A Kuwaiti-Italian archaeological mission has unearthed a significant Hellenistic-era courtyard and building on Failaka Island, dating back approximately 2,300 years.
The discovery, located at the Al-Qurainiya site in the island’s north, adds to the site’s already rich history, spanning pre-Islamic to late Islamic periods.
Announced by the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), the find includes rock foundations, an interior wall, an entrance connecting the courtyard to a room with plastered walls, and numerous pottery artifacts. According to Mohammad bin Redha, Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Antiquities and Museums, the oldest layers date to the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, establishing Al-Qurainiya as one of Failaka’s largest archaeological sites.
The ongoing excavation, a collaboration between NCCAL and the University of Perugia, Italy, led by Dr. Andrea De Micheli, is shedding new light on the Hellenistic presence on the island. Dr. Hassan Ashkanani, a Kuwait University Professor of Archaeology and Anthropology, highlighted the significance of finding Hellenistic structures in the north, as previous discoveries from that period were concentrated in the southwest. This suggests Al-Qurainiya may have been a strategic port or control point, in addition to housing dwellings, castles, and temples.
The NCCAL plans to expand collaboration with Kuwait University and international laboratories in the 2025 season, utilizing advanced techniques to analyze materials like gypsum and clay used in pottery production. Dr. De Micheli indicated the next phase will focus on the western part of the pre-Islamic Al-Qurainiya settlement.
Previous excavations (2014-2020) unearthed primarily 8th-century AD dwellings from the early Islamic period, suggesting the site was abandoned around the late 8th or early 9th century before being reoccupied in the latter half of the 18th century through the early 20th century.
The extensive pottery and oven remains offer valuable insights into the daily lives of Al-Qurainiya’s inhabitants. The site, stretching approximately 500 meters along the coast and 250 meters inland, boasts numerous structures made from limestone, mud bricks, and pottery from various periods, further cementing its importance as a major archaeological site on Failaka Island.