In Bahrain, development chips away at world's largest, oldest burial site

By Daisy Carrington, for CNN

Updated 0213 GMT (1013 HKT) November 1, 2013

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Thousands of 4,000 year-old burial mounds, leftover from the Dilmun civilization, once covered a third of Bahrain's landmass. The mounds were largely intact when this picture was taken in 1956.
Photos: Bahrain, burying its heritage?
Bahrain, burying its heritage? – Thousands of 4,000 year-old burial mounds, leftover from the Dilmun civilization, once covered a third of Bahrain's landmass. The mounds were largely intact when this picture was taken in 1956.
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As Dilmun grew from a tribal society into one of the region's economic powerhouses, the structure of the mounds changed.
Photos: Bahrain, burying its heritage?
Bahrain, burying its heritage? – As Dilmun grew from a tribal society into one of the region's economic powerhouses, the structure of the mounds changed.
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Steffen Laursen, an archeologist studying the mounds at A'ali, says they are an excellent "laboratory".
Photos: Bahrain, burying its heritage?
Bahrain, burying its heritage? – Steffen Laursen, an archeologist studying the mounds at A'ali, says they are an excellent "laboratory".
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Bahrain is a small island, and faces severe housing pressure. In the last few decades, development has nearly swallowed all the mounds. Only 10% of the originals remain.
Photos: Bahrain, burying its heritage?
Bahrain, burying its heritage? – Bahrain is a small island, and faces severe housing pressure. In the last few decades, development has nearly swallowed all the mounds. Only 10% of the originals remain.
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Robert Killick led excavations of an ancient settlement (circa 1900 BC) on the outskirts of a burial field in Saar. While working, he witnessed the destruction of the mounds near the site.
Photos: Bahrain, burying its heritage?
Bahrain, burying its heritage? – Robert Killick led excavations of an ancient settlement (circa 1900 BC) on the outskirts of a burial field in Saar. While working, he witnessed the destruction of the mounds near the site.
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Before the mounds are torn down, archeologists excavate and document their findings. It's a practice known as "rescue archeology".