Al Zubarah and Its Significance to Qatar History

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Introduction

History has played a significant role in identifying and unifying people to past occurrences. This is the case portrayed by the Al Zubarah, an ancient fort situated in the northwest coastal region of the Qatar Peninsula. Such a unique location provides the country with the proper opportunity to explore the traditional living styles that existed centuries ago. Al Zubarah’s strategic point made it an important site for fishing, trade, and other related activities essential for promoting human interaction during the times. The region is one of the best-preserved types of settlement in the Persian Gulf. Its overall composition provides proper insight into the historical dates’ spatial organization, economic, social, and urban life.

Al Zubarah has attracted attention worldwide following its enlisting by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as one of the archeological sites in Qatar. Therefore, the old Fort is fundamental to Qatar’s history, making the country known for its past development and enriched cultural heritage. The inclusion of Al Zubarah into the world heritage list has improved the visitation of the site and the development of projects aimed at protecting the region and preserving the culture for future generations. Thus, the paper’s goal is to analyze the impact of the Al Zubarah on impacted the history of Qatar, its contributions, and its benefits to society.

Historical Background

Al Zubarah, which can be referred to as Zubarah, is a ruined town located in the coastal region of present-day Qatar. The location was founded by Al Khalifa around the mid-nineteenth century. The name Zubarah given to the Gulf implies ‘sand mound’ because it was situated in an area covered by stony hillocks and sands. Trade and other commercial activities boomed during the Islamic period in the northern part of Qatar. This led to the increased settlement on the coast that is between the Umm Al Maa and Zubarah. Once in Zubarah, the people constructed walls, improved housing, and built a fort located outside the Zubarah in a place called Qal’at Murair. The development of the port facilitated trading activities with other countries so that goods moved through the port to other preferred destinations across the world.

When the management of the region abolished the collection of taxes, the trade increased, and Zubarah became a favorite place where commodities passed through to other locations. These aspects led to the prosperity of the town as most of the traders and refugees opted to settle in the area. Similarly, people around the Persian Gulf migrated to Zubarah following the increased attacks and diseases in their previous regions. Based on the geographical location of Al Zubarah, it experienced a number of conflicts with most of the ports situated next to it.

Even though Zubarah faced several instabilities following the unending wars in the region, it grew in size and became an Islamic center of education. Most of the threats came from the consistent attack by the Wahhabi, which feared the expansion of the town. Wahhabi assumed that the people of Zubarah would work closely with the Bani Khalid against the reign of Al-Hasa oasis. Moreover, the Wahhabi accused the Al Zubarah residents of undertaking doctrines that do not match the ones of Wahhabi. The Wahhabi forces attacked Zubarah for their act of allowing refugees to settle in the region and forced the chiefs to pay taxes as they conducted their operations.

When Zubarah was under occupation, the Egyptian troops made their advancement towards the western front of the region, forcing the Wahhabi amir to reduce the forces in Zubarah in order to prepare for a possible attack by the hostile Egyptian soldiers. After the approach, the Said bin Sultan of Muscat took advantage and besieged the remaining Garrison of Wahhabi located in the Eastern Peninsula. The Wahhabi forces were defeated, and their fortification burnt, creating room for the Al Khalifa to resume power. However, following the raids, most of the population deserted the town leaving a small group of people in the region. After the economic recovery, Zubarah started having a normal routine, and the pearl fishing community effectively resettled in the place. During this period, other reconstructions were made, including building a new wall that was situated closer to the shore but with medium size than the previous one. The houses reconstructed houses were small in small scale, unlike the former settlement. In other words, the raids and consistent attacks changed the phase of town significantly.

Geographical Location of Al Zubarah

The Zubarah town is located on the coastal hillock comprising of stony and sabkha habitat. The land mass of the region is approximately 400 hectares that cover northwestern Qatar. Based on the location of Al Zubarah experienced a shortage of fresh water. The scarcity of water prompted the people to construct Murair Fort to enhance the supply. Murair was built eastward of the previous settlement about 1800m. It aimed at tapping shallow fresh water for the population. The buildings were constructed using the Holocene deposits that are abundant in the area.

