Wales Qatar Archaeological Project

Rubayqa

Rubayqa is located in northern Qatar on the Ras al-Sharig Peninusula. The excavations were carried out for the Qatar Museums Authority by the University of Wales in advance of planned development work in the area. The team would like to thank Faisal al-Naimi Head of Antiquities, Dr.Sultan Muhesin and the QBC staff for initiating and supporting the excavations.

Initial inspection of the site indicated perhaps a few houses but during a four month season more than fifty structures were uncovered. Written historical sources first mention Rubayqa in the eighteenth century when it was attacked by the Wahabis. Captain George Brucks of the British Navy surveyed the coast of northern Qatar in 1824 and described Rubayqa as a village with a population of 150 people from the Uttoobee tribe.

Description

The location of Rubayqa is unusual for northern Qatar because there is direct access to deep water so that ships can come very close to the shore. The site  covers an area approximately 500 kilometres North-South and 200 metres wide next to a small bay. The excavation concentrated on three areas A,B and D.

Area A is located at the southern side of the building and comprises a series of buildings around a fort with one or more corner towers. At least four phases of construction were identified in this area.

Area B is a mosque with a courtyard, portico and prayer room with a mihrab and recessed minbar. Analysis of the structure indicate four phases of construction. An inscription in plaster and a hoard of nineteenth century silver rupees form British India were found in the mosque.

Area D is at the northern end of the site and comprises of a series of structures built around a courtyard. Again four phases of construction were identified as well as a clear layer of destruction which included burnt timbers.

In all areas the buildings were built of stone although there was evidence for wooden roofing material and post holes. In each of the areas a number of date pressing installations were found.

A wide range of finds were retrieved form the excavations including pottery from China, Myammar, India and elsewhere. Cannon balls were also found. It is probable that these were fired at the site from a ship offshore.

Discussion  

The most unusual feature of the site is the large number of date presses (at least twelve). Most of the buildings excavated had at least one date press (madbassa). Although date presses have been found at other sites in Qatar (Zubara and Zikrit) the question is why were there so many in this village. Date presses are known in the region from 2^nd millennium BC and are particularly numerous in Bahrain and Oman. Although there have been date plantations in Qatar in the past it seems likely that the dates at this site were imported as there is no suitable area for date palms in the vicinity. In any case the large number of date presses at the site suggests that this was a wealthy settlement in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. A report on the excavation is in press for the Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 41.