Dilmun Burial Mounds
Dilmun Burial Mounds
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Epsom, UK1 072 contributions
Nov 2021
There a thousands of burial mounds around Bahrain (you can see them from the highways as you travel around if you look carefully) and its not unusual to see ruins on the edge of towns. These ruins in Riffa are no different; they are in a plot next to a football field and with houses around the periphery. These ruins are smaller than some of the other examples but there are a good number of mounds in close proximity. Sign boards give a good insight into the Dilmuns and the burial mounds. but to get the most from your visit, a trip to the Bahrain National Museum is recommended first.
Written 2 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RickMIusa
Grand Rapids, MI2 336 contributions
Apr 2017 • Couples
There are more than 85,000 Dilmun and Tylos burial mounds in Bahrain. They date back about 4500 years. You really do need a guide to find them and make sense of them. We had an excellent guide who knew a lot about them and could even read some of the Sumerian cuneiform script (well enough to correct some of the French archeologists' translations in the national museum).
This TripAdvisor article has the location near Riffa but the Royal Burial Mounds are actually located a bit further north, on the north side of A'Alia. There are numerous posts regarding the Shia' radicals living in the area (see our photo of a ritual tire burning we encountered during our visit) so you really really need a guide here.
The TripAdvisor postings from those who did not have a guide and tried to find the significant mounds themselves are mis-leading because there are good informative signs and fences surrounding the most important mounds. While some mounds have become kilns for the local potters, others have become dumps, etc...local authorities are starting to post warnings, install fences, and enforce the desecration of the tombs. Islam teaches to respect all tombs, regardless of the religion involved (a good thing as most of these mounds pre-date the prophet by a few thousand years).
But the problem in finding them should be self evident. Come on, trying to find the 2 dozen or so significant mounds among >85,000 is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. An impossible undertaking.
Most are 3 to 6 feet high with the Royal Burial Mounds rising more than 35 feet. They often have houses a few feet from them so they can be very hard to find within the villages. They were built in stages with one family on the ground level with huge capstones covering the graves topped by a chat-laced gravel. Additional tombs were often added above the original ones with some mounds having as much as 4 different levels. Some of the mounds were explored by British ordinance and these led to archeological excavations later on. There have been a number of human remains along with vast amounts of grave goods discovered.
It does help to spend time in the National Museum of Bahrain before traveling out to the mounds as you can see the major finds, typical grave goods, and even some human remains. There are also good reconstruction models so you know what you are looking at on site. The mounds are only 20 min or so from the museum....they suddenly appear on both sides of the roads.
Bahrain has probably the largest prehistoric cemetery sites in the world. While they date from the Dilmun period (3rd to 1st millennium BC) to the Hellenic Tylos period (200 BC to 300 AD) the burial mounds are absolutely unique. A huge number of wealthy families in the copper and pearl industries in antiquity could trace their lineage back to the island and there was a high desire to be buried here. It shows when you think there are probably several hundred thousand burials here that have been preserved by the desert climate for thousands of years. An absolute archeological paradise and well worth some of your time as this represents the earliest examples existing for the dawn of human civilization. An absolute treasure for the Bahrainians to learn to preserve and hold in trust for the rest of the world.
This TripAdvisor article has the location near Riffa but the Royal Burial Mounds are actually located a bit further north, on the north side of A'Alia. There are numerous posts regarding the Shia' radicals living in the area (see our photo of a ritual tire burning we encountered during our visit) so you really really need a guide here.
The TripAdvisor postings from those who did not have a guide and tried to find the significant mounds themselves are mis-leading because there are good informative signs and fences surrounding the most important mounds. While some mounds have become kilns for the local potters, others have become dumps, etc...local authorities are starting to post warnings, install fences, and enforce the desecration of the tombs. Islam teaches to respect all tombs, regardless of the religion involved (a good thing as most of these mounds pre-date the prophet by a few thousand years).
But the problem in finding them should be self evident. Come on, trying to find the 2 dozen or so significant mounds among >85,000 is like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack. An impossible undertaking.
Most are 3 to 6 feet high with the Royal Burial Mounds rising more than 35 feet. They often have houses a few feet from them so they can be very hard to find within the villages. They were built in stages with one family on the ground level with huge capstones covering the graves topped by a chat-laced gravel. Additional tombs were often added above the original ones with some mounds having as much as 4 different levels. Some of the mounds were explored by British ordinance and these led to archeological excavations later on. There have been a number of human remains along with vast amounts of grave goods discovered.
It does help to spend time in the National Museum of Bahrain before traveling out to the mounds as you can see the major finds, typical grave goods, and even some human remains. There are also good reconstruction models so you know what you are looking at on site. The mounds are only 20 min or so from the museum....they suddenly appear on both sides of the roads.
Bahrain has probably the largest prehistoric cemetery sites in the world. While they date from the Dilmun period (3rd to 1st millennium BC) to the Hellenic Tylos period (200 BC to 300 AD) the burial mounds are absolutely unique. A huge number of wealthy families in the copper and pearl industries in antiquity could trace their lineage back to the island and there was a high desire to be buried here. It shows when you think there are probably several hundred thousand burials here that have been preserved by the desert climate for thousands of years. An absolute archeological paradise and well worth some of your time as this represents the earliest examples existing for the dawn of human civilization. An absolute treasure for the Bahrainians to learn to preserve and hold in trust for the rest of the world.
