An artefact discovered in the waters of the kingdom late last month by a couple of eagle-eyed Bahraini scuba divers has left historians puzzled, with mysteries surrounding its age and origin.
The divers, Fahad Yusuf and Hassan Abdulraheem, were on their weekly plunge into the southeast waters of the Gulf, when they came across an old urn, which they cleaned up and handed over to the experts, who have been left baffled by its origins.
Mr Yusuf, who has been diving for 10 years, spoke to the GDN and detailed how he and his diving partner happened to come across the mysterious artefact.
“We scuba dive as a hobby, with both of us being certified, and we go almost every single weekend to ensure our skills remain polished,” the 33-year-old Bahrain Defence Force worker from Galali said.
“Towards the end of June, we went for a dive, and it started off like just any other day. We took our boat out to a diving spot, and just did what we usually do.
“As the sun started to set, we decided to go for one last plunge before calling it a day.”
Just before resurfacing and getting back to the boat, Mr Abdulraheem saw something about eight metres down and pointed at it. Both he and Mr Yusuf were overcome by curiosity, and decided to see what it was.
“We saw something that looked like an old urn or a jar,” he said. “We were very careful because we did not want to damage it or break it.
“Slowly and gradually, we took it out of the water and brought it back to the boat. It was covered in mud and smelled really bad, so we gently cleaned it up and brought it back with us.”
Mr Yusuf sent the GDN a video shot after the artefact was taken to the boat. In the video, the divers could be heard questioning what it was, only knowing it was some sort of artefact.
The divers then contacted Bahrain Authority of Culture and Antiquities (BACA) Archaeology and Museums director Dr Salman Al Mahari, who set up a meeting with them a few days later to hand over the treasure to the Bahrain National Museum.
Mr Yusuf expressed his desire to be part of a diving team that searches for artefacts in the waters of the kingdom. He said that if such a group were to be formed, he would volunteer in a heartbeat.
Dr Al Mahari, who has had the opportunity to study the find since it was handed over, told the GDN that its origins remain a mystery. “Unfortunately, we still have no information on it, nor do we even know how old it actually is,” he added.
“We are in communication with some of the finest experts in the region so we can try to get more information on it, but so far, we have nothing.”
Despite the lack of details, Dr Al Mahari thanked the diving duo for preserving the urn. He also urged members of the public who happen to come across any old artefact or relic, whether on land or at sea, to contact BACA for more information.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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