Al-Amn Magazine

ENVIRONMENT B efore Bahrainis discovered the mud house, and even before the formation of the «badkir» space for circulating air currents, palm-frond houses existed. The environment, as is well-known, provides humans with the raw materials they need to facilitate their daily lives. Through it, they can build structures that protect them from the heat of summer and the cold of winter, and from predatory animals and the prying eyes of their own people. Because palm trees were abundant in Bahrain - as the saying goes, «The Land of a Million Palm Trees» - those who owned them harnessed them for everything they needed, from eating their fruit at all stages, from pollen to fresh dates, to roofing buildings and building them from fronds, palm leaves, and kerb, to braiding ropes from their fibers. From the palm trunk to the «dangal» A quick look at the history of the ancient Bahraini house, and how it passed through several stages to reach its current state, reveals that the traditional Bahraini house until the late 1960s was roofed with palm fronds and palm branches, while the palm trunks served as supports, as strong wood was not available at the time for construction. With the rise of trade, particularly timber, Bahraini merchants discovered the existence of types of wood capable of replacing palm trunks in the construction of traditional houses. The «dangal» was the only wood used since arriving in Bahrain. The «dangal,» «qandal,» or «jandal,» is a type of mangrove tree (the coastal mangrove) that grows in coastal areas, beaches, and along riverbanks. The «candle» or «dangel» tree has amazing growth characteristics and abilities, similar to its sister tree, the mangrove. Like all mangroves, the «candle» seed grows while still on the parent tree, but in a different way than the mangrove. The «candle» seed begins to grow until its root reaches approximately a meter in length. The root is sharp and spear-shaped, facilitating penetration into the soil. It then falls to land and settles in the soil, forming a new tree. The reason for this growth characteristic of the candle tree is that it grows in shallow, swamp-like areas where the soil is poorly aerated, saturated with water, and rich in decomposing debris. This increases the The age of pa lms t rees and wood Bahrai n ’ s o l d env i ronment a l l y - f ri end l y houses rev i s i ted Bin Matar Building