Failaka Island: A major archaeological discovery has been made on Failaka Island, revealing a Hellenistic-era courtyard and building dating back 2,300 years. This discovery, located west of the Al-Qurainiya site, was announced by the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters on Sunday.
The findings were made by a Kuwaiti-Italian archaeological mission, which has been working at the Al-Qurainiya settlement, a significant archaeological site on Failaka Island. The area has seen continuous habitation spanning from pre-Islamic to early Islamic periods. According to Mohammed bin Redha, Acting Assistant Secretary-General of the Council for Antiquities and Museums, the team uncovered rock foundations of a building, an internal wall, and an entrance linking the courtyard to a room. The team also found several plastered walls and pottery items, some over 2,000 years old.
The oldest layer discovered on-site dates back to the third and second centuries BC, a key insight into the island’s Hellenistic presence. The Al-Qurainiya site is one of the largest archaeological sites on Failaka Island, and ongoing excavations have uncovered important details about the island’s history.
Professor Hassan Ashkanani from Kuwait University emphasized that the discovery of the Hellenistic building in the northern part of the island is a significant achievement. Previously, Hellenistic relics were primarily found in the southwest of Failaka, particularly at Tell Saeed. This new discovery suggests that the Hellenistic influence extended to the northern region as well, possibly indicating that the site served as a control point, port, or center for the Hellenistic settlement.
The Italian mission, led by Dr. Andrea De Micheli, has also uncovered evidence of settlements from the early and late Islamic periods, suggesting continuous human habitation on the island. The team’s work since 2014 has revealed multiple residential buildings dating back to the 8th century AD, with the site having been abandoned briefly during the late 8th or early 9th century, only to see renewed activity starting in the second half of the 18th century.
The Al-Qurainiya site spans roughly 500 meters east to west along the sea coast, with remains of dwellings made from limestone and mud bricks, offering valuable insights into the daily life of past inhabitants. The site’s pottery and ovens provide a glimpse into the everyday activities of those who lived there across the centuries.
This discovery marks a significant milestone in the ongoing archaeological efforts on Failaka Island, shedding light on its ancient history and the broader Hellenistic presence in the region.
