‘16/16 Miscellaneous – Archaeological excavations at Bahrain’

Content

Correspondence relating to the Dilmun burial mounds in Bahrain, including archaeological excavations of, and damage inflicted to them. The principal correspondents in the file are: the Adviser to the Government of Bahrain (Charles Dalrymple Belgrave); the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. at Bahrain (Captain Charles Geoffrey Prior; Major Tom Hickinbotham).

The file covers three distinct periods, as follows:

• correspondence dated May to June 1927 exchanged between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (Prior) and the Secretary to the Political Resident A senior ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul General) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Residency. in the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , referring to whether action was taken on a telegram dated 13 November 1925 (not included in the file) relating to archaeological excavations taking place in Bahrain under Mr Ernest Mackay (ff 2-3);
• correspondence dated 1937 exchanged between the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (Hickinbotham) and Belgrave, relating to a report entitled ‘Archaeological discoveries in Bahrain’, written by Belgrave, intended for submission to The Times newspaper (ff 4-8);
• correspondence dated 1944, exchanged between Belgrave, the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. (Hickinbotham) and the Air Liaison Officer at Bahrain (Wing Commander H C Parker), relating to damage inflicted on some mounds by a ‘stone crushing machine’, used to extract stone for Royal Air Force (RAF) works in Bahrain (ff 9-12).

Extent and format

1 file (12 folios)

Arrangement

The file’s contents are arranged in approximate chronological order, from the earliest item at the front to the latest at the end. The file notes at the end of the file (f 13) mirror the chronological arrangement.

Physical characteristics

Foliation: The foliation sequence commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 14; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. An additional foliation sequence is also present in parallel between ff 2-12; these numbers are also written in pencil, but are not circled.

Written in

English in Latin script

Type

Archival file

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity.

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IOR/R/15/2/1513

Former external reference(s)

English Office: File 16/16

History of this record

Date(s)

25 May 1927-29 May 1944 (CE, Gregorian)

Subjects

Destruction of heritageArchaeological excavationsArchaeology

People & organisations

RAF Air Liaison Officer, BahrainAdviser to the Government of Bahrain

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Cite this record in your research

‘16/16 Miscellaneous – Archaeological excavations at Bahrain’, British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/R/15/2/1513, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100000000282.0x0000f8> [accessed 14 March 2025]

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