Customer Reviews

Looking for Dilmun

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Looking for Dilmun is based on the first extensive archaeological investigations conducted along the southwest coast of the Arabian Gulf over a 12 year period from 1953. Its main strength is that it is not just a report on research findings of the expeditions. The book also presents a simple introduction to archaeology mixed with an explanation of the discovery of an unknown civilisation. It is easy to read and written in a style that conveys the character of the expeditions, the trials and troubles as well as the successes and more humorous moments. Now, some thirty years on, the book has also captured an excellent picture of life in the Gulf Arabian region both before and during the oil revenue led development which has taken place over the last 40 years. I would recommend the book to anyone who is living in the Gulf region, intends to visit or live in the region or who wishes to understand more about a part of the world which is often misunderstood through the lens of a television news camera

Geoffrey Bibby was one of the first explorers of Bahrain and the first modern archaeologist to dig there. He and his partner advanced far beyond the handful of predecessors who had surveyed the island previously and discovered the remains of a Sumerian civilization there. There is still much debate over some Bibby's findings in peer journals but what can be agreed on is that the civilization of Bahrain extends back into remote antiquity.

Rather than giving away more details of the book I will finish by stating that Bibby's account is a non-technical reading of his achaeological dig at the mysterious grave-mounds of Bahrain. The only thing he assumes that the reader knows is a general history of the ancient near east and he takes time to explain the finer details when they are relevant. Overall an easy read, especially if you're interested in ancient near eastern history.

Geoffrey Bibby was a British archaeologist working for a Danish museum and was one of the first professional archaeologist to explore the Persian Gulf region post WW2 (1947 on...). This resulted largely from a previous job working for one of the oil companies in the Gulf where he made initial contacts. The book itself was published back in 1970 after he'd been working on digs there almost yearly for the previus 23 years. In this period, he and the largely Danish archaeological team surveyed the Gulf region, starting with Bahrein and gradually extending into Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In the course of these surveys and digs thet discovered the remains of an early civilization contemporary with Sumer and with trading links to both Sumer and the Harrappa (Indus Valley) city states.

The book itself is a non-technical and enjoyable to read account of the archaeological digs conducted, the gradual evolution of knowledge about Dilmun and some hypothesis about the sites and their historical significance. You won't find the detail that you get in peer journals and publications, the book itself was written over 35 years ago and consequently the information is now somewhat dated, but you do get a fascinating account of the digs and some of the discoveries, particularly of the grave-mounds of Bahrain. Bibby does assume that the reader has some familiarity with the history of Summer and the Harrappa civilization, but he does explain where necessary and he introduces some fascinating titbits and surmises.

It's an easy to read, hard to put down book and it also does a good job of illustrating what it was like doing archaeological digs in the Gulf region prior to the influx of oil wealth - as well as portraying the Gulf Arab culture and way of life. There are very few books published on Dilmun, if it's a subject you are interested in this is a "must read".