Written 25 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cherriesfan_9
Cheltenham, UK6 573 contributions
Nov 2013 • Couples
A singular Burial Mound is quite unimpressive.
What is remarkable is that the tumulus, although measuring about 6 foot high and up to 20 foot wide, is the fact that they are so abundant. Indeed it is the sheer number of burial mounds, all built very close together and were originally covering 2 -3 square kilometres. Huge numbers are still very visible in a landscape that was created some 2000 - 4000 thousand years BC. The climate of Bahrain has altered greatly over the centuries, but this necropolis shows both how green, and fertile Bahrain was at that time ( and able to support such a large population), and how important the Dilmun kingdom was as a trading nation to the Gulf region and well beyond.
The National museum has two tumili, both with cut away sections, and have a very accessible explanation of the "Beaker " people.
You cannot miss seeing the burial mounds from the roads at A'Ali / Boori.- its worth stopping looking and reflecting; will our constructions be around 6000 years from now.
What is remarkable is that the tumulus, although measuring about 6 foot high and up to 20 foot wide, is the fact that they are so abundant. Indeed it is the sheer number of burial mounds, all built very close together and were originally covering 2 -3 square kilometres. Huge numbers are still very visible in a landscape that was created some 2000 - 4000 thousand years BC. The climate of Bahrain has altered greatly over the centuries, but this necropolis shows both how green, and fertile Bahrain was at that time ( and able to support such a large population), and how important the Dilmun kingdom was as a trading nation to the Gulf region and well beyond.
The National museum has two tumili, both with cut away sections, and have a very accessible explanation of the "Beaker " people.
You cannot miss seeing the burial mounds from the roads at A'Ali / Boori.- its worth stopping looking and reflecting; will our constructions be around 6000 years from now.
Written 24 November 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Luthilu
Doha, Qatar2 379 contributions
Apr 2017 • Friends
Ok, so I wanted to see the burial mounds mainly because of the history behind them and the issues they still cause currently in Bahrain about whether to build over them and so on.
I have no problem with the idea of the history behind these mounds but I just feel that if they are so precious why is no effort made to add some historical details for tourists to see, not all of us want to have to memorise the information from the Bahrain National Museum to understand what we are looking at.
I am glad I went but it's not something I necessarily feel the need to do again. Bahrain is missing out on a trick here. With so much history, these areas could be amazing for tourism but they just don't seem to want to invest.
I have no problem with the idea of the history behind these mounds but I just feel that if they are so precious why is no effort made to add some historical details for tourists to see, not all of us want to have to memorise the information from the Bahrain National Museum to understand what we are looking at.
I am glad I went but it's not something I necessarily feel the need to do again. Bahrain is missing out on a trick here. With so much history, these areas could be amazing for tourism but they just don't seem to want to invest.
Written 18 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Awais97
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia81 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
It was very difficult to find it. No one new the exact location. The printed map was showing different place.
Police came and investigated us while we were at the location.
Police came and investigated us while we were at the location.
Written 17 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole B
Porto Alegre, RS980 contributions
Apr 2019 • Family
Not much to see but a large area filled with small burial mounds. They were all looted eons ago, but the site is on the tentative UNESCO site. Surrounded by rusty barbed wire.
Written 19 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SaudKhawaja58
Riffa, Bahrain12 contributions
Dec 2016
Spend few weekends with a Danish Archeology team visiting to recover burial mounds in Bahrain. Amazing insight how cheftains mounds were built like a modern day spacous apartment, but below earth for their burials. Nearby authentic Bahraini restaurant for breakfast is recommended.
Written 13 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ricardo B
Miami, FL2 807 contributions
Apr 2017 • Solo
There are nearly 100000 burial mounds from the Dilmun period scattered through a relatively small area, so it is quite impressive to walk around this large quantity of tombs of different sizes
Written 29 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alisdair t
Workington, UK6 344 contributions
Dec 2016 • Couples
Bahrain has one of the largest prehistoric cemeteries in the world. Amongst its mysterious ancient remains are the thousands of burial mounds that dominate the landscape. Dating from the Dilmun era (3rd to 1st millennium BC) to the Tylos era (200 BC to 300 AD) the burial mounds are unique in terms of sheer number and concentration. The best preserved and most impressive mounds are the royal burial mounds in the village of A’ali. These mounds can be seen all around the land, some very close to communities,and many very easily accessable if you want a closer look, but our coach tour just slowed down so we could get a better look and our guide gave us some insight into them
Written 6 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TADrinkwater
Odiham, UK532 contributions
Nov 2015 • Solo
No trip to Bahrain is complete without looking back 4,000 years to the Dilmun era and viewing some of the 100,000 burial mounds that can be found across the island.
To understand their history, a visit to either the National Museum or Qal'at al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) will give an insight into their construction.
I was unable to find the Aali Burial Mounds Visitor Centre advertised at the Museum, perhaps it was never built, but did stop on Highway 90 off the Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway. You can park on the side of the highway and walk over to the mounds.
There is no description or signage so do you homework first. Worth a short 5-10 minute visit en-route to the South however.
To understand their history, a visit to either the National Museum or Qal'at al-Bahrain (Bahrain Fort) will give an insight into their construction.
I was unable to find the Aali Burial Mounds Visitor Centre advertised at the Museum, perhaps it was never built, but did stop on Highway 90 off the Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway. You can park on the side of the highway and walk over to the mounds.
There is no description or signage so do you homework first. Worth a short 5-10 minute visit en-route to the South however.
Written 25 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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