15mm Dilmun Camp

[Texus Maximus]

Dilmun, Yemeni Kingdoms, and Makkan before 1300 BC

This camp represents a busy section of harbor in the land of Dilmun about 2000 B.C. The site is what is now called “Qal'at al-Bahrain” on the northern shore of Bahrain. Dilmun was a land of fresh water from artesian springs, busy commerce throughout the Persian Gulf, and legendary status as a kind of paradise. This camp was designed to reflect these themes and also recreate some scenes and objects from the archaeological record.

The people of Dilmun built with well-cut stone; I presumed a plaster covering and painted the buildings (from Forged in Battle) in pleasant colors. The trade goods piled everywhere are from Crom’s Anvil. The pottery is mostly painted red to match the style of pottery common during Dilmun’s early period.

The man holding a monkey and the beer drinkers are inspired by some of the better known images found on Dilmun stamp seals.* The bull (from Khurasan miniatures) on the street is a reference to the most famous object recovered from the Dilmun period, a copper bull’s head found at the Barbar Temple. The sailor is a Xyston Greek rower holding a monkey converted from a little Khurasan imp creature. The beer drinkers on the roof are from Eureka.

The porters carrying goods and the other people walking about or lounging around are a mix of Essex, Old Glory, Blue Moon, Chariot and Khurasan figures. The man repairing the reed boat is from Museum’s new Sumerian range.

The center of the camp, which the boat and the porters all point towards, is a merchant and scribe supervising the loading of a pack mule.
The camp was finished with green grass, date palm trees, and flowers in order to create a look suitable for a blessed and prosperous land where fresh water flows freely from the ground.

*well, as better known as Dilmun stamp seals can be considered.

[Texus Maximus]

More photographs of some of the details.

[Texus Maximus]

Finally, some of the stamp seals and an artifact that are represented in some way in the camp.

A man holding a monkey

Monkey.jpeg (8.23 KiB) Viewed 4935 times

Two men using long straws to drink beer from a clay jug

beerdrinkers 2.jpeg (7.38 KiB) Viewed 4935 times

A copper head of a bull recovered from the Barbar temple.

250px-Coper_head_of_bull_Dilmun1.jpg (11.72 KiB) Viewed 4935 times

[Gregorius]

Fantastic work and great storytelling Paul.

Cheers,