Title: Beads, pendants and other ornaments from late 3rd-2nd millennium BC occupation on Failaka, Kuwait Author(s): Ann Andersson Journal: Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean 23/2, Special Studies: Beyond ornamentation. Jewelry as an Aspect of Material Culture in the Ancient Near East, edited by A. Golani , Z.Wygnańska Year: 2014 Pages: 209-224 ISSN 1234–5415 (Print), ISSN 2083–537X (Online) Publisher: Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw (PCMA UW), Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego (WUW) www.pcma.uw.edu.pl – www.wuw.pl Abstract: The preliminary results presented here are the product of research conducted on behalf of the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), the Moesgaard Museum and the Kuwaiti--- Danish Archaeological Mission to Failaka. The notable collection of beads, pendants and other ornaments, which provides the basis for this research, originates from the Danish archaeological excavations at Failaka. The first part of the Danish excavations was conducted in 1958---1963 and the renewed investigations by the Kuwaiti---Danish Archaeological Mission in 2008---2012 uncovered more material, adding to the Failaka bead assemblage. This paper presents a preliminary assessment of the beads from Failaka and should be considered an introduction, as thematerial is subject to ongoing study. Keywords: beads, Bronze Age, Dilmun, Failaka, pendants, personal adornment, trade Beads, pendants and other ornaments from late 3rd–2nd millennium BC...on Failaka, Kuwait THE GULF BEADS, PENDANTS AND OTHER OrnAMENTS from LATE 3RD–2ND MILLEnnIUM BC OCCUPATIon on FAILAKA, KUWAIT Ann Andersson University of Copenhagen and Moesgaard Museum Abstract: The preliminary results presented here are the product of research conducted on behalf of the Kuwaiti National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), the Moesgaard Museum and the Kuwaiti–Danish Archaeological Mission to Failaka. The notable collection of beads, pendants and other ornaments, which provides the basis for this research, originates from the Danish archaeological excavations at Failaka. The first part of theD anish excavations was conducted in 1958–1963 and the renewed investigations by the Kuwaiti–Danish Archaeological Mission in 2008–2012 uncovered more material, adding to the Failaka bead assemblage. This paper presents a preliminary assessment of the beads from Failaka and should be considered an introduction, as the material is subject to ongoing study. Keywords: beads, Bronze Age, Dilmun, Failaka, pendants, personal adornment, trade The assemblage of beads, pendants and day Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, other ornaments excavated at Failaka is Bahrain, Saudi Arabia (Tarut Island), a significant collection of items, which United Arab Emirates and Oman (Hilton can contribute to the understanding of 2014: 10, Fig 3). A preliminary analysis Dilmun cultural occupation on the island, of the bead assemblage presented in this as a mediator of trade and contacts between article similarly points to the Dilmun distant regions, in the 2nd millennium settlement at Failaka as participating BC. Diverse goods were obviously being in an extensive network of trade at that transported throughout the Persian Gulf, time. The bead assemblages recovered demonstrating widespread contacts with from tells F3 and F6 show a difference in remote regions. the spatial distribution of beads between A recent study of an assemblage of the two tells, suggesting that the activities stone vessels excavated from tells F3 involving beads were linked primarily and F6 at Failaka provides evidence of to the administrative buildings on the connections with the territories of present- island. 209 PAM 23/2: Special Studies Ann Andersson THE GULF Fig. 1. Chronological chart for the late 3rd–2nd millennium BC in the upper Gulf (After Højlund 2012: 167, Fig. 2) 210 PAM 23/2: Special Studies Beads, pendants and other ornaments from late 3rd–2nd millennium BC...on Failaka, Kuwait THE GULF HISTORICAL CONTEXTUALIZATION The bead material discussed here originates 2013). The main territory of the Dilmun from the Failaka Island, located in the Persian culture was in modern Bahrain,1 where the Gulf. Failaka lies approximately 20 km off archaeological sites of Qala’at al-Bahrain, the coast of Kuwait and is advantageously the Barbar temples, the settlement of Saar situated in the Gulf, close to modern Iraq and the Aali burial mounds, among others, and Iran [Fig. 2]. Archaeological remains have been associated with it (Andersen, belonging to the Dilmun culture from Højlund 2003; Højlund 2007; Højlund, the late 3rd–2nd millennium BC were Andersen 1994; 1997; Killick, Moon [eds] identified on the island (Kjærum, Højlund 2005; Laursen 2008). Fig. 2. Location of Failaka Island in the Gulf region; inset, island with marked sites of Dilmun occupation (Map A. Andersson) 1 Dilmun territory evidently shifted from mainland Saudi Arabia to Bahrain during the late 3rd millennium BC. Sites, such as Tarut Island, Abqayq and Umm al-Nussi in Saudi Arabia, provide the essential archaeological evidence for that (Potts 2009: 31). 