesgaard Museum Hoejbjerg Aarhus 8270 Denmark 163