Duraz Temple

The Diraz Temple is a Dilmun-era religious structure in the village of Diraz, Bahrain, probably built in the early 2nd millennium BCE. Its central hall features cylindrical stone columns with a diameter of 120 cm arranged in two rows, nine of which survive to a height of 60 cm, along with a possible cella room containing an altar. Partly explored by a British expedition in 1973-75 in cooperation with the Directorate of Archaeology, excavations yielded fragmentary clay vessels and two stamp seals in the classical Dilmun style. Its architectural design differs from both Mesopotamian temples and the nearby Barbar temple, reflecting unique Dilmun cultural characteristics. East of the temple, a later subterranean tomb dated to the Kassite period with Iron Age reuse was discovered.