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THE secrets of the date palm have been unveiled by experts conducting a special tour of glorious groves in secluded spots across the kingdom.
Dedicated followers of one of the most powerful symbols of the Middle East have been treated to a palm tree tour around the historic Qal’at Al-Bahrain (The Bahrain Fort).
A palm grove tour was organised recently as part of the third edition of the Food Is Culture Festival by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities led by expert Dr Salman AlMahari, from the Directorate of Archaeology and National Heritage
He has recently been exploring the Qal’at Al-Bahrain site from the perspective of food and Nayla Al Khalifa, a researcher who works with Dr Salman, who has conducted her own research into the anthropological significance of the date palm, offered English-language observers a fascinating fact-finding adventure.
The palm tree was, and is still, an enormously important part of Bahraini life, from the production of date syrup to the culture of hospitality that turned this capital of ancient Dilmun into a renowned trading outpost. “Without the date palms, the archaeological site would make no sense,” says Nayla, translating on behalf of Dr. Salman.
This is the first time that archaeologists in Bahrain have added food to the menu within the context of the Qal’at Al-Bahrain archaeological site. An important note is that the site has an Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) categorisation from UNESCO, and is classed as a World Heritage Property. This means that the site is protected by laws that aim to preserve the area’s integrity.
“Most of the site was covered in sand up until 50 years ago, until French and Danish archaeological missions began excavating and made some amazing discoveries,” explained Nayla.
“They found ancient tablets that recorded a lot of the recipes for food that was available in this part of the region, some of which were influenced by items such as the saffron trade and the opened trade channels with India and China.
“We think that the beloved Bahraini breakfast takes influence from Indian cuisine, as it introduced rice and coconut into the diet.
“Travellers came here from all over, because of the abundance of sweet water and the hospitable environment.”
The ruins of the older fort can be seen on the left of the path up to the main fort, built in the 4th Century AD by Hellenists. “The main fort was built much later by Arabs, so you can see the phases going from Dilmun to Tylos to Islamic,” said Nayla.
“Inside we found three or four Medbasas, which are rooms where date syrup was produced. This was done by tightly packing dates together and waiting for the extreme heat to cause the syrup to sink into the ground, and from that, into channels that fed into collection pots.
“The oldest Medbasa dates back to the mid-Dilmun era, which is around three to four thousand years ago.”
Visitors are astounded by the sudden change from arid, dry desert to lush vegetation and the bubble of freshwater. Dr Salman believes that the palm groves help justify the OUV categorisation from UNESCO.
The water management system is made up of natural aquifers and an irrigation system that provides the palm groves with sweet water. Natural fertilisers are used and various plants are growing alongside the palms, such as spring onions and a multitude of herbs.
“There are more than 150 types of date palm. In a traditional garden, you’d have rows called guful, each with one type of date palm,” Nayla added. “At least 23 varieties of dates are grown all over Bahrain.
“Farming happens all year round, and every stage from the planting to the watering is important for the end result of the date.
“They prep the palm for each harvest by cutting the leaves off meaning the tree carries less load so more nutrients reach the dates.
“These practices are common in Bahrain and parts of Saudi Arabia, but farming practices differ in others countries such as Sudan and Morocco, for example.”
Everything in the tree is used. The cut fronds are used for fishing nets, the leaves are used to weave baskets and pollen is scraped from the leaves to produce pollen water for medicinal purposes.
Al Jaser Factory produces varieties of tonics including
palmwater and rosewater.
The finished product of Margadash water and concentrated palmwater claims to treat colic and other such ailments.
