#middleeasthistory

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Jerusalem Day marks the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967—but it's a day filled with both pride and pain. For many Jews, it celebrates a return to sacred sites after 19 years of exile. For many Palestinians, it represents displacement and occupation.

The iconic image of Israeli paratroopers at the Kotel captures the emotional power of that moment. But Jerusalem’s story is layered—its streets hold both memory and tension.

What Was Dilmun? The Forgotten Trade Empire That Shaped the Ancient World

The Myth and Mystery of Dilmun Dilmun, often hailed as the “Land of Immortality” in Sumerian myths, was a thriving civilization that dominated the Persian Gulf from 3000 to 600 BCE. Centered in modern-day Bahrain and eastern Saudi Arabia, it served as a critical crossroads for trade, culture, and innovation. But who were the Dilmunites? How did they build a paradise in the desert, and why did they vanish? This article unravels the secrets of Dilmun, blending archaeology, mythology, and history to revive their forgotten legacy.

Historical Timeline: From Prosperity to Obscurity Early Dilmun (3000–2200 BCE): Emerged as a trade hub linking Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and Oman. Middle Dilmun (2200–1000 BCE): Peak of power with urban centers like Qal’at al-Bahrain and the Barbar Temple. Late Dilmun (1000–600 BCE): Decline under Assyrian and Persian invasions, culminating in annexation.

Political Structure: Priest-Kings and Diplomacy Dilmun was ruled by priest-kings who controlled trade and religious rituals. Diplomatic clay tablets reveal alliances with Mesopotamian city-states like Ur and Larsa. The Enki and Ninhursag epic describes Dilmun as a divine realm, suggesting its rulers leveraged mythology to legitimize power.

Archaeological Marvels: Unearthing a Lost World Burial Mounds: Over 170,000 tombs in Bahrain, some 15 meters tall, holding weapons, pearls, and pottery. Qal’at al-Bahrain: A UNESCO World Heritage Site with seven layers of occupation, featuring palaces, warehouses, and fortified walls. Barbar Temple: A three-tiered complex with sacred freshwater springs, dedicated to Enki, the Sumerian water god.

Palace Complexes: Limestone Cities of the Gulf Dilmun’s elites lived in limestone palaces adorned with coral-stone carvings. The Saar Settlement (2000 BCE) reveals grid-like urban planning, while the Diraz Temple hosted rituals involving incense and animal sacrifices.

Trade & Economy: Pearls, Copper, and Global Networks Dilmun monopolized the Gulf’s pearl industry and traded copper from Oman. Merchants used cylinder seals to mark goods, facilitating exchanges with Mesopotamia (textiles) and the Indus Valley (ivory). By 1800 BCE, Dilmunite ships sailed monsoon winds to India, pioneering early globalization.

Art & Pottery: A Fusion of Cultures Dilmun’s pottery blended Mesopotamian motifs (animal figures) with Indus Valley geometric patterns. Chlorite vessels inscribed with undeciphered symbols hint at a unique script. Gold jewelry from the Sar Burial Complex showcases advanced metallurgy.

Religion & Rituals: Gods of Water and Afterlife Dilmunites worshipped Enki and Inzak, a local deity linked to freshwater. Rituals at the Ain Umm Sujoor spring involved offerings of dates and incense. Their burial practices—placing bodies in fetal positions with grave goods—reflected beliefs in rebirth.

Society & Wellness: Equality in the Desert Skeletal studies show low rates of disease, attributed to diets rich in fish and dates. Women held roles as priestesses, evidenced by cosmetic tools in tombs. Laborers built irrigation systems, while elites controlled trade routes.

Engineering Feats: Qanats and Ships Dilmun engineered qanats (underground channels) to irrigate date palms. Their ships, made of reeds and bitumen, navigated the Gulf’s treacherous waters, inspiring later Phoenician designs.

Cultural Influence: Bridging East and West Dilmun’s trade networks spread Sumerian myths to India and Oman. The Epic of Gilgamesh references Dilmun as a paradise, while its burial rituals influenced Persian astodans (ossuaries).

Decline: Conquests and Environmental Crisis Assyrian Invasions (700 BCE): Sennacherib’s campaigns disrupted trade. Soil Salinity: Over-farming drained freshwater springs. Persian Annexation (600 BCE): Dilmun became a satrapy, losing autonomy.

By 300 BCE, its cities were abandoned, replaced by Gerrha as the Gulf’s new trade hub.

Legacy: Why Dilmun Matters Today Dilmun’s story offers lessons in sustainability (managing arid climates) and globalization (cross-cultural trade). Bahrain’s burial mounds attract UNESCO tourists, while scholars study Dilmun seals to decode ancient scripts. Its myth as a “paradise lost” endures in Arabic folklore, reminding us of humanity’s quest for immortality.

