More than 40 linguists and history enthusiasts from around the world will gather in Bahrain to learn about the kingdom’s rich culture and traditions and share insights on their own languages at an event taking place today.
The programme, under the theme ‘Dilmun in Bahrain’, will shine a spotlight on ancient Dilmun symbols and teach participants how to write on clay and cuneiform writing.
It will be held by Bahraini artist and historian Mahmood Al Baqlawa. Participants from countries such as Germany, the UK, Spain and Bahrain will also be able to share information on their languages and dialects with other guests.
Cuneiform is the earliest known writing system and was originally developed to write the Sumerian language of southern Mesopotamia (modern Iraq).
In Cuneiform, a carefully cut writing implement known as a stylus is pressed into soft clay to produce wedge-like imprints that represent word-signs (pictographs) and later, phonograms or word-concepts (closer to a modern-day understanding of a word).
Carving ancient writing in clay
“The workshop aims to highlight the kingdom’s ancient history and also introduce it to people who may be unaware of it,” Mr Al Baqlawa told the GDN.
“Bahrain has a very diverse population, and so the workshop also acts as a platform where people can share their own country’s history and language with the other participants,” the 58-year-old added.
Mr Al Baqlawa also wants to use the platform to highlight Bahrain’s openness and coexistence.
Mr Al Baqlawa
Growing up in the kingdom’s capital and Bilad Al Qadeem (a suburb in the capital city) exposed Mr Al Baqlawa to various cultures and experiences, which later inspired him to turn his passion into a career.
“It gave me a really unique perspective on culture and antiquities and it made me want to learn more,” he said, adding that he went on to secure a Master’s in history from St Joseph University in Beirut, in addition to studying Sumerian cuneiform writings.
“Since then, I have held numerous courses related to the methods of cuneiform, as well as lectures.”
He has also staged exhibitions highlighting ancient cuneiform calligraphy in Sumerian and Akkadian languages.
Sumerian was the language of ancient Sumer, the earliest known civilisation, located in the historical region of Southern Mesopotamia, which is now Southern-central Iraq.
Akkadian, a Semitic language, gradually replaced Sumerian as the primary spoken language in the area circa 2000BC (the exact date is debated), but Sumerian continued to be used as a sacred, ceremonial, literary and scientific language.
Mr Al Baqlawa staged his first solo exhibition earlier this month showcasing his artistic interpretations of ancient Dilmun symbols and artefacts.
The event featured 37 works of different sizes, created using different techniques and mediums, including acrylic colours, inks, pastels, water colours and printing.
He also launched a book on signs and symbols of the Dilmun era as part of the exhibition.
The event takes place today at Downtown Rotana Hotel, Manama.
For details, follow @mahmoodbaqlawa on Instagram.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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