Subiya, Kuwait

The archaeological sites in the Subiya region were studied by several scientific institutions from all over the world, which cooperated with the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters of the State of Kuwait (NCCAL). Since 1999, Kuwaiti archaeologists have carried out intensive surveys and excavations in the area, assisted in the years 2004–2005 and 2007–2009 by a joint mission of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.[2] In 1998, the Kuwaiti-British Archaeological Expedition to Kuwait started its work. It conducted a survey of the region and excavated the H3 site, where Dr. Fahad al Wohaibi, director of the National Museum of Kuwait, had discovered earlier fragments of vessels dated to the Ubaid period.[3]

From 2007 to 2012, the Kuwaiti-Polish Archaeological Mission (KPAM) from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology University of Warsaw (PCMA UW) carried out archaeological research and surveys in the region. "The Al-Subiya tumuli excavation and survey project. Tumuli graves and other stone structures on the north coast of Kuwait Bay" project focused on salvage excavations required due to the building of a new city, Madinat al-Hareer, in the Subiya region.[1]

In the first phase (2007–2010), the mission excavated a group of tumuli in the Mughaira micro-region. Later, KPAM extended its area of research to encompass a site in the Muhaita micro-region (a well) and a large Ubaid settlement (Bahra 1).[1] The work was directed by Prof. Piotr Bieliński (PCMA UW) and Sultan Ad-Duweish.[4] In 2010, two subprojects were launched. The first, headed by Dr. Łukasz Rutkowski (PCMA UW), surveyed and excavated stone structures, mainly tumuli graves.[2] The other was directed by Dr. Franciszek Pawlicki (PCMA UW) and focused on locating and studying desert wells.[5]

A Kuwaiti-Georgian archaeological mission from the Georgian National Museum worked in the Subiya region from 2015, at the same time conducting research on Failaka Island.[6]

The most interesting, and the most numerous, discoveries in the Subiya region include the tumuli graves (there are about 130), especially the most impressing ones—the so-called tumuli with outer ring wall, as well as elongated stone platforms of possibly ritual or symbolic function. Among small objects, adornments deserve special attention: perforated pearls and beads of semi-precious stones (carnelian, agate, lapis lazuli, chrysoprase). There are also numerous shell adornments, including a circular plaque with geometric decoration and a “dot-in-circle” motif characteristic of the Umm an-Nar and Dilmun cultures, which developed on the Arabian Peninsula.[1]

The main period of use of the cemetery was between 2500 and 1500 BC. Some of the finds are of an earlier (Ubaid period) or later date (Late Bronze Age).[1]