Baharna
Encyclopedia
The Bahrani are the indigenous Shi'a inhabitants of the archipelago
of Bahrain
and the oasis of Qatif
on the Persian Gulf
coast of Saudi Arabia
(see historical region of Bahrain
). The term is sometimes also extended to the Shi'a inhabitants of the al-Hasa
oasis. They are all Arabic
speaking, and some claim descent from Arab tribes. Their dialect of Arabic is known as "Bahrani" or "Bahrani Arabic," and they are overwhelmingly adherents of Shia Islam. Most Bahrani clerics have since the 18th century followed the conservative Akhbari
school.
who fall under the term Ajam
, as well as from the Sunnis of Bahrain who prefer the term Bahrayni or Ahl el-Bahrayn ("people of Bahrain"). In previous centuries, the term "Bahrani" often referred to any inhabitant of the larger historical region of Bahrain
.
Herodotus
's account (written c. 440 BC) refers to the Io and Europa myths. (History, I:1).
Strabo
, the Greek historian, geographer and philosopher mentioned that the Phoenicians came from the eastern part of the Arabia peninsula where they have similar gods, cemeteries and temples. Henry Rawlinson
confirmed that and explained the between the names for their cities e.g. Arwad
in Syria
and Bahrain
, and Sour in Oman
and Lebanon
, Gebal in Lebanon
and Eastern province
on the Persian Gulf
coast of Saudi Arabia, Al-Jish in Mount Lebanon
and Qatif
province, Sadad in Syria
and Bahrain
, Koura
in North Lebanon
and Bahrain
.
Gerrha (Arabic
جرهاء), was an ancient city of Arabia, on the west side of the Persian Gulf
. More accurately, the ancient city of Gerrha has been determined to have existed near or under the present fort of Uqair
. This fort is 50 miles northeast of Al-Hasa
in the Eastern Province
of Saudi Arabia
. This site was first proposed by R E Cheesman
in 1924.
Gerrha and Uqair are archaeological sites on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula
only 60 miles from the ancient burial grounds of Dilmun
on the island of Bahrain
.
Prior to Gerrha, the area belonged to the Dilmun
civilization, which was conquered by the Assyrian Empire in 709 BC. Gerrha was the center of an Arab kingdom from approximately 650 BC to circa 300 AD (See references). The kingdom was attacked by Antiochus III the Great
in 205-204 BC, though it seems to have survived. It is currently unknown exactly when Gerrha fell, but the area was under Sassanid Persian control after 300 AD.
Gerrha was described by Strabo
as inhabited by Chaldea
n exiles from Babylon
, who built their houses of salt and repaired them by the application of salt water. Pliny the Elder
(lust. Nat. vi. 32) says it was 5 miles in circumference with towers built of square blocks of salt.
Various identifications of the site have been attempted, Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville
choosing Qatif
, Carsten Niebuhr
preferring Kuwait and C Forster suggesting the ruins at the head of the bay behind the islands of Bahrain
.
.
Like the rest of the Adnanite Arabs, legend has it that Rabi`ah's original homelands were in the Hejaz
region of western Arabia, from which Rabi`ah migrated northwards and eastwards. Abdul Qays, Bakr ibn Wa'il, Taghlib ibn Wa'il were inhabitants of the region of Bahrain
in eastern Arabia, including the modern-day islands of Bahrain
, and were mostly sedentary.
, it was a center for Nestorian Christianity
. In the early 7th Century, Bahrain became one of the first places in Arabia to become an Islam
ic state, despite its great distance from Muhammad
's location in Medina
. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, most of the Baharna became Shia and they remained so until this day. The Shia Arabs of Bahrain are closely related to the Shia of Qatif
, and even speak a similar dialect. They live in Manama
, almost all the villages of the main island of Bahrain, several villages in the island of Muharraq
in the North and in the island of Sitra
to the east. They speak similar dialects, with slight variations between villages, although the villages of Sitra have dialects which differ considerably from those of the main island. Fishing, palm tree farming and pearl
diving were the traditional economic activities of the Baharna. There are also Shia Arabs concentrated in several neighborhoods in Muharraq City. These are distinct from the Shia villages outside the city proper. Many believe that these Shia originally came from Al-Ahsa
. As a result of their proximity to surrounding Sunni Arabs and Africans, they speak the Sunni dialect.
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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 Burnaburiash (c. 1370 BC) recovered from Nippur
, during the Kassite
dynasty of Babylon
. These letters were from a provincial official in Dilmun to his superiors 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
, as well as Lower Sea and Upper Sea. Assyrian inscriptions recorded tribute from Dilmun. There are other Assyrian inscriptions during the first millennium BC indicating Assyrian sovereignty over Dilmun. One of the early sites discovered in Bahrain suggests that Sennacherib
, king of Assyria (707–681 BC), attacked northeast Arabia and captured the Bahrainian islands. 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 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, pearl
s 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.
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 Akkad
ian, 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.
extending along the northern and probably also the western shores of the Persian Gulf
. It is called in Assyrian mat Kaldi "land of Chaldea". The expression mat Bit Yakin is also used, apparently synonymously. It would appear that Bit Yakin was the chief or capital city of the land; and the king of Chaldea is also called the king of Bit Yakin, just as the kings of Babylonia are regularly styled simply king of Babylon
, the capital city. In the same way, the Persian Gulf was sometimes called "the Sea of Bit Yakin, instead of "the Sea of the Land of Chaldea."
It is impossible to define narrowly the boundaries of this early land of Chaldea, and one may only locate it generally in the low, marshy, alluvial land about the estuaries of the Tigris
and Euphrates
, which then discharged their waters through separate mouths into the sea. In a later time, when the Chaldean tribe had burst their narrow bonds and obtained the ascendency over all Babylonia, they gave their name to the whole land of Babylonia, which then was called Chaldea for a short time.
In 627 BC a series of wars broke out in the Assyrian Empire over who should rule. These wars greatly weakened the empire. Sensing this weakness, the Chaldeans, the Medes
, Scythians and Cimmerians
formed a coalition and attacked the Assyrian Empire. In 612 BC they destroyed Nineveh
and the last Assyrian army in 605 BC . In its place, Babylon under its Chaldean rulers and the Medes set up a new empires of their own.
appeared in Babylonia. Though belonging to the same "Semitic
" ethnic group, they are to be differentiated from the Aramean stock; and Sennacherib
, for example, is careful in his inscriptions to distinguish them. When they came to possess the whole land, the name "Chaldean" became synonymous with "Babylonian", particularly to the Greeks and Jews. In the Hebrew Bible
, the prophet Abraham
is stated to have originally been from "Ur of the Chaldees" (Ur Kasdim
); if this city is to be identified with the Sumer
ian Ur
, it would be within the original Chaldean homeland south of the Euphrates. On the other hand, the traditional identification with a site in northern Mesopotamia would then imply the later sense of "Babylonia", and a few interpreters have additionally confused Abraham's birthplace with Chaldia
, a distinct region on the Black Sea
. According to the Book of Jubilees, Ur Kasdim (and Chaldea) took their name from Ura and Kesed, descendants of Arpachshad
.
Though conquerors, the Chaldeans were rapidly and completely assimilated into the dominant Babylonian culture, as the Amorites before them had been, and after the fall of Babylon in 539 BC the term "Chaldean" was no longer used to describe a specific race of people, but rather a "socio-Economic" class, regardless of ethnicity.
The language used by the Chaldeans was the Babylonian dialect of Akkadian
, the same language, save for slight peculiarities in sound and in characters, as Assyrian Akkadian
. In late periods both the Babylonian and Assyrian dialects of Akkadian ceased to be spoken, and Aramaic
took its place across Mesopotamia. One form of this widespread language is used in Daniel and Ezra, but the use of the name "Chaldee" to describe it, first introduced by Jerome, is incorrect and a misnomer.
