ANIMAL trade was an important activity in ancient Bahrain, with studies revealing that the people of the island have been importing livestock for well over 4,000 years.
This was uncovered during a study conducted by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) in co-operation with New Zealand’s University of Auckland at archaeological sites around the kingdom.
The research showed how society managed this trade and the role it played in the daily lives of the inhabitants.
At the forefront of this research was New Zealand university professor Dr Judith Littleton who has been studying ancient sites in Bahrain since 1986.
Her research initially focused on eliciting dietary changes in ancient populations by analysing dental and skeletal remains, which proved challenging due to Bahrain’s hot and humid weather.
The most recent study was completed by Dr Littleton’s student, Dr Caitlin Smith.
She used stable isotopes on bones and teeth of humans to reveal information about water sources of the island’s ancient inhabitants.
Food and the impact of geological factors were found in the tissues, bones and teeth through chemical fingerprints.
The analysis showed that many individuals, including children, had moved to Bahrain from other places abroad from the Dilmun to the Islamic periods, reflecting the long commercial history of the island.
Analysis from the children’s skeletons unveiled information about the complex journeys they undertook to and from Bahrain between the 12th and 16th centuries, often accompanying family on commercial trips.
The study of animal remains, especially cattle in the Barbar Temple, showed that the animals had been brought from outside the island, evidence of a flourishing livestock trade during the Dilmun Era.
An analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotopes revealed that agricultural practices on the island extend back more than 4,000 years.
Dates and palms were also used to feed these animals. However, much to the astonishment of those in charge of the study, the diet of sheep included fish, and the analysis of dog and cat remains around Bahrain Fort showed that they also fed on marine organisms.
Chickens were not allowed to roam around freely, and were fed leftovers from whatever families ate back then.
The results of the study open the door for more examinations of human and animal remains currently at the Bahrain National Museum.
Dr Littleton and Dr Smith also plan on investigating the history of malaria on the island in order to understand how it affected disease patterns in the past.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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