Saar Temple: Echoes of the Dilmun Civilization

The Saar Temple, officially known as the Saar Archaeological Site, is located in Saar, west of Manama. This well-preserved site offers a captivating journey back to the Dilmun era, a civilization that flourished in this region over 4,000 years ago. Discovered in the late 1970s, excavations revealed the remnants of a well-planned town that existed between approximately 2100 and 1850 BC. The Saar settlement was a thriving community of merchants who played a vital role in the ancient Arabian Gulf trade network. The town was strategically located to facilitate the movement of goods between Oman, the Indus Valley, and Mesopotamia. The heart of the Saar settlement is the temple complex, believed to have been a central place of worship and a focal point for community gatherings. The temple's design is unique, featuring a trapezoid-shaped room with a small storage area and three central columns that once supported the roof. Archaeologists believe that the temple was used to mark the summer solstice, highlighting the advanced astronomical knowledge of the Dilmun civilization. Surrounding the temple are the remains of residential buildings, offering a glimpse into the domestic lives of the Saar inhabitants. These structures reveal insights into their domestic activities, social organization, and economic pursuits. Artifacts discovered within the households include pottery, tools, copper fishhooks, bitumen nodules, and shells from shellfish, including pearl oysters. The interconnected burial grounds, with their honeycomb-like design, are also a significant feature of the site.