Significance of Al Zubarah to Qatar History

The ruined city of Al Zubarah plays a significant role in advancing the history of Qatar. There are several events associated with the Zubarah town that portrays the way of life in the region, which directly relates to modern-day life. Ranging from trading activities and settlement to fishing are some of the historical occurrences that took place in the ancient town of Al Zubarah. The discovery of the site is essential in unveiling the evolution of life from the past to the present situation. The location has made Qatar among the nations having archeological heritage recognized by UNESCO. It makes the country explore and develop an understanding of the generations.

Pearling Activities in Al Zubarah Town

The location of Al Zubarah made it suitable for pearling activities, and the presence of a harbor gave it the ability to be a trading post for the products. It was situated at the central point on the routes of the Gulf. During the summer seasons, the main activity revolved around pearl diving. The pearling attracted people from different areas, including the nomadic tribe of Arabs from the interior regions of Qatar.¹ Furthermore, people from western Asia would come to the site to dive in search of the pearl and to protect the town, especially when the males are in the sea pearling. Several boats from the Zubarah traverse the sea bed containing the pearls in areas of the southern part of the Persian Gulf. In most cases, they took over two weeks before returning to town. The processes clearly show how the individual conducted pearling activities. Diving weights, measuring equipment, and pearl boxes can be considered an indication of the actions which prove essential for the development of Qatar’s history of the past based on the Zubarah events.

The Al Zubarah is essential for Qatar’s history because it provides proper insight into the region and how the people survived economically. The findings from the site are useful in explaining the techniques used by the ancient inhabitants to attain sustainable life over a long period of time. Therefore, it enables the country to identify the economic antiquity of the people and preserve them for future reference.

Market Place

The examinations of the town ruins indicate the existence of small storage buildings in the region. Furthermore, arrays of objects for trade have been located in the designated places for trading. The Al Zubarah souq (market) is believed to be the center of the town’s economy. The pieces of evidence portray how the region has valued trade over the past centuries. Making the discoveries is fundamental to Qatar’s history, showing how the aspect of the exchange of goods took place and transformed into the current trading practices.

The Global Trade

The ruin of Al Zubarah town indicates how the location of the city made it a focal point suitable for regional trade links. It created job opportunities for over a third of the male population. The involvement of Zubarah in trading activities resulted in social, cultural, and geopolitical trajectories of the history of the Gulf, which shaped the area. The various coins, foodstuff remnants, and ceramics discovered during the excavations portray Al Zubarah as a link to many other regions.² The items came from different locations, including Persia, Africa, Europe, eastern Asia, and the Ottoman Empire. Therefore, the evidence suggests and supports the trade ties between the town and other parts of the world, showing the history of Qatar and its relation to the other nations.

Moreover, the existence of items such as the diving weights indicated how the Al Zubarah population valued pearling activities and trade. Other products, including tobacco pipes and coffee cups, showed how the materials were significant for the Persian Gulf during the period. Furthermore, the discovery of wooden boats and merchant initiatives directly links the Zubarah to long-distance trade. It is evident that the inhabitants embraced maritime commerce, which impacted their overall economy. Unearthing the occurrences is essential for comprehending the history of Qatar. It displays how the past people valued and participated in the global trade to acquire the commodities they could not produce on their own in the town. The occasions show clearly how trading activities are fundamental to the well-being of the citizens.

The Infrastructure

Considering the building style and the overall architecture of the ruins of Al Zubarah, the houses were organized in courtyard format, a design that is still present in the Middle East to date. Based on the findings from the archaeological site showed that several small rooms were decently built around the courtyard that is located in the center. The buildings had an extended roof covering the walkway towards the entrance. The aim of the extension was to provide shade against the sun.³ Most of the houses were constructed using local stones or sometimes the limestone obtained from the northwestern coast of the region. There were bents along the doors to prevent unauthorized viewing of the house units.

