Tarout Island

Tarout lies in the bay at Qatif, joined to the mainland by causeways, and it is one of the longest continuously inhabited places in the Gulf: excavation on the tell under the castle has produced material going back to the fifth millennium BC, and the island is associated with Dilmun and with early trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus. The castle itself is a ruin of uncertain date, probably Portuguese-period work on much older foundations, standing on the mound above the Tarout spring. Around it the old Deira quarter holds coral-stone and mud houses with carved doors, many derelict, and Bin Jumaa house has been restored. Date gardens fill the island's interior.

History

Settlement on the island goes back more than 5,000 years, and it was a link between Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley and Arabia and a centre of the Dilmun civilisation. Ptolemy called it Tharro, Danish archaeologists found pottery of 4,500 BC here in 1968, and a stone statue of a standing man, almost certainly Sumerian, was found by a farmer in the 1950s (Wikipedia, Tarout Island).

What you'll find

• Tarout castle - the ruined fort on the ancient tell.
• The Deira quarter - the old coral and mud houses around the castle.
• Bin Jumaa house - the restored merchant house on the island.
• The date gardens - the palm plantations across the interior.

When to go

November to March; the Eastern Province is hot and humid in summer. Mornings are best for the old quarter. The site is open access with no fixed hours.

Before you go

The castle is a ruin with limited stabilisation and access to parts is fenced. Much of the old quarter is derelict and unsafe. There is no interpretation on site. Qatif traffic and parking are difficult.

Nearby

Qatif lies across the causeway; Dammam is south.

Key facts