Royal Mound 16

Welcome to Royal Mound 16, an exceptionally imposing and historically significant monument of the Early Dilmun period, majestic inside the vibrant urban residential fabric of A'ali village in Bahrain. The extraordinary…

It is a remarkably astonishing archaeological fact that this monumental hill, which today appears gently shrouded under loose gravel and weathered earth, was originally constructed nearly four thousand years ago as an imposing,…

In stark and dramatic contrast to the modest earth mounds constructed for ordinary citizens, the tombs of Dilmun royalty were erected as monumental two-storeyed sepulchral towers whose stepped silhouettes closely mirrored the…

It is a truly extraordinary archaeological fact that cuneiform inscriptions recovered from stone vessel fragments in Mound 8 of this very A'ali royal mound field finally revealed the authentic names of ancient Dilmun kings who…

Ancient Dilmunites placed the deceased inside the chamber lying on their right side facing directly toward the northeast alcove, burying them alongside exceptionally rare luxury treasures such as carved ivory objects and…

Along the outer perimeter at the base of the king's monumental tomb, small graves belonging to young infants were intentionally constructed encircling the stone ring wall, creating a deeply moving tribute to ancient family bonds.…

As we conclude our tour today, take a moment to look around at the grand panorama of Royal Mound 16 and its surrounding burial mounds, harmoniously woven into the vibrant modern urban fabric of A'ali village. The landscape before…