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Bahrain Cities And Towns

JEROME MICHAEL EBRUPHIYO Thursday, November 25, 2021 Basis

 

Introduction

This article will provide information on the Bahrain cities and towns as well as provide answers to questions regarding the history of Bahrain, other towns in Bahrain and lots more.

Brief History of Bahrain

Bahrain was a central location of the ancient Dilmun civilization. Bahrain's strategic location in the Persian Gulf has brought rule and influence from mostly the Persians, Sumerians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Portuguese, the Arabs, and the British. Bahrain was a central site of the ancient Dilmun civilization. Dilmun appears first in Sumerian cuneiform clay tablets dated to the end of fourth millennium BC, found in the temple of goddess Inanna, in the city of Uruk. The adjective Dilmun is used to describe a type of axe and one specific official; in addition there are lists of rations of wool issued to people connected with Dilmun. Dilmun was mentioned in two letters dated to the reign of Burna-Buriash II (c. 1370 BC) recovered from Nippur, during the Kassite dynasty of Babylon. These letters were from a provincial official, Ili-ippašra, in Dilmun to his friend Enlil-kidinni in Mesopotamia. The names referred to are Akkadian. These letters and other documents, hint at an administrative relationship between Dilmun and Babylon at that time. Following the collapse of the Kassite dynasty, Mesopotamian documents make no mention of Dilmun with the exception of Assyrian inscriptions dated to 1250 BC which proclaimed the Assyrian king to be king of Dilmun and Meluhha. Assyrian inscriptions recorded tribute from Dilmun. There are other Assyrian inscriptions during the first millennium BC indicating Assyrian sovereignty over Dilmun. Dilmun was also later on controlled by the Kassite dynasty in Mesopotamia. One of the early sites discovered in Bahrain indicate that Sennacherib, king of Assyria (707–681 BC), attacked northeast Persian Gulf and captured Bahrain. The most recent reference to Dilmun came during the Neo-Babylonian dynasty. Neo-Babylonian administrative records, dated 567 BC, stated that Dilmun was controlled by the king of Babylon. The name of Dilmun fell from use after the collapse of Neo-Babylon in 538 BC. There is both literary and archaeological evidence of extensive trade between Ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilization (probably correctly identified with the land called Meluhha in Akkadian). Impressions of clay seals from the Indus Valley city of Harappa were evidently used to seal bundles of merchandise, as clay seal impressions with cord or sack marks on the reverse side testify. A number of these Indus Valley seals have turned up at Ur and other Mesopotamian sites. The "Persian Gulf" types of circular, stamped (rather than rolled) seals known from Dilmun, that appear at Lothal in Gujarat, India, and Failaka, as well as in Mesopotamia, are convincing corroboration of the long-distance sea trade. What the commerce consisted of is less known: timber and precious woods, ivory, lapis lazuli, gold, and luxury goods such as carnelian and glazed stone beads, pearls from the Persian Gulf, shell and bone inlays, were among the goods sent to Mesopotamia in exchange for silver, tin, woolen textiles, olive oil and grains. Copper ingots from Oman and bitumen which occurred naturally in Mesopotamia may have been exchanged for cotton textiles and domestic fowl, major products of the Indus region that are not native to Mesopotamia. Instances of all of these trade goods have been found. The importance of this trade is shown by the fact that the weights and measures used at Dilmun were in fact identical to those used by the Indus, and were not those used in Southern Mesopotamia. "the ships of Dilmun, from the foreign land, brought him wood as a tribute". Mesopotamian trade documents, lists of goods, and official inscriptions mentioning Meluhha supplement Harappan seals and archaeological finds. Literary references to Meluhhan trade date from the Akkadian, the Third Dynasty of Ur, and Isin-Larsa Periods (c. 2350–1800 BC), but the trade probably started in the Early Dynastic Period (c. 2600 BC). Some Meluhhan vessels may have sailed directly to Mesopotamian ports, but by the Isin-Larsa Period, Dilmun monopolized