The massive buildings were assumed to be for the wealthy people, referred to as the palace. They also had the same architectural format as the domestic ones. However, the variation was in size, whereby they were larger compared to the households. They consisted of about nine compounds connected, having a courtyard surrounded by a number of rooms. Furthermore, the interior of the buildings was decorated using the plaster stucco to embellish the internal structure of the rooms. The archeologists discovered a staircase implying the houses were multi-storeyed. The compounds were surrounded by large walls with an array of towers at every corner for security purposes.

The structural design and architecture discovered in Al Zubarah town indicate the origin of the modern housing styles being constructed in Qatar. The ancient city suggests the development and improvement in the buildings, which is vital for the history of the country. The people can easily trace the origin of the contemporary facilities and compound walls from the evidence of the ruins. The excavations can be used to link the changes and housing designs to the past generation.

The Industry

The archaeological process in the Al Zubarah detected a number of date-presses called the madbassat in most houses in town. Madbassat is generally small rooms having ridged floors that are plastered and sloping towards a single direction, especially to the corner where a container such as a jar was being placed to collect the products. Upon collection, the date juice would be preserved for a long duration or used for cooking. These findings link the development of Qatar to the industrial processes. It shows that the country started having traditional forms of processing that would enable people to extract commodities from raw materials.

The Presence of Qal’at Murair

The Murair was located on the eastern side of Al Zubarah town. Its construction is believed to occur immediately after the number of people increased in the region. The Fort provided Zubarah with fresh water from the underground. Moreover, around the location of the Murair, the excavations indicated the existence of animal pens and plantation fields which shows that the inhabitants practiced agricultural activities in the region. The findings are essential to the history of Qatar because they depict the nature of the area and how the weather has not been favorable over the periods.

After the Murair was built, the discoveries indicate the existence of screening walls that were constructed as well for some aspects of security purposes. They covered all the way from the town wall to the Fort. There were towers situated along with the buildings at regular intervals to enhance the defensive abilities of the people. Following the scarcity of fresh water in the town, the limited amount was viewed as a valuable product that required a high level of security, especially when transported to the Al Zubrah. Such findings enable people to comprehend life in the region before modern civilization.

The Fortifications

Based on the findings from the Al Zubarah excavations, the walls portrayed the need for protection, and the value ancient human gave wealth and lives. Constructing the border from one shore to the other clearly indicate how the inhabitants were aggressive towards defending their commodities from possible external invaders.⁴ The town had limited access points to ensure strangers coming through could be seen by those in charge of security. The Fort provided a proper view of the sea in areas of the harbor where there were no walls to bar people from reaching the site. These aspects enable the locals to relate the value of protecting the properties as well as the products. The remains of the town portray that Qatar has faced an array of conflicts in the past.

World Heritage Site

After several discoveries and archaeological exercises conducted by scientists, both international and local, the history of Qatar took a different shift following the recognition of AL Zubarah by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The dessert town gave the country an opportunity to write new history as one of the most valued places in the world. During the World Heritage Committee Session that happened in the Kingdom of Cambodia in 2013, Al Zubarah Archaeological Site was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage.⁵ This was the first location of Qatar that was inscribed in the international register, containing over 900 cultural and natural spots around the globe.

Generally, the inclusion of the AL Zubarah archaeological site in the list of UNESCO provided an opportunity for Qatar to enhance its international and local awareness of the site’s values. It gives the nation an incentive to offer protection to the national heritage. It was a turning point for the country, placing it on the world map as one of the places enriched with plenty of archaeological information suitable for learning and understanding past life. UNESCO listed an area that covers approximately 2.5km stretching all the way from Murair to the coasts while encompassing other key features such as the ruins of Al Zubarah town. Furthermore, the Fort is part of the sections included in the map and the settlements around the two screening walls and was constructed after the Qal’at Murair was fully deserted by the occupants. Currently, it is the most noticeable feature of the site serving as the tourist center and displays the important details of the Zubarah and the overall surrounding.