For much of the tenth century the Qarmatians were the most powerful force in the Persian Gulf and Middle East, controlling the coast of Oman and collected tribute from the Abbasid
caliph in Baghdad as well as from the rival Ismaili Fatimid
caliph
in Cairo, whom they did not recognize. The land they ruled over was extremely wealthy with a huge slave based economy according to academic Yitzhak Nakash:
by the Buyids, which encouraged them to look inward to build their utilitarian society, but around 1058, a revolt on the island of Bahrain led by two Shi'a members of the Abd al-Qays tribe, Abul-Bahlul al-‘Awwam
and Abu’l-Walid Muslim, precipitated the waning of Qarmatian power and eventually the ascendancy to power of the Uyunids, an Arab dynasty belonging to the Abdul Qays tribe. The Uyunids ruled from 1076 to 1235, when the islands were briefly occupied by the Turkic Salgharid Atabeg of Fars. Supported by the Seljuk rulers of Iraq, the Uyunids relied on the power of the Banu 'Amir
tribes such as the Banu Uqayl
.
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The Usfurids were an Arab dynasty that in 1253 gained control of eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain
, They were a branch of the Banu Uqayl
tribe of the Banu Amir group, and are named after the dynasty’s founder, Usfur ibn Rashid. They were initially allies of the Qarmatians
and their successors, the Uyunids, but eventually overthrew the latter and seized power themselves. The Usfurids' takeover came after Uyunid power had been weakened by invasion in 1235 by the Salgharid Atabeg of Fars.
The Usfurids had an uneasy relationship with the main regional power at the time, the Persian princes in Hormuz, who took control of Bahrain and Qatif
in 1320. However, the Hormuzi rulers did not seem to have firm control of the islands, and during the 14th century Bahrain was disputed as numerous neighbours sought tribute from the wealth accumulated from its pearl fisheries. It the 15th century another branch of the Banu Amir emerged, the Jabrids
, who built a more stable polity in eastern Arabia.
. The dynasty was a vassal of the Kingdom of Ormus.
The Jarwanids belonged to the clan of Bani Malik. It is disputed whether they belonged to the Banu Uqayl
-- the tribe of their predecessors the Usfurids
and their successors the Jabrids
-- or to the Banu Abdul Qays, to whom the Uyunid dynasty (1076–1235) belonged. The Jarwanids came to power some time in the 14th century, after expelling the forces of Sa'eed ibn Mughamis, the chief of the Muntafiq tribe based in the Iraq
i city of Basrah.
Contemporary sources such Ibn Battuta
and Ibn Hajar
describe the Jarwanids as being "extreme Rawafidh," a term for Shi'ites who rejected the first three Caliphs, while a 15th century Sunni scholar from Egypt
describes them as being "remnants of the Qarmatians
." Historian Juan Cole
concludes from this that they were Isma'ilis. However, the Twelver Shi'ite sect was promoted under their rule, and Twelver scholars held the judgeships and other important positions, including the chief of the hisba
. Also, unlike under the Qarmatians
, Islamic prayers were held in the mosques under Jarwanid rule, and prayer was called under the Shi'ite formula. A Twelver scholar of the 14th century, Jamaluddeen Al-Mutawwa', belonged to the house of Jarwan. According to Al-Humaydan, who specialized in the history of eastern Arabia, the Jarwanids were Twelvers, and the term "Qaramita" was used simply as an epithet for "Shi'ite."
Before the advent of the oil industry, the Bahrani mostly engaged in agriculture, including the cultivation of date palm
s, fishing
, and pearl diving, as well as a host of other cottage industries, such as basket weaving and pottery. Unlike their Bedouin
neighbors, the people of this region led a settled lifestyle
, as they had access to abundant freshwater springs and long coastal lines, rich with fish, shrimp, and oysters. The pearling
industry involved a variety of other business activities, such as ship building (with distinctive styles of dhow
s) and trade with Africa, Iran, the Indian subcontinent, some parts of Indochina, and Indonesia.
(1753–1826) (founder of the Shaikhí school), Shaykh Maitham al-Bahrani
(1238–1299), Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani
(1695–1722) (one of the foremost Akhbari
scholars), Abdullah al Samahiji
(1675–1723), and Salih Al-Karzakani
. Many religious scholars immigrated to Iran
after the Bahrain
islands were conquered by the Safavids in 1602 - for instance 17th Century theologian and scholar, Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani
was appointed by the Shah as court judge in Shiraz
, although he initially left Bahrain to work in the Indian Kingdom of Golkonda
. Many students and scholars settled, and still do today, in centers of Shi'ite scholarship, especially Najaf
, Karbala
, and Qom
. Insignificant numbers have settled in relatively remote areas, such as Zanzibar
.,.
The singular term "al-Bahrani" and the plural term "al-Baharna" are also used as family names by individuals who have Bahrani ancestry, such as the Iraqi art historian Dr Zainab Bahrani
.
There are also other small villages.
Language and culture
Geography
Bahrani Organizations
Bahrani People
Bahrani tribes
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and the oasis of Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
on the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
coast of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
(see historical region of Bahrain
Bahrain (historical region)
Bahrain is a historical region in eastern Arabia that was known as the Province of Bahrain until the 16th Century. It stretched from the south of Basra along the Persian Gulf coast and included the regions of Kuwait, Al-Hasa, Qatif, Qatar, and the Awal Islands, now known as Bahrain. The name...
). The term is sometimes also extended to the Shi'a inhabitants of the al-Hasa
Al-Hasa
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, named after Al-Ahsa oasis. The name Al-Ahsa is also given to the biggest city in the region, Hofuf. In classic Arabic, Ahsa means the sound of water underground. It has one of the largest oases in the world with Date Palms of...
oasis. They are all Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
speaking, and some claim descent from Arab tribes. Their dialect of Arabic is known as "Bahrani" or "Bahrani Arabic," and they are overwhelmingly adherents of Shia Islam. Most Bahrani clerics have since the 18th century followed the conservative Akhbari
Akhbari
The Akhbārīs are Twelver Shī‘a Muslims who reject the use of reasoning in deriving verdicts, and believe only the Qur'an, aḥadīth, and consensus should be used as sources to derive verdicts . The term Akhbārī is used in contrast to Usūlī...
school.
Name
The term Bahrani serves to distinguish the Bahrani people from other Shi'i in the region, such as the relatively recent immigrants from IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
who fall under the term Ajam
Ajam (Bahrain)
The Iranians in Bahrain or Ajam are a community of Persians in Bahrain. They have traditionally been merchants living in a specific quarters of Manama and Muharraq. They mostly adhere to the Shia sect of Islam, while a very small minority follow the Bahai faith...
, as well as from the Sunnis of Bahrain who prefer the term Bahrayni or Ahl el-Bahrayn ("people of Bahrain"). In previous centuries, the term "Bahrani" often referred to any inhabitant of the larger historical region of Bahrain
Bahrain (historical region)
Bahrain is a historical region in eastern Arabia that was known as the Province of Bahrain until the 16th Century. It stretched from the south of Basra along the Persian Gulf coast and included the regions of Kuwait, Al-Hasa, Qatif, Qatar, and the Awal Islands, now known as Bahrain. The name...
.
Phoenician Origin of the Bahranis
The ancient Greeks speculated as to whether the Phoenicians were originally from Tylos. According to the 19th century German classicist, Arnold Heeren: “In the Greek geographers, for instance, we read of two islands, named Tyrus or Tylos, and Aradus, which boased that they were the mother country of the Phoenicians, and exhibited relics of Phoenician temples.” The people of Tyre in particular have long maintained Persian Gulf origins, and the similarity in the words “Tylos” and “Tyre” has been commented upon.Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
's account (written c. 440 BC) refers to the Io and Europa myths. (History, I:1).
Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
, the Greek historian, geographer and philosopher mentioned that the Phoenicians came from the eastern part of the Arabia peninsula where they have similar gods, cemeteries and temples. Henry Rawlinson
Henry Rawlinson
Maj.-Gen. Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, 1st Baronet CB was a British politician and Orientalist, sometimes described as the Father of Assyriology.-Early life:...
confirmed that and explained the between the names for their cities e.g. Arwad
Arwad
Arwad – formerly known as Arado , Arados , Arvad, Arpad, Arphad, and Antiochia in Pieria , also called Ruad Island – located in the Mediterranean Sea, is the only inhabited island in Syria. The town of Arwad takes up the entire island...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, and Sour in Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Gebal in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and Eastern province
Eastern Province
Eastern Province and East Province may refer to the following places:*Eastern Province, Cameroon*Eastern Province, Cundinamarca, Venezuela*Eastern Province, Rwanda*Eastern Province *Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia...
on the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
coast of Saudi Arabia, Al-Jish in Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon
Mount Lebanon , as a geographic designation, is a Lebanese mountain range, averaging above 2,200 meters in height and receiving a substantial amount of precipitation, including snow, which averages around four meters deep. It extends across the whole country along about , parallel to the...
and Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
province, Sadad in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Koura
Koura
Koura may refer to:* Koura District, or El-Koura, a district in North Lebanon* New Zealand freshwater crayfish known as koura, see Paranephrops...
in North Lebanon
North Lebanon
North Lebanon may refer to:*North Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania*North Governorate, Lebanon...
and Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
.
Gerrha
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
جرهاء), was an ancient city of Arabia, on the west side of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. More accurately, the ancient city of Gerrha has been determined to have existed near or under the present fort of Uqair
Uqair
Uqair is an ancient fort of Islamic origin, located in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. It is alternatively spelled Al-'Uqair, Uqayr, and Ogair, all Latin transliterations of the same Arabic word. It has been linked by some to the ancient city of Gerrha mentioned in Greek and Roman sources...
. This fort is 50 miles northeast of Al-Hasa
Al-Hasa
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, named after Al-Ahsa oasis. The name Al-Ahsa is also given to the biggest city in the region, Hofuf. In classic Arabic, Ahsa means the sound of water underground. It has one of the largest oases in the world with Date Palms of...
in the Eastern Province
Eastern Province
Eastern Province and East Province may refer to the following places:*Eastern Province, Cameroon*Eastern Province, Cundinamarca, Venezuela*Eastern Province, Rwanda*Eastern Province *Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia...
of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. This site was first proposed by R E Cheesman
R E Cheesman
Major Robert Ernest Cheesman, CBE was a military officer, explorer and ornithologist.Cheesman was Private Secretary to Sir Percy Sykes during his tenure as High Commissioner in Iraq....
in 1924.
Gerrha and Uqair are archaeological sites on the eastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula is a land mass situated north-east of Africa. Also known as Arabia or the Arabian subcontinent, it is the world's largest peninsula and covers 3,237,500 km2...
only 60 miles from the ancient burial grounds of Dilmun
Dilmun
Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
on the island of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
.
Prior to Gerrha, the area belonged to the Dilmun
Dilmun
Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
civilization, which was conquered by the Assyrian Empire in 709 BC. Gerrha was the center of an Arab kingdom from approximately 650 BC to circa 300 AD (See references). The kingdom was attacked by Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great
Antiochus III the Great Seleucid Greek king who became the 6th ruler of the Seleucid Empire as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. Antiochus was an ambitious ruler who ruled over Greater Syria and western Asia towards the end of the 3rd century BC...
in 205-204 BC, though it seems to have survived. It is currently unknown exactly when Gerrha fell, but the area was under Sassanid Persian control after 300 AD.
Gerrha was described by Strabo
Strabo
Strabo, also written Strabon was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born to an affluent family from Amaseia in Pontus , a city which he said was situated the approximate equivalent of 75 km from the Black Sea...
as inhabited by Chaldea
Chaldea
Chaldea or Chaldaea , from Greek , Chaldaia; Akkadian ; Hebrew כשדים, Kaśdim; Aramaic: ܟܐܠܕܘ, Kaldo) was a marshy land located in modern-day southern Iraq which came to briefly rule Babylon...
n exiles from Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, who built their houses of salt and repaired them by the application of salt water. Pliny the Elder
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus , better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and personal friend of the emperor Vespasian...
(lust. Nat. vi. 32) says it was 5 miles in circumference with towers built of square blocks of salt.
Various identifications of the site have been attempted, Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville
Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville
Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville , was both a geographer and cartographer who greatly improved the standards of map-making. His maps of ancient geography, characterized by careful, accurate work and based largely on original research, are especially valuable...
choosing Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
, Carsten Niebuhr
Carsten Niebuhr
Carsten Niebuhr or Karsten Niebuhr , a German mathematician, cartographer, and explorer in the service of Denmark, is renowned for his travels on the Arabian peninsula.-Biography:...
preferring Kuwait and C Forster suggesting the ruins at the head of the bay behind the islands of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
.
North Arabian Origin of the Bahranis
Rabi`ah purported patriarch of one of the two main branches of the so-called "North Arabian" (Adnanite) tribes, the other branch being known as MudharMudhar
Mudhar or Mudar , is one of two major branches of the "North arabian" tribes, the other branch being Rabi'ah....
.
Like the rest of the Adnanite Arabs, legend has it that Rabi`ah's original homelands were in the Hejaz
Hejaz
al-Hejaz, also Hijaz is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia. Defined primarily by its western border on the Red Sea, it extends from Haql on the Gulf of Aqaba to Jizan. Its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina...
region of western Arabia, from which Rabi`ah migrated northwards and eastwards. Abdul Qays, Bakr ibn Wa'il, Taghlib ibn Wa'il were inhabitants of the region of Bahrain
Bahrain (historical region)
Bahrain is a historical region in eastern Arabia that was known as the Province of Bahrain until the 16th Century. It stretched from the south of Basra along the Persian Gulf coast and included the regions of Kuwait, Al-Hasa, Qatif, Qatar, and the Awal Islands, now known as Bahrain. The name...
in eastern Arabia, including the modern-day islands of Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, and were mostly sedentary.
History
The Baharna are the oldest inhabitants of the region of Bahrain formerly comprising the Eastern Coast of the Arabian Peninsula, al-Ahsa, al-Qatif, and island of Awal, today known as Bahrain. The Baharna are descended from Arabian tribes who had lived in the region since pre-Islamic times; prominent among them in those times were the tribes of Banu Abdul Qays and Rabi'a. Until Bahrain embraced Islam in 629 ADAnno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
, it was a center for Nestorian Christianity
Nestorianism
Nestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
. In the early 7th Century, Bahrain became one of the first places in Arabia to become an Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic state, despite its great distance from Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's location in Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, most of the Baharna became Shia and they remained so until this day. The Shia Arabs of Bahrain are closely related to the Shia of Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
, and even speak a similar dialect. They live in Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
, almost all the villages of the main island of Bahrain, several villages in the island of Muharraq
Muharraq
Muharraq , is Bahrain's third largest city, and served as its capital until 1923. The city is located on Muharraq Island and has long been a centre of religiosity...
in the North and in the island of Sitra
Sitra
Sitra is an island in the Central Governorate of Bahrain, just east of Bahrain Island in Persian Gulf. It lies south of Manama and Nabih Saleh. The island's western coast forms the boundary of Tubli Bay....
to the east. They speak similar dialects, with slight variations between villages, although the villages of Sitra have dialects which differ considerably from those of the main island. Fishing, palm tree farming and pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
diving were the traditional economic activities of the Baharna. There are also Shia Arabs concentrated in several neighborhoods in Muharraq City. These are distinct from the Shia villages outside the city proper. Many believe that these Shia originally came from Al-Ahsa
Al-Hasa
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, named after Al-Ahsa oasis. The name Al-Ahsa is also given to the biggest city in the region, Hofuf. In classic Arabic, Ahsa means the sound of water underground. It has one of the largest oases in the world with Date Palms of...
. As a result of their proximity to surrounding Sunni Arabs and Africans, they speak the Sunni dialect.
Dilmun
Dilmun appears first in SumerianSumerian language
Sumerian is the language of ancient Sumer, which was spoken in southern Mesopotamia since at least the 4th millennium BC. During the 3rd millennium BC, there developed a very intimate cultural symbiosis between the Sumerians and the Akkadians, which included widespread bilingualism...
cuneiform
Cuneiform
Cuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
clay tablets dated to the end of fourth millennium BC, found in the temple of goddess Inanna
Inanna
Inanna, also spelled Inana is the Sumerian goddess of sexual love, fertility, and warfare....