211 PAM 23/2: Special Studies Ann Andersson THE GULF Failaka was settled at a later point in time and the territory of Pakistan and northwest than Bahrain and is considered a ‘satellite’ India, respectively (Boivin, Blench, Fuller of the Dilmun culture (Potts 2009: 34). 2009: 262–263; Potts 2009: 31–32) Settlement on the island appears to have [see Fig. 2]. These regions participated been founded as a node in the maritime in the Gulf trade network and while network operating in the Gulf during fluctuations in this network occurred over the late 3rd and 2nd millennium BC, time, altering the scale of interaction and facilitating trade and contacts between the nature of the connections between the southern Mesopotamia and the regions different parties involved, the facilitation towards the south. The Dilmun toponym of trade was generally an important is known from Mesopotamian literary component of the Dilmun culture (Ray sources, which also mention Magan2 and 2003: 85; Boivin, Blench, Fuller 2009: Meluhha, identified as, modern-day Oman 263–264; Potts 2009: 33). ARCHITECTURAL REMAINS ON FAILAKA ISLAND The Dilmun culture of Failaka is repre- 2, 3A, 4A and 4B at the site (for a ground sented by archaeological remains at two plan of tell F3, see Kjærum, Højlund Bronze Age tells designated as F3 and F6 2013: 14, 15, Figs 7, 8). Domestic [see Fig. 2, inset]. These tells were excavated architecture of the Period 2 phase mainly by the Danish archaeological consisted of a row of houses located missions to Failaka between 1958–1963. towards the center of the tell (Kjærum, Subsequently, a French and an American Højlund 2013: 11). Period 3A domestic mission excavating F6 revealed further architecture likewise consisted of a row architectural remains. The American of small houses with courtyards located mission also conducted excavations at F3, south of the Period 2 settlement. Among but uncovered no substantial architecture the installations associated with these (Howard-Carter 1984: 5). Danish re- houses were cisterns, ovens and low stone searchers uncovered evidence of a multi- tables (Kjærum, Højlund 2013: 17). phase occupation of the site from the late Period 4A row houses were built above 3rd and 2nd millennium BC [see Fig. 1]. part of the Period 3A houses and were Recent Danish work (2008–2012) has similar in nature, with cisterns and other continued excavations at both tells.3 stone installations. In Period 4B, the occupation of F3 again moved towards SETTLEMENT AND the north and central parts of the tell. TEMPLE COURTYARD AT F3 The houses of this period became The remains uncovered at Tell F3 consist substantially larger in size and had thicker of domestic architecture from multiple walls (Kjærum, Højlund 2013: 21, 60–69, phases of occupation, assigned to periods 80, 88–89). 2 Also known as Makkan (Boivin, Blench, Fuller 2009: 262). 3 Moreover, the French mission uncovered a structure assigned to the Dilmun culture at G3 (Calvet 1984) and a Slovak team excavated a small settlement at al-Khidr, on the northern coastline, also belonging to the Dilmun culture (Benediková et alii 2008; Barta et alii 2010). 212 PAM 23/2: Special Studies Beads, pendants and other ornaments from late 3rd–2nd millennium BC...on Failaka, Kuwait THE GULF Apart from domestic structures of associated with different occupation phases Periods 2, 3A, 4A and 4B, a temple of F3 were found in the southeastern part courtyard dated to period 3B was identified of the excavated settlement. These were at F3. No domestic architecture of dated across Periods 2, 3A and 3B. Period 3B has been located so far and it is Throughout the different occupation suspected that such architectural remains phases, this area probably had some kind may lie in unexcavated areas of the tell of industrial function and the kilns were (Kjærum, Højlund 2013: 21). The temple possibly related to the production of pottery courtyard has three building phases with (Kjærum, Højlund 2013: 21, 96–97). fairly similar layouts, of which Phase II is best preserved. This phase included THE “PALACE” buILDING AND remains of a paved, roughly square temple TEMPLE AT F6 courtyard with evidence of three altar-like Danish excavations at F6 have uncovered structures. The maximum dimensions part of a building, which was originally of the irregularly shaped courtyard were designated the “Palace” [Fig. 3]. This 12.80 m by 13.90 m (Kjærum, Højlund monumental structure (23.00 m by 21.70 m) 2013: 21, 71–73). Three freestanding kilns featured a long corridor with a large room TRENCH A TRENCH E “PALACE” TEMPLE TRENCH C 0 10 m Fig. 3. Ground plan of the “Palace” building (left), the F6 temple (right) and the location of the Kuwaiti– Danish 2008–2009 excavation trenches (After Højlund 2012: 166, Fig. 1) 213 PAM 23/2: Special Studies Ann Andersson THE GULF on either side. The corridor led to a pillar- parallels between it and the Barbar temples ed hall, which in turn was flanked by three of Bahrain (Højlund 2012).