Qatar is now among the international community following the listing of the Al Zubarah archaeological site in the UNESCO World Heritage. Therefore, the country has in common with over 180 other states that have ratified to protect of the valued sites.⁶ It is clear that Qatar has subscribed to the need of the international community to preserve the culture and nature of the unique locations such as Al Zubarah. The agreement that is Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is a binding treaty that allows all the member states to contribute by protecting the regions identified by UNESCO. During the creation of the convention, UNESCO formulated a number of criteria that must be met in order to make the site a world heritage.

The Al Zubarah site met the requirements because its landscape that is outstanding as per the needs of UNESCO. The archaeological location represents the socio-economic transformation of the region over the past generation. Furthermore, it portrays the aspect of urban trading, which managed to sustain the people over time. In addition, the Al Zubarah town indicates exceptional urban planning, qualifying it as among the valuable regions. Zubarah site contained identifiable cultures and different ethnic groups that coexisted within the city and its surrounding. The excavation further portrayed a sustainable usage of limited land and sourcing of scarce water from the underground. The presence of many wells around the town suggests the culture of the people. Its location, that is, between land and the ocean, indicated the human interaction with nature. These aspects made the Zubarah a perfect site for consideration and listing as part of the World Heritage.⁷ Qatar has increased its overall presence and acknowledgment as a result of its inclusion in the convention. The changes would make the people of Qatar value the culture and natural settings to enhance its historical advancement.

Tourism Center

Qatar is making significant changes to ensure the history is preserved and both the local and international people have a relaxing time while they visit the location. The inclusion of the Al Zubarah archaeological site in the world heritage list made the town have restrooms and other necessities that were lacking before the agreement. Currently, it seems that the city has massively transformed into a visitor center able to accommodate a large number of tourists and archaeologists. Furthermore, several rooms have been constructed in the surroundings to enable easy showcasing of pearling and the subject of astronomy. The advancement has prompted the Qatar government to value and protect nature and culture as per the demands of the convention. This approach is essential for a country to preserve and effect measure that cares about the local and national custom.

In addition, the country has established a system of education in schools to integrate the history of such significant archaeological sites into the current curriculum. The aim is to advance the knowledge and understanding of the value of ancient culture and its impact on local and international visitors. The practice is geared towards writing and promoting the cultural history of the nation for the coming generation. The changes are fundamental for the development of young adults who will value the nature and culture in the surrounding environment.

Another aspect that has significantly changed since the listing of the Al Zubarah archaeological site is the number of tourists visiting the country in order to access the deserted town. For instance, after the government renovated the region, the nation registered a record-breaking of about 30,000 people coming to view the remnants.⁸ In other words, the inclusion of Qatar in world heritage created a positive image of the country concerning ancient life, which made more individuals visit it. In order to accommodate all the changes and the increasing number of visitors in Al Zubarah town, guided tours have been implemented to ensure the travelers have a better experience and study of the pearling activities as indicated in the records of the excavators. These new developments are part of the history the country is making because before becoming one of the international communities, sightseers were not guided in the site but relied on the locals and themselves to have information about the place.

The listing of Al Zubarah has served as a relief to the locals in the surrounding region. The renovation of the site resulted in the creation of job opportunities for the people who had information and the capability of touring the visitors. The country increased its employment rate due to inclusion, which positively impacted the lives of individuals. The locals are, therefore, able to generate more income to sustain their livelihood. The outcome of the process is historical to the people of Qatar.

Development of Sporting Activities

Qatar has been encouraging sports events in the region in order to attract the attention of the media. This is aimed at selling the site to the public to gain more visitors. For instance, over the past years, Al Zubarah town has been hosting the Tour of Al Zubarah, a cycling race for men. Furthermore, the site is used to conduct the female and male Tours of Qatar, making the nation create interest in the region. In addition, horse racing referred to as the Al Zubarah Cup, is performed in the ancient town as well. The motive is to promote awareness of archaeological sites across the globe. The practices will remain in the history of the country in the future to identify how Qatar facilitated the recognition of the town.