On this day in 1967, Israel completed its takeover of the Golan Heights during the Six-Day War.

This rugged plateau became a crucial security buffer for Israel, ending years of Syrian shelling from above.

But it also displaced thousands of Syrians and remains a point of international debate. For Israelis, it’s a symbol of safety and survival; for Syrians, a lost homeland

Post 2 — M: Middle East //

Introduction

The second letter in A.M.A.L.L.A.T.T.O.U.F. represents Middle East, a region often discussed but frequently misunderstood. Understanding the Middle East requires recognizing its complex history, diverse cultures, and geopolitical significance.

Understanding the Middle East

The term "Middle East" generally refers to a group of countries connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. While definitions vary, the region commonly includes Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and the countries of the Levant.

Historically, the Middle East has been a crossroads of civilizations. It is the birthplace of three major world religions and has served as a center for trade, scholarship, and cultural exchange for thousands of years.

Yet modern discussions often reduce the region to conflict alone. In reality, it is also a region experiencing technological growth, economic partnerships, and new diplomatic relationships.

Recognizing the Middle East as a place of complex societies and emerging alliances allows for a more balanced and informed perspective.

Closing Thought

There’s a strange modern habit of pretending that history only began once the people we currently dislike came to power.

Iran did not begin in 1979.

Before the Islamic Revolution, Iran under the Pahlavi dynasty, particularly under Mohammad Reza Shah, was in the middle of what can only be described as an aggressive national modernisation project. The country experienced rapid industrialisation, infrastructure expansion, economic growth, and rising literacy rates driven by oil revenues and state-led reform. (Wilson Center)

Tehran in the 1960s and 70s was not Kabul under the Taliban. It was closer in atmosphere to southern Europe. Universities were expanding. Women were entering professional fields. Western-style legal reforms had begun replacing clerical courts. A national push toward science and technological development was already underway. In fact, by the late 1970s, Iran’s scientific output was surpassing that of countries like South Korea and Taiwan. (arXiv)

Let that sink in for a moment.

South Korea today builds spacecraft and microchips. Iran builds morality patrol vans.

That fork in the road was 1979.

The Revolution That Promised Everything

The Islamic Revolution promised three things in particular. Social justice. Freedom. Independence from foreign influence. (Brookings)

What it delivered instead was a theocratic system that replaced one form of authoritarianism with another. The 1979 uprising overthrew the monarchy and established an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini, fundamentally reshaping Iran’s political and cultural life. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

Trade unions were dismantled. Political pluralism disappeared. Secular and leftist groups who had also opposed the Shah were eventually purged by the very revolutionary government they helped bring into existence. (Red Flag)

Women who once walked freely into universities and workplaces found themselves subject to new legal restrictions over dress, movement, and employment.

Human rights organisations and even the United Nations have repeatedly criticised the Islamic Republic for systemic abuses and political repression that have persisted for decades. (Wikipedia)

The Economic Reality

Revolutions love slogans. Economies prefer stability.

Iran’s economy took an immediate hit after the fall of the Shah, followed by stagnation through the 1980s due to war and structural upheaval. (Wilson Center)

Real national income per person actually fell dramatically after the revolution and, decades later, still had not returned to its 1979 level by 2016 in constant international dollars. (Wikipedia)

The national currency, once trading at roughly 70 rials to the dollar in the late 1970s, collapsed over time to tens of thousands per dollar. (Wikipedia)

Modern Iran now operates under a vast state-linked economic system involving military-controlled foundations and networks that dominate entire sectors of industry.

Not exactly the decentralised people’s economy the revolutionaries were chanting about in the streets.

A Civilisational Detour

One of the more tragic ironies is that the revolution occurred precisely when Iran was on the cusp of a technological and institutional ascent similar to the East Asian development model.

Counterfactual economic studies now suggest that the 1979 Revolution created a lasting divergence in GDP growth and institutional development when compared to a theoretical non-revolutionary trajectory. 

In plain English, Iran may have spent the last forty-five years becoming South Korea.

Instead, it spent them becoming sanctioned.

The Conclusion Nobody Likes

Was the Pahlavi system perfect? No. It was authoritarian, Western-aligned, and deeply flawed in its own ways.

But revolutions do not always replace bad with good.

Sometimes they replace imperfect modernisation with permanent ideological rigidity.

1979 was not just a regime change. It was a civilisational pivot. A decision to abandon a secular national future in favour of a religious-political experiment that continues to define Iran’s internal struggles and international isolation to this day.

History is full of turning points.