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'NOTES ON THE ISLANDS OF BAHRAIN AND ANTIQUITIES BY CAPTAIN E. L. DURAND, 1 ASSISTANT RESIDENT, PERSIAN GULF.' [‎20r] (2/32)

The record is made up of 1 file (14 folios). It was created in Aug 1879. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .

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No. 164, dated Bushire, 1st May 1879.
From Lieut.-Col. E. C. Ross, H. B. M.'s Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. ,
Lyall , Esq., Secretary to the Govt, of India, Foreign Dept.
. ^ E ^ ie l lori oi' to transmit, for disposal as His Excellency the Viceroy
in Council may be pleased to decide, notes drawn up by Captain E. L. Durand,
s Assistant Resident, on the islands of Bahrain and its antiquities, accom
panied by illustrative drawings.
2. I am not aware that the remarkable ancient necropolis, observed and
described by Captain Durand, has been previously noticed either in official
reports or other writings, and the mounds have^een excavated. The subject
may, therefore, be one of considerable interest to the scientific public, and access
to Captain Durand's report would no doubt be appreciated.
3. I have indeed already received a telegram to the effect that the Trustees
of the British Museum are much interested in Captain Durand's researches, and
have authorized an expenditure of one hundred pounds on further excavations.
4. If the notes are printed by direction of the Government, I shall be
much obliged for a dozen spare copies.
NOTES ON THE ISLANDS OP BAHRAIN AND ANTIQUITIES, BY CAPTAIN
E. L. DURAND, 1 st ASSISTANT RESIDENT, PERSIAN GULP.
1. pescriptive. These Islands, from which the Portuguese were expelled
by a British fleet, aiding Shah Abbass in 1622 A.D., and whose advantages
were tersely put to me by a Native the other day in the words "the island is
silver and the sea is pearl," are situated in latitude 26° and longitude 50° 51',
the position of the Portuguese fort on the larger island being given as bearing
latitude 26° 13' SS' 7 N. longitude 50° 31/ 45" E.
2. They are surrounded by shoal water on every side, which greatly adds
to the beauty of the place.
3. On looking out to sea on the morning of a clear sky and a fresh nor-
wester, it would seem as if nature, at all times lavish of effect, had here,
however, exhausted every tint of living green in her paint box; and then
wearying of the effort, had splashed an angry streak of purple into the fore
ground.
4. The water itself is so clear, that you can see far down into the coral
broken depths, and possesses springs of fresh water that bubble up through- the
brine, both near the entrance of the harbour, and at several other places round
the line of the coast.
5. Local historians maintain that in the time of Merwan, a Chief called Ibn
Hakim, came from Katif, wishing to marry a lovely daughter of the Bahrain
Chief. Titles, or money must, however, have been wanting, as the story goes
that his proposals were treated with contempt. On this he began warlike
operations by depriving the thirsty Bahrainees of their accustomed drink. He
seized three wells, one at Ali, one in the Bilad-i-Kadim, and one close to
Bahrain called Daraz. When these were filled in, the guardian deity of the
island was good enough to make them break out in the places still marked by
the springs opposite to Muharrak. The invader was eventually defeated, and
retired to the mainland.
6. Though these shallow seas are undeniably a beautiful feature in the
„,. , , t ,• * landscape, they are also somewhat of a danger, for
* 1 have marked the lowest line of. 1 ^ ^ 4.
survey, east and west of north in my they haVC UCVCr been properly* Surveyed, m lact ex-
tracing from the chart as supplied to ce pt to the north and north-east of the islands, they
Her Majesty s Navy vessels. x ,, , , . r xi_ i. n
are practically unknown, except m so far that ail the
Native pilots agree that these waters are dangerous. No one of them, however,
that I have questioned, has agreed with any other in his estimate of the number
of fathoms that may be relied upon.

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Letter No. 164 from Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Charles Ross, Her British Majesty's Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , to Alfred Comyn Lyall, Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department, 1 May 1879, enclosing notes on the islands of Bahrain and Antiquities, written by Edward Law Durand, and commenting that some of the antiquities described had not been documented before and were of interest to the British Museum who were funding further research and excavation.

The notes are broken down into the following headings:

Bahrain

  • Descriptive: describing the physical geography of the islands and their surrounding waters, the longitude and latitude and navigable access by sea;
  • Trade: describing the pearl and date trades, and ways in which trade and harbour access might be improved;
  • Interior of the Islands: describing geographical features inland;
  • Water: describing the locations of fresh springs across the island and also the availability of salt;
  • Trees and Plants; describing the flora and fauna of the islands;
  • Animals: tame animals including horses, donkeys, camels and cows
  • Wild animals: including gazelle, mongoose and hares.

Antiquities

  • Antiquarian: giving an account of the earliest known history of the islands, including their rulership by the Phoenicians, Babylonians, Persians, Arabs and Portuguese, before describing the antiquities to be found on the islands.

The notes describe the antiquities visited by Captain Durand during trips to Bahrain, including all the mosques on the islands; an old stone water well found in a date grove near Bilad-i-Kadim [Bilad al Qadeem]; a number of mounds at Ali [Aali] which were determined to be temples or tombs, which Durand speculates may have been the great Phoenician cemetery of Gerrha and which he spent several days exploring and excavating.

The notes include illustrations (folios 29, 30, 33 and 35) to accompany the report, which were lithographed A lithograph is an image reproduced from a printing plate whose image areas attract ink and non-image areas repel it. from originals supplied by the Foreign Department of the Government of India.

The notes also included two maps which have since been removed and are kept in the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Maps Collection (IOR/W/L/PS/18/B95).

Extent and format
1 file (14 folios)
Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation for this description commences at folio 25, and terminates at folio 38, since it is part of a larger physical volume; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in the top right hand corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. of each folio. These numbers are written in pencil, but are not circled.

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'NOTES ON THE ISLANDS OF BAHRAIN AND ANTIQUITIES BY CAPTAIN E. L. DURAND, 1 ASSISTANT RESIDENT, PERSIAN GULF.' [‎20r] (2/32), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/18/B95, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100023576719.0x000004> [accessed 28 March 2024]

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