Museum displays are often seen as a history in Qatar. Qatar Museums allows the general public to enter the dust, rock, and history firsthand this time, through two live Archaeology Open Days in northern Qatar.
Qatar Museums Releases Open Day Excavations With Active Dig Sites
The Ain Mohammed and Mesaika sites will host the Open Days on February 28 and the 14th of March. These are not fake excavations but genuine ones, and the discoveries are made in real time.
A Unique Opportunity To Be The Observer Of Archaeology
According to The Gulf News, the Open Days are an event that is included in the current Landscapes of Faith research project, which is already in its fourth year.
Tours can be performed either from 8:30 am to 12.00 pm and are conducted by professional archaeologists. You will experience proper explanations and genuine feedback.
You will explore the excavation sites, look at discoveries at close quarters and, hopefully, do some easy excavation work under professional guidance.
Why These Sites Matter
The Landscapes of Faith project examines 7-9 th century CE – the first three centuries of Islam. It was during this period that the communities of eastern Arabia changed their religion to Islam.
To date, archaeologists have determined that there were over 30 localities from this period in Qatar, primarily in the North. Both locations contribute to the understanding of how the people lived, worked and worshipped in the period of great transformation.
Ain Mohammed And Mesaika Are Different
These two sites stand out. The layouts of most of the settlements of the period are neat and redundant, which is not the case with Ain M Mohammed and Mesaika.
There were large interconnected structures, common walls, the same platforms, and grouped basins found by archaeologists. It signifies structured, professional action as opposed to plain domesticity.
Industrial-scale textile work, such as wool washing, is evidence-based. In simple terms, these sites were active: people laboured, created and invested in the economy in such a way that it astonishes researchers.
Such findings were important enough that the project was included in the first volume of Atharna 2025: Unearthing Qatar’s Ancient Textile Factories.
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More Than A Site Visit
Qatar Museums is aiming to make the population understand why archaeology is important, how vulnerable heritage could be, and why the preservation of the heritage should be a collective thing.
The two locations are well accessible by motor vehicle. Tourists are expected to come in comfortable closed footwear and also carry a full reusable water bottle.
Cover Image Courtesy: Qatar Museums/Website
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