, in the city of Uruk
Uruk
Uruk was an ancient city of Sumer and later Babylonia, situated east of the present bed of the Euphrates river, on the ancient dry former channel of the Euphrates River, some 30 km east of modern As-Samawah, Al-Muthannā, Iraq.Uruk gave its name to the 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 Burnaburiash (c. 1370 BC) recovered from Nippur
Nippur
Nippur was one of the most ancient of all the Sumerian cities. It was the special seat of the worship of the Sumerian god Enlil, the "Lord Wind," ruler of the cosmos subject to An alone...
, during the Kassite
Kassites
The Kassites were an ancient Near Eastern people who gained control of Babylonia after the fall of the Old Babylonian Empire after ca. 1531 BC to ca. 1155 BC...
dynasty of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
. These letters were from a provincial official in Dilmun to his superiors in Mesopotamia. The names referred to are Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
. These letters and other documents, hint at an administrative relationship between Dilmun and Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
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
Meluhha
' or Melukhkha is the Sumerian name of a prominent trading partner of Sumer during the Middle Bronze Age. Its identification remains an open question.-Trade with Sumer:...
, as well as Lower Sea and Upper Sea. Assyrian inscriptions recorded tribute from Dilmun. There are other Assyrian inscriptions during the first millennium BC indicating Assyrian sovereignty over Dilmun. One of the early sites discovered in Bahrain suggests that Sennacherib
Sennacherib
Sennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
, king of Assyria (707–681 BC), attacked northeast Arabia and captured the Bahrainian islands. 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 trade between Ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
(probably correctly identified with the land called Meluhha
Meluhha
' or Melukhkha is the Sumerian name of a prominent trading partner of Sumer during the Middle Bronze Age. Its identification remains an open question.-Trade with Sumer:...
in Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
). Impressions of clay seals from the Indus Valley city of Harappa
Harappa
Harappa is an archaeological site in Punjab, northeast Pakistan, about west of Sahiwal. The site takes its name from a modern village located near the former course of the Ravi River. The current village of Harappa is from the ancient site. Although modern Harappa has a train station left from...
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
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
and other Mesopotamian sites. The "Persian Gulf" types of circular, stamped (rather than rolled) seals known from Dilmun, that appear at Lothal
Lothal
Lothal is one of the most prominent cities of the ancient Indus valley civilization. Located in Bhāl region of the modern state of Gujarāt and dating from 2400 BCE. Discovered in 1954, Lothal was excavated from February 13, 1955 to May 19, 1960 by the Archaeological Survey of India...
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
Ivory
Ivory is a term for dentine, which constitutes the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals, when used as a material for art or manufacturing. Ivory has been important since ancient times for making a range of items, from ivory carvings to false teeth, fans, dominoes, joint tubes, piano keys and...
, lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli
Lapis lazuli is a relatively rare semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense blue color....
, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, and luxury goods such as carnelian
Carnelian
Carnelian is a brownish-red mineral which is commonly used as a semi-precious gemstone. Similar to carnelian is sard, which is generally harder and darker...
and glazed stone beads, pearl
Pearl
A pearl is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other...
s from the Persian Gulf, shell and bone inlays, were among the goods sent to Mesopotamia in exchange for silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
, tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
, woolen textiles, olive oil and grains. Copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
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.
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 Akkad
Akkad
The Akkadian Empire was an empire centered in the city of Akkad and its surrounding region in Mesopotamia....
ian, the Third Dynasty of Ur
Third Dynasty of Ur
The Third Dynasty of Ur, also known as the Neo-Sumerian Empire or the Ur III Empire refers simultaneously to a 21st to 20th century BC Sumerian ruling dynasty based in the city of Ur and a short-lived territorial-political state that some historians regard as a nascent empire...
, and Isin
Isin
Isin was an ancient city-state of lower Mesopotamia about 20 miles south of Nippur at the site of modern Ishan al-Bahriyat in Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate.-History:...
-Larsa
Larsa
Larsa was an important city of ancient Sumer, the center of the cult of the sun god Utu. It lies some 25 km southeast of Uruk in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate, near the east bank of the Shatt-en-Nil canal at the site of the modern settlement Tell as-Senkereh or Sankarah.-History:According to...
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
Bahrain National Museum
The Bahrain National Museum is the largest and one of the oldest museums in Bahrain. It is constructed near the King Faisal Highway in Manama and opened in December 1988. The museum complex covers 27,800 sq meters and consists of two buildings...
assesses that its "Golden Age" lasted ca. 2200-1600 BC. Discoveries of ruins under the Persian Gulf maybe of Dilmun.
The land
Chaldea as the name of a country is used in two different senses. In the early period it was the name of a small territory in southern BabyloniaBabylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
extending along the northern and probably also the western shores of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. It is called in Assyrian mat Kaldi "land of Chaldea". The expression mat Bit Yakin is also used, apparently synonymously. It would appear that Bit Yakin was the chief or capital city of the land; and the king of Chaldea is also called the king of Bit Yakin, just as the kings of Babylonia are regularly styled simply king of Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
, the capital city. In the same way, the Persian Gulf was sometimes called "the Sea of Bit Yakin, instead of "the Sea of the Land of Chaldea."
It is impossible to define narrowly the boundaries of this early land of Chaldea, and one may only locate it generally in the low, marshy, alluvial land about the estuaries of the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
and Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
, which then discharged their waters through separate mouths into the sea. In a later time, when the Chaldean tribe had burst their narrow bonds and obtained the ascendency over all Babylonia, they gave their name to the whole land of Babylonia, which then was called Chaldea for a short time.
In 627 BC a series of wars broke out in the Assyrian Empire over who should rule. These wars greatly weakened the empire. Sensing this weakness, the Chaldeans, the Medes
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
, Scythians and Cimmerians
Cimmerians
The Cimmerians or Kimmerians were ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin.According to the Greek historian Herodotus, of the 5th century BC, the Cimmerians inhabited the region north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea during the 8th and 7th centuries BC, in what is now Ukraine and Russia...
formed a coalition and attacked the Assyrian Empire. In 612 BC they destroyed Nineveh
Nineveh
Nineveh was an ancient Assyrian city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River, and capital of the Neo Assyrian Empire. Its ruins are across the river from the modern-day major city of Mosul, in the Ninawa Governorate of Iraq....
and the last Assyrian army in 605 BC . In its place, Babylon under its Chaldean rulers and the Medes set up a new empires of their own.
The people
The homeland of the Chaldean race was in the far south east of Mesopotamia. It is not certain whence they migrated at an unknown period into the country of the sea-lands about the head of the Persian Gulf. They seem to have appeared there at about the same time that the Arameans and the SutuSutu
Sutu is a village in Pihtla Parish, Saare County, on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia....
appeared in Babylonia. Though belonging to the same "Semitic
Semitic
In linguistics and ethnology, Semitic was first used to refer to a language family of largely Middle Eastern origin, now called the Semitic languages...
" ethnic group, they are to be differentiated from the Aramean stock; and Sennacherib
Sennacherib
Sennacherib |Sîn]] has replaced brothers for me"; Aramaic: ) was the son of Sargon II, whom he succeeded on the throne of Assyria .-Rise to power:...
, for example, is careful in his inscriptions to distinguish them. When they came to possess the whole land, the name "Chaldean" became synonymous with "Babylonian", particularly to the Greeks and Jews. In the Hebrew Bible
Hebrew Bible
The Hebrew Bible is a term used by biblical scholars outside of Judaism to refer to the Tanakh , a canonical collection of Jewish texts, and the common textual antecedent of the several canonical editions of the Christian Old Testament...
, the prophet Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
is stated to have originally been from "Ur of the Chaldees" (Ur Kasdim
Ur Kasdim
Ur Kaśdim or Ur of the Chaldees is a biblical place mentioned in the Book of Genesis that refers to a location that the Patriarch Abraham may have been from...
); if this city is to be identified with the Sumer
Sumer
Sumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian Ur
Ur
Ur was an important city-state in ancient Sumer located at the site of modern Tell el-Muqayyar in Iraq's Dhi Qar Governorate...
, it would be within the original Chaldean homeland south of the Euphrates. On the other hand, the traditional identification with a site in northern Mesopotamia would then imply the later sense of "Babylonia", and a few interpreters have additionally confused Abraham's birthplace with Chaldia
Chaldia
Chaldia was a historical region located in the Black Sea coast of Asia Minor . Its name was derived from a people called the Chaldoi that inhabited the region in Antiquity. Chaldia was used throughout the Byzantine period and was established as a formal theme, known as the Theme of Chaldia , in...
