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Water is the essential condition for life, and this holds even more true for an island in a harsh desert environment. An eight-member research team from the Archaeological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) has achieved a unique discovery as part of a long-term joint Kuwaiti-Slovak research project. While investigating the Nestorian settlement of Al-Qusur from the 7th–8th century, located in the central part of Failaka Island in the Arabian Gulf, they uncovered a large well buried under layers of sand, positioned 1.2 meters above sea level.

"The well, with an internal dimension of 4.5 x 4.1 meters and a depth of approximately 3.3 meters, is located within the historical settlement, between the central residential building and an enclosure. Its lower part is carved into the bedrock, while the upper part consists of a stone wall. Stone steps on the western side lead into the well, allowing access to a flat bottom with a depression designed for easier water collection. After exposing the northern half of the well, slightly saline water began to flow into it. The sight of the shimmering water surface in a structure over 1,200 years old was nothing short of a miracle—not only for us but also for the public, generating significant interest from various groups and media," explains Matej Ruttkay, head of the research team and director of the Archaeological Institute of SAS.

Thanks to the humid environment, the well has preserved numerous remains of charred plants, such as seeds, pollen, crops, and weeds. Some of these samples have already been sent to specialized laboratories, while others will be carefully collected on-site. This research is expected to help reconstruct the way of life of the population at the time—what was cultivated and consumed—while also enabling the reconstruction of the natural environment and climate conditions of the region during that period.

"The well is particularly significant due to its remarkable state of preservation, making it ideal for presentation. It is connected to other structures and a system of aboveground and underground channels, suggesting that it may have also served technological purposes. It is even possible that the well or parts of it functioned as a cistern at certain times. The completion of the excavation of the well’s second half, research of adjacent structures, and analysis of the well’s sediments will be the focus of next year's excavation season," adds the archaeologist.

Current radiocarbon analysis has confirmed that the structure ceased to function in the last third of the 7th century and the first two-thirds of the 8th century AD. The research

project is a collaboration between archaeologists from SAS and the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Letters (NCCAL) of Kuwait. In addition to representatives from NCCAL and the Kuwait National Museum, the research has drawn interest from the German and Vatican ambassadors, as well as the general public and Kuwaiti media.

Source: Matej Ruttkay, Director of the Archaeological Institute of SAS