Barbar

Barbar

Barbar is a village in northern Bahrain. The village is home to the Dilmun-era Barbar Temple, which is on UNESCO's tentative list of World Heritage Sites. The temple is an archaeological site, considered part of the Dilmun culture. The last of the three Barbarian temples was rediscovered in 1954 by a team of Danish archaeologists. Two other temples were discovered on the site, the oldest dating back to 3000 BC. The temples were built of limestone blocks, presumably excavated from the Jidda Island. The three temples were built one on top of the other, the second about 500 years later and the third between 2100 BC and 2000 BC. The temples are believed to have been built to worship the god Enki, God of wisdom and freshwater, and his wife Nankhur Sak. The temple contains two altars and a natural water source, which is believed to have had spiritual significance for the worshippers. During the excavation, a number of tools, weapons, ceramics and small pieces of gold were found, which are now on display in the Bahrain National Museum. A copper bull's head was the most famous find.