, a distinct region on the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
. According to the Book of Jubilees, Ur Kasdim (and Chaldea) took their name from Ura and Kesed, descendants of Arpachshad
Arpachshad
Arpachshad or Arphaxad or Arphacsad was one of the five sons of Shem, the son of Noah . His brothers were Elam, Asshur, Lud and Aram; he is an ancestor of Abraham. He is said by Gen...
.
Though conquerors, the Chaldeans were rapidly and completely assimilated into the dominant Babylonian culture, as the Amorites before them had been, and after the fall of Babylon in 539 BC the term "Chaldean" was no longer used to describe a specific race of people, but rather a "socio-Economic" class, regardless of ethnicity.
The language used by the Chaldeans was the Babylonian dialect of Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
, the same language, save for slight peculiarities in sound and in characters, as Assyrian Akkadian
Akkadian language
Akkadian is an extinct Semitic language that was spoken in ancient Mesopotamia. The earliest attested Semitic language, it used the cuneiform writing system derived ultimately from ancient Sumerian, an unrelated language isolate...
. In late periods both the Babylonian and Assyrian dialects of Akkadian ceased to be spoken, and Aramaic
Aramaic language
Aramaic is a group of languages belonging to the Afroasiatic language phylum. The name of the language is based on the name of Aram, an ancient region in central Syria. Within this family, Aramaic belongs to the Semitic family, and more specifically, is a part of the Northwest Semitic subfamily,...
took its place across Mesopotamia. One form of this widespread language is used in Daniel and Ezra, but the use of the name "Chaldee" to describe it, first introduced by Jerome, is incorrect and a misnomer.
The Qarmatian Republic
The Qarmatians' goal was to build a society based on reason and equality. The state was governed by a council of six with a chief who was a first among equals. All property within the community was distributed evenly among all initiates. The Qarmatians were organized as an esoteric society but not as a secret one; their activities were public and openly propagated, but new members had to undergo an initiation ceremony involving seven stages. The Qarmatian world view was one where every phenomenon repeated itself in cycles, where every incident was replayed over and over again.For much of the tenth century the Qarmatians were the most powerful force in the Persian Gulf and Middle East, controlling the coast of Oman and collected tribute from the Abbasid
Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate or, more simply, the Abbasids , was the third of the Islamic caliphates. It was ruled by the Abbasid dynasty of caliphs, who built their capital in Baghdad after overthrowing the Umayyad caliphate from all but the al-Andalus region....
caliph in Baghdad as well as from the rival Ismaili Fatimid
Fatimid
The Fatimid Islamic Caliphate or al-Fāṭimiyyūn was a Berber Shia Muslim caliphate first centered in Tunisia and later in Egypt that ruled over varying areas of the Maghreb, Sudan, Sicily, the Levant, and Hijaz from 5 January 909 to 1171.The caliphate was ruled by the Fatimids, who established the...
caliph
Caliph
The Caliph is the head of state in a Caliphate, and the title for the ruler of the Islamic Ummah, an Islamic community ruled by the Shari'ah. It is a transcribed version of the Arabic word which means "successor" or "representative"...
in Cairo, whom they did not recognize. The land they ruled over was extremely wealthy with a huge slave based economy according to academic Yitzhak Nakash:
Uyunid dynasty
The Qarmatians were defeated in battle in 976976
Year 976 was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Byzantine Empire :* January 10 – Basil II becomes Eastern Roman Emperor .- Europe :...
by the Buyids, which encouraged them to look inward to build their utilitarian society, but around 1058, a revolt on the island of Bahrain led by two Shi'a members of the Abd al-Qays tribe, Abul-Bahlul al-‘Awwam
Abu al-Bahlul al-Awwam
Abu al-Bahlul al-Awwam was a Shia member of the Abd al-Qays tribe in Bahrain who overthrew Qarmatian rule in the islands around 1058.Along with his brother, Abu’l-Walid Muslim, he had called for the khutba in Bahrain to be read in the name of the Abbasid caliph al-Qaim, a common way of expressing...
and Abu’l-Walid Muslim, precipitated the waning of Qarmatian power and eventually the ascendancy to power of the Uyunids, an Arab dynasty belonging to the Abdul Qays tribe. The Uyunids ruled from 1076 to 1235, when the islands were briefly occupied by the Turkic Salgharid Atabeg of Fars. Supported by the Seljuk rulers of Iraq, the Uyunids relied on the power of the Banu 'Amir
Banu 'Amir
Banu 'Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah or Banu 'Amir were a large and ancient Arab tribal confederation originating from central and southwestern Arabia that dominated Nejd for centuries after the rise of Islam. The tribe is of North Arabian stock, tracing its lineage to Adnan through Hawazin, and its original...
tribes such as the Banu Uqayl
Banu Uqayl
Banu Uqayl are an ancient Arab tribe that played an important role in the history of eastern Arabia and Iraq. They belonged to the Banu Ka'b branch of the large Banu 'Amir confederation....
.
Usfurids dynasty
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, They were a branch of the Banu Uqayl
Banu Uqayl
Banu Uqayl are an ancient Arab tribe that played an important role in the history of eastern Arabia and Iraq. They belonged to the Banu Ka'b branch of the large Banu 'Amir confederation....
tribe of the Banu Amir group, and are named after the dynasty’s founder, Usfur ibn Rashid. They were initially allies of the Qarmatians
Qarmatians
The Qarmatians were a Shi'a Ismaili group centered in eastern Arabia, where they attempted to established a utopian republic in 899 CE. They are most famed for their revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate...
and their successors, the Uyunids, but eventually overthrew the latter and seized power themselves. The Usfurids' takeover came after Uyunid power had been weakened by invasion in 1235 by the Salgharid Atabeg of Fars.
The Usfurids had an uneasy relationship with the main regional power at the time, the Persian princes in Hormuz, who took control of Bahrain and Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
in 1320. However, the Hormuzi rulers did not seem to have firm control of the islands, and during the 14th century Bahrain was disputed as numerous neighbours sought tribute from the wealth accumulated from its pearl fisheries. It the 15th century another branch of the Banu Amir emerged, the Jabrids
Jabrids
The Jabrids were a bedouin dynasty that dominated eastern Arabia in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were descendants of the tribe of Uqayl, a branch of Bani 'Amir.Their most prominent ruler was Ajwad ibn Zamil, who died in 1507...
, who built a more stable polity in eastern Arabia.
Jarwanid dynasty
The Jarwanid Dynasty was a Shia dynasty that ruled the Province of Bahrain in the 14th century. It was founded by Jerwan I bin Nasser and was based in QatifQatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
. The dynasty was a vassal of the Kingdom of Ormus.
The Jarwanids belonged to the clan of Bani Malik. It is disputed whether they belonged to the Banu Uqayl
Banu Uqayl
Banu Uqayl are an ancient Arab tribe that played an important role in the history of eastern Arabia and Iraq. They belonged to the Banu Ka'b branch of the large Banu 'Amir confederation....
-- the tribe of their predecessors the Usfurids
Usfurids
The Usfurids were an Arab dynasty that in 1253 gained control of eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain, They were a branch of the Banu Uqayl tribe of the Banu Amir group, and are named after the dynasty’s founder, Usfur ibn Rashid. They were initially allies of the Qarmatians and their...
and their successors the Jabrids
Jabrids
The Jabrids were a bedouin dynasty that dominated eastern Arabia in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were descendants of the tribe of Uqayl, a branch of Bani 'Amir.Their most prominent ruler was Ajwad ibn Zamil, who died in 1507...
-- or to the Banu Abdul Qays, to whom the Uyunid dynasty (1076–1235) belonged. The Jarwanids came to power some time in the 14th century, after expelling the forces of Sa'eed ibn Mughamis, the chief of the Muntafiq tribe based in the Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i city of Basrah.
