The Kuwait-Denmark team announced on Saturday the discovery of a new temple in Failaka Island dating back to Bronze Age's Dilmun civilization, 4000 years ago.
The discovery came after strenuous efforts in the eastern area of the palace site and Dilmun Temple at a hill known as (6F), Kuwait National Council for Culture Arts and Literature (NCCAL) said in a press release.
The team concluded successfully the 2024 exploration season, it added.
The NCCAL is paying much attention to archaeological expedition for exploring and restoration, out of its role in preserving Kuwait's history and monuments, acting Assistant Secretary General of the NCCAL's museum and monuments sector Mohammad bin Redha said.
Uncovering this temple highlights Failaka's pivotal cultural, trade and social role in the Arabian Gulf in the past, he noted.
Meanwhile, head of the Danish archaeological expedition to Kuwait Dr. Stefan Larsen said artefacts of walls believed to be part of a small temple's platform, dating to 1900-1800 BC, were previously discovered. The team found this year nearly the temple's full design, 11 sm, that includes several artefacts, he stated. This exceptional discovery is a landmark to understand religious practices of Dilmun civilization, he pointed out.
Hassan Ashkenani, Kuwait University Anthropology professor, said this discovery is exciting and important locally and regionally.
The presence of two temples in the same site, along with a huge administrative building, shows its importance as a religious and administrative place on Failaka, he said.
Dilmun was an ancient East Semitic-speaking civilization in Eastern Arabia mentioned from the 3rd millennium BC onwards