Improved Protection of Al Zubarah

As stated in the requirement of international communities listed in the world heritage, Qatar has been promoting the security of the ancient town by deploying security. This is to ensure the tourists and locals do not interfere with the site and its valuable resources.⁹ The goal of the practice is to allow the value of culture and nature to be transmitted to the future generation to enable them to understand and appreciate the efforts made by ancient beings. Once the project is completed, the move will remain historic as one of the longest links in the world. It is intended to join Zubarah and Manama to reduce negative impacts on the location.

Conclusion

In general, the inclusion of the Al Zubarah archaeological site in UNESCO has significantly impacted the history of Qatar. The country has improved the renovation of the region to enable it to accommodate a large number of visitors and provide a better experience for both local and international tourists. Furthermore, the country has included the study of the location in the school curriculum to promote the understanding of culture and nature. Qatar is frequently conducting sporting activities such as horse racing and cycling as a way of promoting the awareness of Al Zubarah to the outside world.

Bibliography

Ferwati, M. Salim, and Sherine El Menshawy. 2021″Virtual Reconstruction of the Historic City of Al-Zubarah in Qatar.” Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 21.

Mierzejewska, Marta. 2021. “Evidence for Local, Regional and Interregional Exchange Networks on Failaka: Some Remarks on Late Islamic Pottery from Kharaib al‐Dasht.”Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 32 (1): 102-114.

Mazzetto, Silvia. 2018. “Heritage Restoration as a Tool to Promote Architectural Identity in the Gulf Regions.” Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture (PDT&C) 47 (1): 3-11. Web.

Mazzetto, Silvia. 2018. “Pathologies and Interventions for Defensive Structures: The Safeguard of Architectural Heritage.” Proceedings of International Structural Engineering and Construction 5 (2): 16-19.

Yap, Ghialy, Shrabani Saha, Ali Salman Saleh, Nelson Oly Ndubisi and Saif Alsowaidi. 2021. “A Comparative Analysis of Qatar’s Tourism Competitiveness with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.”PressAcademia Procedia 13 (1): 17-21.

Footnotes

1. Ferwati, M. Salim, and Sherine El Menshawy. 2021″Virtual Reconstruction of the Historic City of Al-Zubarah in Qatar.” Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 21.
2. Mierzejewska, Marta. 2021. “Evidence for Local, Regional and Interregional Exchange Networks on Failaka: Some Remarks on Late Islamic Pottery from Kharaib al‐Dasht.”Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy 32 (1): 102-114.
3. Mazzetto, Silvia. 2018. “Heritage Restoration as a Tool to Promote Architectural Identity in the Gulf Regions.” Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture (PDT&C) 47 (1): 3-11. Web.
4. Mazzetto, Silvia. 2018. “Pathologies and Interventions for Defensive Structures: The Safeguard of Architectural Heritage.” Proceedings of International Structural Engineering and Construction 5 (2): 16-19.
5. Ferwati, M. Salim, and Sherine El Menshawy. 2021″Virtual Reconstruction of the Historic City of Al-Zubarah in Qatar.” Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 21.
6. Ferwati, M. Salim, and Sherine El Menshawy. 2021″Virtual Reconstruction of the Historic City of Al-Zubarah in Qatar.” Digital Applications in Archaeology and Cultural Heritage 21.
7. Yap, Ghialy, Shrabani Saha, Ali Salman Saleh, Nelson Oly Ndubisi and Saif Alsowaidi. 2021. “A Comparative Analysis of Qatar’s Tourism Competitiveness with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.”PressAcademia Procedia 13 (1): 17-21.
8. Yap, Ghialy, Shrabani Saha, Ali Salman Saleh, Nelson Oly Ndubisi and Saif Alsowaidi. 2021. “A Comparative Analysis of Qatar’s Tourism Competitiveness with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey.”PressAcademia Procedia 13 (1): 17-21.
9. Mazzetto, Silvia. 2018. “Pathologies and Interventions for Defensive Structures: The Safeguard of Architectural Heritage.” Proceedings of International Structural Engineering and Construction 5 (2): 16-19.

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