Contemporary sources such Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
and Ibn Hajar
Ibn Hajar
There were several Muslim scholars named "Ibn Hajar"*Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani – Shafi'i and Hadith scholar*Ibn Hajar al-Makki al-Haitami - Shafi'i*Ibn Hajar Abi Bakr...
describe the Jarwanids as being "extreme Rawafidh," a term for Shi'ites who rejected the first three Caliphs, while a 15th century Sunni scholar from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
describes them as being "remnants of the Qarmatians
Qarmatians
The Qarmatians were a Shi'a Ismaili group centered in eastern Arabia, where they attempted to established a utopian republic in 899 CE. They are most famed for their revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate...
." Historian Juan Cole
Juan Cole
John Ricardo I. "Juan" Cole is an American scholar, public intellectual, and historian of the modern Middle East and South Asia. He is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. As a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs, he has appeared in print and on...
concludes from this that they were Isma'ilis. However, the Twelver Shi'ite sect was promoted under their rule, and Twelver scholars held the judgeships and other important positions, including the chief of the hisba
Hisba
The concept of hisba is an Islamic practice not explicitly in the Qur'an nor in the corpus of sahih hadith. In a book review, Mohammad Umar Memon explains, "the institution of the hisba has been generally understood as one seeking to ensure correct economic and commercial practices among the...
. Also, unlike under the Qarmatians
Qarmatians
The Qarmatians were a Shi'a Ismaili group centered in eastern Arabia, where they attempted to established a utopian republic in 899 CE. They are most famed for their revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate...
, Islamic prayers were held in the mosques under Jarwanid rule, and prayer was called under the Shi'ite formula. A Twelver scholar of the 14th century, Jamaluddeen Al-Mutawwa', belonged to the house of Jarwan. According to Al-Humaydan, who specialized in the history of eastern Arabia, the Jarwanids were Twelvers, and the term "Qaramita" was used simply as an epithet for "Shi'ite."
Before the advent of the oil industry, the Bahrani mostly engaged in agriculture, including the cultivation of date palm
Date Palm
The date palm is a palm in the genus Phoenix, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, it probably originated from lands around the Persian Gulf. It is a medium-sized plant, 15–25 m tall, growing singly or forming a clump with...
s, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, and pearl diving, as well as a host of other cottage industries, such as basket weaving and pottery. Unlike their Bedouin
Bedouin
The Bedouin are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ..-Etymology:...
neighbors, the people of this region led a settled lifestyle
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
, as they had access to abundant freshwater springs and long coastal lines, rich with fish, shrimp, and oysters. The pearling
Pearl hunting
Pearl hunting or pearl diving refers to a largely obsolete method of retrieving pearls from pearl oysters, freshwater pearl mussels and, on rare occasions, other nacre-producing molluscs, such as abalone.-History:...
industry involved a variety of other business activities, such as ship building (with distinctive styles of dhow
Dhow
Dhow is the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Some historians believe the dhow was invented by Arabs but this is disputed by some others. Dhows typically weigh 300 to 500 tons, and have a...
s) and trade with Africa, Iran, the Indian subcontinent, some parts of Indochina, and Indonesia.
Famous Bahrani people
The Bahrani's produced many well-known religious scholars, including Shaykh Ahmad al-AhsaiShaykh Ahmad
Shaykh Ahmad ibn Zayn al-Dín ibn Ibráhím al-Ahsá'í was was the founder of a 19th century Shi`i school in the Persian and Ottoman empires, whose followers are known as Shaykhís....
(1753–1826) (founder of the Shaikhí school), Shaykh Maitham al-Bahrani
Maitham Al Bahrani
Sheikh Maytham bin Ali Al Bahrani was a leading 13th Century Twelver Shi'a Islamic theologian who lived in Bahrain. Al Bahrani wrote on Twelver doctrine, affirmed free will, the infallibility of prophets and imams, the appointed imamate of `Ali, and the occultation of the Twelfth Imam...
(1238–1299), Shaykh Yusuf al-Bahrani
Yusuf Al Bahrani
Yusuf ibn Ahmed al-Bahrani was a Bahraini theologian and a key figure in the intellectual development of Twelver Shia Islam.Al-Bahrani grew up in Safavid-ruled Bahrain, at a time of intellectual ferment between Akhbari and Usuli Shi'ah Islam. His family were Usuli clerics who also worked as pearl...
(1695–1722) (one of the foremost Akhbari
Akhbari
The Akhbārīs are Twelver Shī‘a Muslims who reject the use of reasoning in deriving verdicts, and believe only the Qur'an, aḥadīth, and consensus should be used as sources to derive verdicts . The term Akhbārī is used in contrast to Usūlī...
scholars), Abdullah al Samahiji
Abdullah al Samahiji
Abdullah bin Saleh al Samahiji was a Bahraini Shia Islamic scholar who lived during the Safavid period. He was born in the village of Samaheej on Muharraq Island, and like many of his Bahraini contemporaries, he was a follower of the Akhbari theological school—although his father was a pure...
(1675–1723), and Salih Al-Karzakani
Salih Al-Karzakani
Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth century Bahraini theologian who was appointed by the Safavid empire as a religious court judge in Shiraz. Al Karzakani left Bahrain along with his friend and fellow cleric Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth...
. Many religious scholars immigrated to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
after the Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
islands were conquered by the Safavids in 1602 - for instance 17th Century theologian and scholar, Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani
Salih Al-Karzakani
Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth century Bahraini theologian who was appointed by the Safavid empire as a religious court judge in Shiraz. Al Karzakani left Bahrain along with his friend and fellow cleric Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth...
was appointed by the Shah as court judge in Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
, although he initially left Bahrain to work in the Indian Kingdom of Golkonda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
. Many students and scholars settled, and still do today, in centers of Shi'ite scholarship, especially Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
, Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
, and Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
. Insignificant numbers have settled in relatively remote areas, such as Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
.,.
The singular term "al-Bahrani" and the plural term "al-Baharna" are also used as family names by individuals who have Bahrani ancestry, such as the Iraqi art historian Dr Zainab Bahrani
Zainab Bahrani
Zainab Bahrani is an Iraqi professor of Ancient Near Eastern Art and Archaeology at Columbia University.-Career:A native of Baghdad, Iraq, she was educated in Europe and the United States. She received her Master of Arts and doctoral degrees Zainab Bahrani (born 1962) is an Iraqi professor of...
.
In Bahrain (present day)
- ManamaManamaManama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
- A'aliA'aliA'ali is one of the biggest towns in Bahrain. It was formerly a part of the municipality of Mintaqah but since 2001 lies within the Central Governorate. A'ali is famous for its 170,000+ ancient burial mounds, which is considered one of the largest graveyards in the world...
- Al DairAl DairAl Dair is a village in Bahrain on the northern coast of Muharraq Island. It lies north of the Bahrain International Airport, and north west of Samaheej village....
- Abu SaibaAbu SaibaAbu Saiba is a village in the north of Bahrain. It is inhabited mostly by Shia Baharna....
- Al Markh
- Bani JamraBani JamraBani Jamra is a village in the north-west of Bahrain. It lies east of Budaiya and south of Diraz. It is administered under the Northern Governorate. Before the discovery of oil in Bahrain, most of inhabitants were involved in farming, especially date palms...
- BarbarBarbar, BahrainBarbar is a village in the north of Bahrain. It lies between Diraz and Jannusan. It is a predominantly Shia Bahrani village. The Dilmun era Barbar Temple is located near the village....
- Bilad Al QadeemBilad Al QadeemBilad Al Qadeem is a town in Bahrain. It has now been incorporated into a suburb of Manama and is situated next to Zinj. Prior to the Portuguese invasion in 1519 it served as the capital of Bahrain and did so again later during Safavid rule in the seventeenth century...
- Daar Kilayb
- DirazDirazDiraz is a village on the north west coast of Bahrain. It lies to the east of Budaiya, west of Bar-bar and north of Bani Jamra. It is a predominantly Shia village....
- Al DaihAl DaihAl Daih is a village on the north of Bahrain. It lies to the east of Budaiya, west of Al Manama. It is a predominantly Shia village.-See also:* List of cities in Bahrain...
- GhuraifaGhuraifaGhuraifa was a village in Bahrain that has now been subsumed in to the Juffair suburb of Manama, Bahrain. Its Bahraini inhabitants are Baharna Shia.The village and its descendants have produced a number of prominent Twelver clerics, including:...