the trade. The Bahrain National Museum assesses that its "Golden Age" lasted ca. 2200–1600 BC. Discoveries of ruins under the Persian Gulf maybe of Dilmun. Correspondence between Ili-ippašra, the governor of Dilmun, and Enlil-kidinni, the governor of Nippur, ca. 1350 BC. In the Mesopotamian epic poem Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh had to pass through Mount Mashu to reach Dilmun, Mount Mashu is usually identified with the whole of the parallel Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges, with the narrow gap between these mountains constituting the tunnel. Dilmun, sometimes described as "the place where the sun rises" and "the Land of the Living", is the scene of some versions of the Sumerian creation myth, and the place where the deified Sumerian hero of the flood, Utnapishtim (Ziusudra), was taken by the gods to live forever. Thorkild Jacobsen's translation of the Eridu Genesis calls it "Mount Dilmun" which he locates as a "faraway, half-mythical place". Dilmun is also described in the epic story of Enki and Ninhursag as the site at which the Creation occurred. Peace and trade brought a new prosperity. Bahrain was no longer dependent upon pearling, and by the mid-19th century, it became the pre-eminent trading centre in the Persian Gulf, overtaking rivals Basra, Kuwait, and finally in the 1870s, Muscat. At the same time, Bahrain's socio-economic development began to diverge from the rest of the Persian Gulf: it transformed itself from a tribal trading centre into a modern state. This process was spurred by the attraction of large numbers of Persian, Huwala, and Indian merchant families who set up businesses on the island, making it the nexus of a vast web of trade routes across the Persian Gulf, Persia and the Indian sub-continent. A contemporary account of Manama in 1862 found: Mixed with the indigenous population [of Manamah] are numerous strangers and settlers, some of whom have been established here for many generations back, attracted from other lands by the profits of either commerce or the pearl fishery, and still retaining more or less the physiognomy and garb of their native countries. Thus the gay-coloured dress of the southern Persian, the saffron-stained vest of Oman, the white robe of Nejed, and the striped gown of Bagdad, are often to be seen mingling with the light garments of Bahreyn, its blue and red turban, its white silk-fringed cloth worn Banian fashion round the waist, and its frock-like overall; while a small but unmistakable colony of Indians, merchants by profession, and mainly from Guzerat, Cutch, and their vicinity, keep up here all their peculiarities of costume and manner, and live among the motley crowd, 'among them, but not of them'. Palgrave's description of Manama's coffee houses in the mid-19th century portrays them as cosmopolitan venues in contrast to what he describes as the 'closely knit and bigoted universe of central Arabia'. Palgrave describes a people with an open even urbane outlook: "Of religious controversy I have never heard one word. In short, instead of Zelators and fanatics, camel-drivers and Bedouins, we have at Bahrain [Manama] something like 'men of the world, who know the world like men' a great relief to the mind; certainly it was so to mine." The great trading families that emerged during this period have been compared to the Borgias and Medicis and their great wealth long before the oil wealth for which the region would later be renowned gave them extensive power, and among the most prominent were the Persian Al Safar family, who held the position of Native Agents of Britain in the 19th century. The Al Safar enjoyed an 'exceptionally close' relationship with the Al Khalifa clan from 1869, although the al-Khalifa never intermarried with them it has been speculated that this could be related to political reasons (to limit the Safars' influence with the ruling family) and possibly for religious reasons (because the Safars were Shia). As a result of Bahrain's trade with India, the cultural influence of the subcontinent grew dramatically, with styles of dress, cuisine, and education showing a marked Indian influence. According to Exeter University's James Onley "In these and countless other ways, eastern Arabia's ports and people were as much a part of the Indian Ocean world as they were a part of the Arab world."

