Aformerly unknown petroglyph site in the center of Qatar, spread across an area of around 15 hectares, has recently been discovered by Qatar Museums (QM). The find, Qatar’s second biggest rock carving site (after Al Jassasiya), also means that we have one more place to explore over the weekend. This is the first time that a site of this kind is discovered away from Qatar’s coasts, completely transforming the current archeological map of the country.
The new site contains petroglyphs that are commonly known as “rosette” and consist of a central cup mark surrounded by several other cup marks. It’s unique to this region, in case you are wondering. Qatar, with its rich history and heritage, has a new discovery that will provide more accurate clues about the function and dates of the carvings and their relationship with the other sites found around Qatar.
QM’s Department of Archaeology was alerted about the site’s location after a call from local resident Ali Mutar Al-Dosari, whose family has lived in the area for generations. Al-Dosari has been aware the carvings near the well since childhood, but only realised their potential significance after hearing about QM’s work in archeology and heritage conservation.
“I knew that I must contact them immediately.” he said. “Qatar Museums arrived on the same day and, after conducting initial testing, informed us that the sites have an important historical significance. I am very pleased and proud to have contributed to preserving our identity and past.”
That’s one more roadtrip on our list.
For more information, visit www.qm.org.qa/en/area/cultural-heritage.
