Our archaeological work spans the entire country—from bustling urban Doha to the northern coastal sites and the remote deserts of the south. Wherever you go, there’s always something happening in the field of archaeology.
The Archaeology Department engages in fieldwork, research, and the protection of archaeological sites across Qatar.
Most archaeological work in Qatar focuses on rescue and preventive archaeology. These two disciplines form the core of our archaeological activities. They safeguard the country’s heritage while supporting the needs of a fast-growing nation.
Ain Mohammed Archaeological Site. © Dr Robert Carter
To safeguard Qatar’s heritage, all developers are legally required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Qatar Museums during the early design phase of their projects.
In 2009, Qatar Museums launched the Qatar National Historic Environment Record (QNHER) in cooperation with the University of Birmingham to document field surveys, remote sensing, and marine geophysics data.
Since then, we have developed and implemented an extended system: the Qatar Cultural Heritage Information Management System (QCHIMS). This central, integrated database manages all key heritage datasets and is accessible to staff and stakeholders. It integrates QNHER data and provides an effective, sustainable working tool. The database is fully bilingual (Arabic and English).
Our work also extends to cultural tourism, where we actively develop and define its importance. We place strong emphasis on engaging and mobilising local communities and international visitors to participate in cultural life.
As part of this effort, we produce self-guided tours of varying lengths, offering visitors a personalised journey through our museums, galleries, and heritage sites.
Al Jassasiya Rock Art Site Signages. © Margaux De Pauw
Preserving the Qatari Prehistoric Identity: A Multidisciplinary Approach
By Dr Ferhan Sakal and Dr Sara Tomei (Sidra Medicine)
Launched in 2018, this project is a collaboration between Sidra Medicine, Tor Vergata University of Rome, and Qatar Museums, with support from the Qatar National Research Fund. It is the first interdisciplinary attempt to combine archaeological, morphological, and molecular analyses to shed light on the population dynamics, lifestyle, culture, diet, and genetic diversity of prehistoric Qatari society.
Excavations at five sites uncovered seven skeletons. Previously discovered remains were also re-examined using advanced techniques, including ancient DNA and stable isotope analyses. Findings revealed dental and skeletal pathologies, indicating daily wear and health conditions. Absolute dating of bone and tooth bioapatite provided more accurate grave datings, despite poor preservation caused by Qatar’s hot climate.
This is the first in-depth study of Qatar’s prehistoric populations, offering new insights into the region’s early human history.
Hazm Mshash Fahd. © Dr Ferhan Sakal
Landscapes of Faith
By Dr Robert Carter
The Landscapes of Faith project investigates archaeological sites in Qatar from the 1st to 3rd centuries of Islam (7th–9th centuries CE), a period of significant religious transition from Christianity to Islam.
Over 30 sites from this era have been identified, particularly in the northern desert, including the well-known Murwab archaeological site. Excavations at Ain Mohammed North and Mesaika, initiated in 2022, revealed large, carefully planned buildings with gypsum-plastered walls, arched windows, platforms, and basins with drains. These appear to be textile production centres based on the discovery of weaving tools and basins.
Hut and walls, Ain Mohammed. © Dr Robert Carter
Despite their inland locations, the sites show strong maritime connections and contain imported ceramics and glassware from the Gulf and Iraq. The project explores major themes such as religious transition, economic activity, settlement patterns, and survival strategies in Qatar’s desert environment.
3D Digitization of Fossil Dugong Sites in Qatar
By Dr Ferhan Sakal and Dr Nick Pyenson (Smithsonian Institution)
The Gulf region hosts the world’s second-largest population of dugongs, essential to Qatar’s coastal ecosystems and cultural heritage since the Neolithic era. Today, dugongs face increasing threats from habitat loss, pollution, and ship strikes.
In 2023, Qatar Museums and the Smithsonian Institution launched a palaeontology project to digitally document early Miocene fossil sites using in situ 3D data collection. This protects the fossils from wind erosion, construction, and vehicle damage and creates 3D workflows that can be applied to other fossil sites in Qatar.
