Tree of Life, Bahrain

For other uses, see Tree of life (disambiguation).
Tree of Life
Dirt road leading to the Tree of Life.

The Tree of Life (Shajarat-al-Hayat) in Bahrain is an approximately 400-year-old, 9.75 m (32 ft) high Prosopis cineraria tree located 2 km (1.2 mi) from Jebel Dukhan. The tree stands on top of a 7.6 m (25 ft) high sandy tell that formed around a 500-year-old fortress.[1]

Trees and shrubs of genus Prosopis are extremely well adapted to arid environments with one of the deepest known root systems.[2]

Tourist attraction

The tree is a local tourist attraction, as it is the only major tree growing in the area. The tree is visited by approximately 50,000 tourists every year. As a result, it has been damaged by graffiti carvings. It is also believed to be the site for cults practising ancient rites.[3] Since October 2010, archaeologists have unearthed pottery and other artifacts in the vicinity of the tree,[1] some of which may date back to the Dilmun civilization.

References

  1. 1 2 "Amphitheatre plan for Tree of Life". Trade Arabia. 2013-04-07.
  2. ↑ Sharp, Jay W. "The Mesquite". DesertUSA. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  3. ↑ Singh, Mandeep (2008-12-18). "Sect rites harming Tree of Life". Gulf Daily News.

Coordinates: 25°59′39″N 50°35′00″E / 25.994073°N 50.583235°E / 25.994073; 50.583235

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