The Rock Carvings of Qatar
26.09.2025
Social impact, Ideas, News
People have created petroglyphs, or rock carvings, all over the world for thousands of years. One remarkable petroglyph site is Al Jassasiya in northern Qatar. Over 800 rock carvings have been identified at the site, depicting a wide variety of motifs including boats, animals, geometric patterns and strange unidentified forms, all of which are incredibly well-preserved. Senior Consultant Fatma Abdel Aziz recently presented the petroglyphs of Al Jassasiya as part of our Archaeology Circle series. Fatma discussed the discovery of the site in 1957—one of the earliest archaeological expeditions in the country—and its significance for understanding past communities. While visiting the site can be challenging—the location is remote and the petroglyphs are fragile—the National Museum of Qatar has beautifully reconstructed some of the carvings for display, using casts made on-site.
National Museum of Qatar, Gallery 3