List of Top 10 Largest cities in Bahrain

  • Manama is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 200,000
  • Riffa is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 195,606
  • Muharraq is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 176,583
  • Hamad Town is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 57,000
  • A'ali is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 51,400
  • Isa Town is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 39,800
  • Sitra is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 60,100
  • Budaiya is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 33,230
  • Jidhafs is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 32,600
  • Al-Malikiyah is one of the largest cities in Bahrain with a population of about 14,800
Other towns in Bahrain include:
  • Jid Ali
  • Sanabis
  • Tubli
  • Saar
  • Al Dur
  • Qudaibiya
  • Salmabad
  • Jurdab
  • Diyar Al Muharraq
  • Amwaj Island
  • Hidd
  • Arad
  • Busaiteen
  • Janabiyah
  • Samaheej
  • Aldair

How many international airports are there in Bahrain?

There are 3 Airports in Bahrain and this list covers all these 3 Bahrain Airports. Find Airport Information with airport to airport distance, airport to city distance, Current Time and Date at airport Bahrain etc.

How many towns are in Bahrain?

There are 11 cities in Bahrain. The largest city is Manama with a population of 143 035.

Is Hamad Town a city?

Madinat Hamad or Hamad Town (Arabic: ????? ????, romanized: Madinat ?amad) is a primarily commuter city within northern Bahrain. ... The city is culturally diverse, housing a proportionally mixed Shia-Sunni population of varying socio-economic backgrounds.

Which city is near Bahrain?

It has a population of 155,000 people. Manama is the focal point of Bahrain's economy. On the map, it is marked with a red circle enclosed in a square. The other major cities of Bahrain include: Al Budayyi, Al Muharraq, Riffa, Hamad Town, Budaiya, Sitra, Isa Town, Jidhafs, Adliya, Az Zallaq, Al-Malikiyah, and Aali.

What is the capital of Bahrain?

Manama, Arabic Al-Manamah, capital and largest city of Bahrain. It lies at the northeast tip of Bahrain island, in the Persian Gulf. About one-fifth of the country's population lives in the city.

What was Bahrain before it was Bahrain?

Bahrain was in the ancient times known as Dilmun, later under its Greek name Tylos (see Dilmun for more information), as Awal as well as under the Persian name Mishmahig when it came under the imperial rule of the Persian Empire.

What is the basic history of Bahrain?

Bahrain is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world. As far back as 3000 BC the Dilmun civilization was a trade center between the Indus Valley (India) and Ancient Mesopotamia for almost 1000 years. The former capital of the Dilmun, Qal'at al-Bahrain, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

What was Bahrain called before?

At this time, Bahrain was known as Mishmahig (which in Middle-Persian/Pahlavi means "ewe-fish"). Bahrain was also the site of worship of an ox deity called Awal. Worshipers built a large statue to Awal in Muharraq, although it has now been lost. For many centuries after Tylos, Bahrain was known as Awal.

How old is Bahrain in history?

Bahrain has roots deep in the past, going back to more than 5000 years, as it was home to the civilizations: Dilmun, Tylos, and Awal. Throughout history, it was called “the Land of Immortality” or “the Great Paradise” as it was known for fresh water springs and palm tree fields.

Why Bahrain is called Island of pearls?

Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf lying between both the Qatar peninsula and the Saudi Arabian eastern coast, is known as the "Island of Pearls." The phrase is derived from the country's well-known pearl farming industry. These pearls are more expensive than cultured or processed pearls.

Is Bahrain safe for females?

Bahrain is generally a safe destination for women travelers, however here are a few tips on how to dress, avoid conflict and meet local women. There is always the threat of an uneasy political situation across the Middle East, so stay up to date with news and media while you are traveling.

Why is Bahrain so rich?

Bahrain is a rich country in the middle east and the north africa (MENA) region and its economy depends on oil & gas, international banking and tourism. In 2003 and 2004, the balance of payments improved due to rising oil prices and increased receipts from the services sector.

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