 Bahrain - national flag
The flag originates in its current form from 1932. Previously, the dividing
line could also be straight. With the most recent change of flag in 2002, the
dividing line now has only five thanks, one for each of Islam's five pillars. A
serrated division also occurs in the state coat of arms. Red and white have been
the colors of the region since the 1800's.
- Countryaah:
What does the flag of Bahrain look like? Follow this link, then you will see
the image in PNG format and flag meaning description about this country.
Bahrain - archeology and prehistory
Bahrain has since the 1800's. been known for its 100,000 burial
mounds. Several of these were investigated at the time, but it was not until
1953 that a thorough exploration of the island's prehistory began, when a Danish
expedition led by PV Glob and TG Bibby from the Prehistoric Museum in Aarhus
initiated systematic excavations and reconnaissances.
In many places in Bahrain, you can collect arrowheads, knives and scrapers of
flint, which date from 4000-3000 BC, when you subsisted on hunting, fishing and
towards the end of the period also by goat keeping. A 20-hectare elevation on
the north coast covers the ruins of Bahrain's ancient capital, which has been
examined by extensive Danish excavations as well as in recent years by some
French. The oldest finds from here are a trading post with a large copper
casting workshop from approximately 2100 BC At this time, written sources from
Mesopotamia mention the ancient kingdom of Dilmun, of which Bahrain was an
important part, as engaged in trade in copper, ivory and semi-precious stones
from Oman and India.
The first, small burial mounds are built along wadis (river beds) in
the interior of the island. The population subsisted on the cultivation of date
palms, wheat and barley on irrigated fields, on sheep, goat and cattle farming,
and on extensive fishing. This business composition remained in Bahrain until
modern times - supplemented by pearl fishing, which probably began as early as
2000 BC, when real pearls were called "fish eyes".
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Around 2000 BC. Bahrain almost gained a monopoly on trade through the Persian
Gulf, and a kingdom emerged on the island. The capital was fortified, large
warehouses were built, and temples were erected at several of the freshwater
springs that make the island fertile. at the village of Barbar. Here is
excavated a stone-built temple, which consists of an underground chamber around
the source itself, a burnt offering site and a central sanctuary. Among the
finds may be mentioned a harp fitting in the form of a bull's head with
magnificently curved horns, which is known in a similar form from the royal
tombs in Ur. Most of Bahrain's burial mounds date from this period and lie in
demarcated groups on the northern, fertile and then inhabited part of the
island. A centrally located group of 27 huge burial mounds has been erected for
the rulers. The mounds cover one or more chambers, where the deceased is laid on
his side, provided with clay vessels with food and drink and with weapons and
other equipment. The far-flung Dilmunk merchants make themselves known in the
finds by round seal stones, with which they signed their trade agreements. The
picture pages of the seals reveal glimpses of a rich ritual world.
In the middle of 1000-tkKr. Bahrain lost its political independence and was
incorporated as a province in Mesopotamia; one knows the name of a
Mesopotamian viceroy of the island. Culturally, there is a marked break in the
development, eg the construction of the traditional burial mounds ceased, the
temples fell into disuse, and everyday objects such as household utensils of
ceramics were now increasingly made according to Mesopotamian models. Around 700
BC. the written sources again report that Bahrain was a hub for trade between
Mesopotamia, Oman and India, and the island was ruled by kings who were often
under political influence from Mesopotamia. In the capital are excavated
palace-like buildings in Mesopotamian style, a temple in block stone and an
industrial plant for bronze processing.
Around 500 BC. the island was incorporated into the Achaemenid Empire and
possibly became an important support point for the incense trade from southern
Arabia. From this period, rich finds from the capital are known, a treasure
of bracelets, finger rings and earrings in silver and a bathtub-shaped coffin
with a skeleton, richly equipped with seal stones, weapons and a complete
drinking set consisting of sieve, ladle, bottle and bowl of copper. Under the
floor of the temple are numerous sacrificial bowls with a serpent skeleton and
one or two pearls in each bowl.
Alexander the Great sent several expeditions through the Persian Gulf, but
his plans to conquer Arabia were thwarted by his early death in 323 BC. His
successors, the Seleucid kings, however, had about 300 BC. great influence along
the coasts of especially the northern part of the Gulf, and the Hellenistic
culture prevailed strongly in Bahrain, which during this period was called
Tylos. Later in 200-tfKr. the Seleucids lost power in the eastern part of the
empire, and at the same time several small states emerged in northeastern
Arabia, including Bahrain, which struck its own silver coins after the Greek
model. A tax consisting of approximately 300 such silver coins were found dug down
outside the capital city wall.
Bahrain - recent history
Bahrain was incorporated into the Sasanian Empire, and during the 700-t. it
became part of the Islamic caliphate. In the 1500's. the Portuguese had control
of Bahrain for a short period. 1602-1782 the area was under Persian rule, but
since 1783 it has been under the control of the Khalifa family. During the
1800's. Britain repeatedly supported the Caliphate against the conquest of other
Arab countries; they sought to curb piracy and had a major impact on Bahrain's
conditions.
Bahrain was named Britain's most important naval base in the Gulf in the
mid-1960's. Plans for this were abandoned, however, and Britain made it clear in
1968 that it would abandon the Protectorate of Bahrain by 1971 and withdraw
completely from the Gulf. The Shah of Iran then claimed supremacy over the
islands. The Khalifa family objected, and under the auspices of the UN, a
referendum was held in April 1970 on Bahrain's future political status, showing
a clear desire for independence.
Bahrain became formally independent in August 1971. A 1973 constitution
stipulated that Bahrain should be governed by the Khalifa family, but at the
same time provided for a national assembly to assist in the legislation. It was
elected in 1973, but repatriated in 1975, and since then the Khalifa family has
ruled Bahrain without the participation of elected representatives. Since the
country's current regent, Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifa, replaced his father in 1999,
Bahrain has opened up for a higher degree of democracy. In 2001, a "National
Action Program" was sent to a referendum, and both men and women could vote on
the principles that, according to the program, should apply to the establishment
of a new political system in the country. In 2002, the emirate was transformed
into a constitutional monarchy, and elections to one of two chambers of the new
parliament were held in October 2002 with the right to vote for both men and
women. Political liberalization was put on hold when large demonstrations prior
to the war against Iraq in March 2003 and subsequently showed that significant
sections of the population were highly critical of the United States.
Following the upheavals in Tunisia and Egypt in early 2011, there were also
extensive demonstrations in Bahrain in February 2011. Initially, democratic
reforms were demanded, but after the military cracked down and several
protesters were killed, demands began to be made for the departure of the
Khalifa family. The opposition was particularly strong among the Shia Muslim
majority, leading to fears of Iranian interference. For that reason, and because
they did not want the protests to inspire opposition forces in the other
countries in the region, in March 2011 Saudi Arabia sent troops to Bahrain just
as the United Arab Emirates contributed police forces to help beat the
widespread protests. down.
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