Danish Archaeological Investigations on Failaka, Kuwait. The Second Millennium Settlements, vol. 5: The Beads

Excavations in 1958-1963 on Failaka Island in Kuwait uncovered a small community of Dilmun traders from the second millennium BC, with 629 beads made of semi-precious stone and glass, including chalcedony, quartz, calcite, chlorite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and porphyry. The study includes a typology, classification of materials, dating and distribution analysis, and manufacturing techniques. It suggests far-reaching connections with the Indus in the east and the Aegean in the west.

Format: Hardback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 01 August 2022
Publisher: Jysk Arkaeologisk Selskab

Excavations conducted in 1958-1963 on the island of Failaka in Kuwait revealed a small community of Dilmun traders from the second millennium BC. Among the significant findings were 629 beads, predominantly crafted from semi-precious stones such as chalcedony, quartz, calcite, chlorite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and porphyry. Additionally, a portion of the beads was made of glass, a new and prestigious material of the second millennium. The study encompasses a typology, classification of materials, and an analysis of the dating and distribution of the beads. Manufacturing techniques, including perforation and use-wear, are also examined. In a concluding discussion, the bead corpus from Failaka is compared with similar material from contemporary sites on Failaka and in Bahrain, shedding light on potential connections and trade relations inferred from the materials and forms in the bead assemblage. The study suggests significant connections with the Indus in the east and the Aegean in the west.

Dimension: 300 x 210 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9788793423725