- HamalaHamalaHamala is a place in Bahrain, an island country in the Persian Gulf.Batelco, Bahrain's premier telecommunications company has a large office campus in Hamala....
- Jebelat Habshi
- Jidhafs
- JuffairJuffairJuffair is a suburban neighborhood of Manama, Bahrain. It was originally a separate village inhabited by Bahrainis, but it has been absorbed by the suburban expansion of Manama, and also includes large parts of land reclaimed from the sea....
- Karbabad
- KarranaKarranaKarrana is a village in Bahrain, an island country in the Persian Gulf.The village of Karrana lies in the middle of the northern coast of the mother island of Bahrain, and is considered to be a part of the Northern Governorate. It is one of many villages straddling the Budaiya Highway. To the...
- AwaliAwaliAwali is a small municipality located approximately in the centre of the Kingdom of Bahrain, a small island in the Persian Gulf. Founded in the 1930s by the Bahrain Petroleum Company, it is populated mostly by workers of various nationalities from around the world whose skills were needed in the...
- KarzakanKarzakanKarzakan is a village in Bahrain. It lies along the western coast of Bahrain Island. Its inhabitants are mostly Bahrani Shiites. The seventeenth century theologian Salih Al-Karzakani hailed from this village.-References:...
- KhamisKhamisKhamis is a place located between Salmaniya and Isa town in the island kingdom of Bahrain. It is largely a residential area with a number of shops and business establishments....
- KouraKouraKoura may refer to:* Koura District, or El-Koura, a district in North Lebanon* New Zealand freshwater crayfish known as koura, see Paranephrops...
- MalkiyaMalkiya, BahrainMalkiya is a village that lies on the western coast of Bahrain Island in Bahrain. Its inhabitants are mostly Bahrani Shiites. The village is home to the Malkiya Club football team....
- Ma'ameerMa'ameerMa'ameer is a village in the island-kingdom of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. Ma'ameer Industrial Area consists of the Bahrain Petroleum Company Oil Refinery and a large number of factories, production units such as Awal Readymixed Concrete , Eastern Asphalt, and Al Zamil Aluminium.*...
- Magaba
- Muqsha
- Nabih SalehNabih SalehNabih Saleh is an island of Bahrain in Persian Gulf. It lies in the Tubli Bay, east of Bahrain Island. It is connected to Bahrain Island and Sitra through the Sitra Causeway....
- NoaimNoaimNoaim is a district of Bahrain's capital Manama, located in the northwest of Manama city center.Noaim's residents were historically known for their skills in ship crafting and carpentry. In the year 1930, a small clinic was built in Noaim, which was the base for Noaim Health Center, first...
- NuwaidratNuwaidratNuwaidrat is a village located in Bahrain, close to Sitra; it was formerly part of the Sitra Municipality.On February 14, 2011, police used tear gas against protesters in the village; they were participating in country-wide protests. The village is mostly Shia Muslim; the marchers were demanding...
- Ras RummanRas RummanRas Rumman is a neighborhood of Manama in Bahrain. Historically it was a separate village of its own, however with the expansion of Manama, it became incorporated in to the capital city as one of its neighbourhoods. It lies to the east of the Manama Souq and roughly south of the Diplomatic Area....
- Saar, Bahrain
- Sanabis
- SanadSanadSanad can refer to:*Isnād, the citations or "backings" used to verify the legitimacy of a hadith*Sanad, In British India, a deed granted to native rulers confirming them in their states, in return for their allegiance...
- SamaheejSamaheejSamaheej is a village in Bahrain on the northern coast of Muharraq Island. Al Dair village lies to its northwest, while Galali lies to its southeast...
- Sitrah
- TubliTubliTubli is a village in Bahrain, Tubli is located in the east of Bahrain island and west of Sitra island....
- Zinj, BahrainZinj, BahrainZinj is a suburb in the city of Manama, Bahrain. New Zinj consists of spacious villas, many overlooking the sea front and Tubli Bay. Old Zinj is an old section adjacent to the village of "Bilad Al Qadeem"...
- Darkulaib
- Jurdab
Saudi Arabia
- QatifQatifQatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
(North oasis) - SaihatSaihatSaihat City is a city located on the east coast of Saudi Arabia, within the Al-Qatif Governorate. With a population of 100,000 in 2005.- History :...
- Al-AwamiyahAl-AwamiyahAl-Awamiyah or : is a village situated in the Al-Qatif region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It has a population of Almost 25,000 people. Al-Awamiyah is bordered by the Al-Ramis farms to the east and some other farms to the west and the south...
- http://www.awamia.com - Safwa citySafwa citySafwa is a city located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. It is located north of Qatif and south of Jubail. Safwa has a population of 70,000.-External links:*...
- Hellat-Muhaish - alhella Site
- Al-Awjam
- Tarout Island
- Sanabis
- Umm Al-Hamam
- Al-Qudaih
- Al-JaroudiyaAl-JaroudiyaAl-Jaroudiya is a village situated in the Qatif region in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Other villages in Qatif such as Saihat, Anak, Safwa, Awamiya, Awjam, Qudaih, Khuwailidiya, Al-Jish, Umm Al-Hamam, as well as Tarout Island...
- Al-Jarodiah Site - Al-Jish
- Al-Taubi
- Al-Malahha
- Al-Khuwailidiya
- Al-HasaAl-HasaAl-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, named after Al-Ahsa oasis. The name Al-Ahsa is also given to the biggest city in the region, Hofuf. In classic Arabic, Ahsa means the sound of water underground. It has one of the largest oases in the world with Date Palms of...
(South oasis) - HofufHofufAl-Hofuf is the major urban center in the Al-Ahsa Oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.- Overview :...
- Al-Mubarraz
- Al-Holailah
- Al-Hotah
- Al-Taraf
- Al-JafrAl-JafrAl-Jafr is an important village in Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia. It is located about 10 km from Al-Hofuf and one of the eastern villages of Al-Ahsa. Unlike nearby villages Al-Jafr has some government offices like Al-Jafr police station...
- Al-Julaijlah
- Al-MansorahAl-MansorahAl-Mansorah , is a village in eastern Saudi Arabia and one of eastern villages in Al-Ahsa. It is considered as one of the fast-growing villages of the Eastern-Region villages. Those villages consist of Al-Omran, Almunizha...etc. Al-Mansorah is almost always associated with Al-Shaharyn village...
- Al-Mizawi
- Al-Munaizlah
- Al-Mutairfi
- Al-Omran
- AbuThor
- Al-RumailahRumailahRumailah is a small village in Saudi Arabia on the eastern side of Al-Ahsa. It has an estimated population of over 12,065 . It is bordered by Omran, Murkaz, Dalwa and Huta. It is 350 km from Riyadh....
- Al-Sabat
- Al-Shigaig
- Al-Towaithir
- Al-Wazziyah
- BaniMa'an
- Al-Dalwah
- Al-GarahAl-GarahAl-Garah is a village in Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia .Al-Garah is well-known for its small mountain Jabl Al-Garah . Al-Garah is one of Al-Ahsa eastern villages and located about 11 km from Al-Hofuf.-Location:N 25° 24.544 E 049° 41.512or...
- Al-Garn
- Al-Gherain
There are also other small villages.
See also
History- DilmunDilmunDilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
- ChaldeaChaldeaChaldea or Chaldaea , from Greek , Chaldaia; Akkadian ; Hebrew כשדים, Kaśdim; Aramaic: ܟܐܠܕܘ, Kaldo) was a marshy land located in modern-day southern Iraq which came to briefly rule Babylon...
- GerrhaGerrhaGerrha , was an ancient city of Arabia, on the west side of the Persian Gulf. More accurately, the ancient city of Gerrha has been determined to have existed near or under the present fort of Uqair. This fort is 50 miles northeast of Al-Hasa in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia...
- Thaj
- QarmatiansQarmatiansThe Qarmatians were a Shi'a Ismaili group centered in eastern Arabia, where they attempted to established a utopian republic in 899 CE. They are most famed for their revolt against the Abbasid Caliphate...