Dugong fossil site © Dr Ferhan Sakal
Sirriya Excavation
By Dr Ferhan Sakal
Sirriya is an archaeological site located in southwest Qatar, approximately 1km from the coast. It features a nearly square building with a possible open courtyard. First recorded in 2012 by Faisal Al Naimi, Director of the Archaeology Department, the site was broadly dated to the Islamic period.
While excavations have not yet uncovered artefacts—likely due to windblown sand—architectural features such as a rectangular room and a circular buttress suggest an early Islamic structure. These features are similar to those found at Murwab Fort in Qatar and Jumeirah Buildings in the UAE, suggesting a likely Abbasid-period date. The material culture discovered at the nearby domestic building ruins from the same era supports this interpretation and points to a wider early Islamic presence in the area.
Sirriya excavation site. © Peter Tamas Nagy
Rock Art of Qatar (Citizen Science Project)
By Dr Ferhan Sakal
Qatar’s rock art was first studied in 1957 by the Danish Archaeological Expedition, with Al Jassasiya becoming the most extensively researched site. Today, Al Jassasiya remains the primary focus of studies on rock art typology, function, and dating.
Documenting petroglyphs at Al Jassasiya Rock Art Site © Emma Sakal
Inspired by Qatar Museums' public archaeology efforts, new rock art sites have recently been reported by the public, raising fresh questions about their distribution and significance. In 2024, a citizen science project was launched in partnership with the Qatar Natural History Group. Volunteers helped re-identify and assess the current condition of the carvings at Al Jassasiya, with the goal of using this project as a model for documenting all rock art sites in Qatar.
Dive into Al Zubarah’s Past (Citizen Science Project)
By Dr Ouafa Slimane
In partnership with the UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, Qatar Museums launched a long-term programme in 2025 to raise public awareness within the diving community about the importance of protecting underwater cultural heritage.
The programme provides training for local divers on best practices for discovering and exploring underwater sites, with archaeologists offering instruction on exploration and documentation techniques. It also encourages collaboration between local divers, underwater heritage experts, heritage management authorities, and coastal communities.
Poseidon Dive Center during the first Dive into Al Zubarah’s Past © Hani Chehab
Reexcavation of Al Zubarah Suq Area
By Dr Ferhan Sakal
For over 3,500 years, date presses (madabis) have been used across the Gulf to produce date syrup (dibs). Al Zubarah’s date presses, dating to the 18th century, were arranged in neat rows along a main street.
Excavations in the 1980s by Qatari archaeologists first uncovered several presses in an area named suq. Further work by Qatar Museums and Copenhagen University between 2009 and 2014 revealed large and small presses, indicating industrial-scale production. Recent excavations uncovered new streets and intersections beneath later layers. These presses are now undergoing re-excavation, careful documentation, cleaning and conservation, with parts of the site now open to visitors via the boardwalk.
Over 60 presses have been found so far, making this the largest concentration of such features in the Gulf. They provide invaluable insights into local trade, food production, and urban planning in historic Qatar.
The Al Zubarah Suq. © Charles-Frank-Caramihan
Urban Fabric of Old Doha
In the first half of the 20th century, the urban fabric of Doha was largely made up of one– and two–story houses. These consisted of rectangular dwelling units surrounding a courtyard that might have included arcades on one or more sides. The buildings were clustered closely together, separated only by narrow alleys. The inner courtyard served as the core of the house and was open to the sky, providing ventilation and sunlight. The houses were usually constructed using materials such as stone, mud and plaster. They would usually be covered with a flat roof supported by beams cut from mangrove trees. Many of these traditional buildings have been reused and modified to meet the needs of modern living.
In the mid-1950s building techniques changed with the introduction of concrete and cement blocks—and within 20 years they were almost entirely made of concrete and cement blocks. These early modern buildings often imitated the design of traditional houses, with an inner courtyard and rooms aligned along the sides, two or occasionally three stories high. Later, the urban fabric of Doha was transformed yet again, as modern and high-rise buildings were built with concrete, cement blocks, metal and glass, in a distinctly contemporary design.
Our team worked on a diverse range of projects in partnership with international organisations, including:
