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[1] 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.[2]

Trees and shrubs of Prosopis genus are extremely well adapted to arid environments with one of the deepest known root systems.[3]

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 and the tree often is damaged by graffiti carvings. It is also believed to be the site for cults practising ancient rites.[4] Since October 2010, archaeologists have unearthed pottery and other artifacts in the vicinity of the tree,[2] some of which may date back to the Dilmun civilisation.

In popular culture

The tree is mentioned in the movie L.A. Story.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Tree of Life, Bahrain". Wondermondo.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Amphitheatre plan for Tree of Life". Trade Arabia. 2013-04-07.
  3. ↑ Sharp, Jay W. "The Mesquite". DesertUSA. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  4. ↑ Singh, Mandeep (2008-12-18). "Sect rites harming Tree of Life". Gulf Daily News.
  5. ↑ "L.A. Story Script - Dialogue Transcript". Drew's Script-O-Rama. Retrieved 2013-04-23.

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