- Uqaylid DynastyUqaylid DynastyThe Uqailid or Uqaylid Dynasty was a Shi'a Arab dynasty with several lines that ruled in various parts of Al-Jazira, northern Syria and Iraq in the late tenth and eleventh centuries. The main line, centered in Mosul, ruled from 990 to 1096.-Rise:...
- UsfuridsUsfuridsThe Usfurids were an Arab dynasty that in 1253 gained control of eastern Arabia, including the islands of Bahrain, They were a branch of the Banu Uqayl tribe of the Banu Amir group, and are named after the dynasty’s founder, Usfur ibn Rashid. They were initially allies of the Qarmatians and their...
- Jarwanid dynastyJarwanid dynastyThe Jarwanid Dynasty was a Shia dynasty that ruled the Province of Bahrain in the 14th century. It was founded by Jerwan I bin Nasser al-Maliki and was based in Qatif. The dynasty was a vassal of the Kingdom of Ormus....
- History of BahrainHistory of BahrainBahrain is a island country in the Persian Gulf. Although Bahrain became an independent country in 1971, the history of these islands starts from ancient times...
- History of KuwaitHistory of KuwaitThe country of Kuwait has a history which dates to ancient times.-The Greeks:In 3rd century BC, the Ancient Greeks colonized the island, Failaka, on today's Kuwait coast under Alexander and named it "Ikaros". Some believe the name came from an island off the Greek coast, where it is believed that...
- History of QatarHistory of QatarQatar has been inhabited for several millennia. The Al Khalifa family of Bahrain dominated the area from the mid 1850s until 1868 when, at the request of Qatari sheikhs, the British negotiated the termination of the Bahraini claim, except for the payment of tribute. The tribute ended when the...
- March IntifadaMarch IntifadaThe March Intifada was an uprising that broke out in Bahrain in March 1965. The uprising was led by the Leftist groups, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Bahrain and the National Liberation Front - Bahrain, calling for the end of the British presence in Bahrain...
- 1981 Bahraini coup d'état attempt
- 1990s Intifada
- Torture in BahrainTorture in BahrainTorture in Bahrain refers to the violation of Bahrain’s obligations as a state party to the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and other international treaties and disregard for the prohibition of torture enshrined in Bahraini...
- Al Bandar report
- Manama incidentManama incidentThe Manama incident on August 26, 2010 involved the arrest in the Seef shopping mall in Manama, Bahrain, of Fakhria al-Singace, the sister of Dr Abdul Jalil Al-Singace, human-rights spokesperson for the Bahrain opposition Haq Movement...
- 2011 Bahraini protests
Language and culture
- HasaiticHasaiticHasaitic is an Old North Arabian dialect attested in inscriptions in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia at Thaj, Hinna, Qatif, Ras Tanura, Abqaiq in the al-Hasa region, Ayn Jawan, Mileiha and at Uruk....
- Bahrani Arabic
- Christians in the Persian Gulf
- Nestorian ChristianityNestorianismNestorianism is a Christological doctrine advanced by Nestorius, Patriarch of Constantinople from 428–431. The doctrine, which was informed by Nestorius's studies under Theodore of Mopsuestia at the School of Antioch, emphasizes the disunion between the human and divine natures of Jesus...
- AkhbariAkhbariThe Akhbārīs are Twelver Shī‘a Muslims who reject the use of reasoning in deriving verdicts, and believe only the Qur'an, aḥadīth, and consensus should be used as sources to derive verdicts . The term Akhbārī is used in contrast to Usūlī...
- Shaykhís
- Shia Islam in Saudi ArabiaShia Islam in Saudi ArabiaApproximately 15 percent of citizens in Saudi Arabia are Shia Muslims, most of whom belong to the Baharna Twelver Shia community living in the Eastern Province, with the largest concentrations in Qatif, Al-Hasa, and Dammam...
- Freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia
Geography
- Bahrain (historical region)Bahrain (historical region)Bahrain is a historical region in eastern Arabia that was known as the Province of Bahrain until the 16th Century. It stretched from the south of Basra along the Persian Gulf coast and included the regions of Kuwait, Al-Hasa, Qatif, Qatar, and the Awal Islands, now known as Bahrain. The name...
- Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia
- Geography of BahrainGeography of BahrainBahrain comprises an archipelago of thirty-three islands in the Persian Gulf, situated close to the shore of the Arabian Peninsula. The islands are about twenty-four kilometers from the east coast of Saudi Arabia and twenty-eight kilometers from Qatar...
- Geography of KuwaitGeography of KuwaitKuwait is situated in Southwest Asia, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Once a small Persian Gulf sheikhdom known locally as a center for pearl diving and boat construction, Kuwait came to international prominence in the post-World War II era largely because of its enormous...
- Geography of QatarGeography of QatarQatar is a peninsula in the east of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, in a strategic location near major petroleum deposits. Qatar occupies 11,437 square kilometers on a peninsula that extends approximately 160 kilometers north into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula...
Bahrani Organizations
- National Union CommitteeNational Union CommitteeThe National Union Committee was a nationalist reformist political organization formed in Bahrain in 1954 . The committee was formed by reformists in response to sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shia members of the population...
- Haq MovementHaq MovementThe Haq Movement for Liberty and Democracy is an opposition political organization in Bahrain founded in 2005 with Hasan Mushaima as its Secretary general...
- Al WefaqAl WefaqAl Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
- Bahrain Freedom MovementBahrain Freedom MovementBahrain Freedom Movement is a London based Bahraini opposition group which has its headquarters in a north London mosque...
- Islamic Front for the Liberation of BahrainIslamic Front for the Liberation of BahrainThe Islamic Front for the Liberation of Bahrain was a Shia resistance group active from the 1970s to the 1990s, that advocated democracy in Bahrain and the overthrow of the ruling Sunni Al Khalifa family. It was responsible for the failed 1981 coup attempt inspired by the Iranian revolution two...
- Hezbollah Al-Hejaz
- Islamic Action SocietyIslamic Action SocietyThe Islamic Action Society is one of the main Islamist political parties in Bahrain, and mainly appeals to Shīʻa followers of the Najaf-based Āyatu l-Lāh, Hādī al-Mudarrisī, who are known as "the Shirāzī faction"....
- National Liberation Front – Bahrain
Bahrani People
- List of Bahranis
- Shanga, in the Lamu Archipelago, KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
Bahrani tribes
- Banu KaabBanu KaabThe Banu Kaab are an Arab tribe of Iraqi origin settled mostly in southern Iraq, in cities such as Basra and Nasariyah. From the early 18th century onwards, the Banu Kaab began converting from Sunni to Shia Islam....
- Banu UqaylBanu UqaylBanu Uqayl are an ancient Arab tribe that played an important role in the history of eastern Arabia and Iraq. They belonged to the Banu Ka'b branch of the large Banu 'Amir confederation....
- Bani Malik (tribe)Bani Malik (tribe)Bani Malik or Banu Malik is one of the major Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. They are descendants of Malik al-Ashtar who fought with Ali ibn Abi Talib, the cousin of prophet Mohammad...
External links
- Baharna on Facebook
- Al-Ahssa DNA Project
- THE SECOND DYNASTY OF BABYLON-THE SEA-LAND
- THE HOME OF THE FIRST SEALAND DYNASTY.
- Second Dynasty of the Sealand
- Assyrian rule in Chaldea
- The Qarmatians in Bahrain
- The 1922 Bahrani uprising in Bahrain
- Rival Empires of Trade and Imami Shiism in Eastern Arabia, 1300-1800, Juan ColeJuan ColeJohn Ricardo I. "Juan" Cole is an American scholar, public intellectual, and historian of the modern Middle East and South Asia. He is Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. As a commentator on Middle Eastern affairs, he has appeared in print and on...
, International Journal of Middle East StudiesInternational Journal of Middle East StudiesThe International Journal of Middle East Studies is a scholarly journal published by the Middle East Studies Association of North America , a learned society.-See also:* Edinburgh Middle East Report* Middle East Research and Information Project...
, Vol. 19, No. 2, (May, 1987), pp. 177–203 - البحارنة .. نسبهم وموطنهم وهجراتهم
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