At first glance, an Al Jassasiya visit may seem anticlimactic, given the barren desert setting and lack of signage, yet dig a bit further and you’ll soon discover the astonishing petroglyphs for which this site is renowned. While petroglyphs can be found along Qatar’s coast and on Al Hawar Island in Bahrain, the Al Jassasiya site is the most impressive.
Archeologists discovered the rock carvings here in the 1950s, but did not thoroughly examine and study them until the 1970s. At that time, 874 limestone carvings were recorded, including cup marks set in rows, rosettes, stars, fish, scorpions, quadrupeds, boats and footprints. The popular theories regarding the distinctive cup marks is that they were used in board games, such as mancala, in ancient times, or to store pearls for trading throughout the region. Researchers believe the petroglyphs to be a few centuries old, perhaps dating to the Neolithic era.
It takes some patience to visit the petroglyphs of Al Jassasiya, as there are no obvious signs marking where the carvings lie. Explore the area, focusing your search on the ridgeline that runs along the main road. While the preservation of most of the carvings is not perfect, it is still worth visiting this site to get an insight into the the ancient communities who created them.
Find the Al Jassasiya rock carving site about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Doha. Travel here on a visit with a local guide or tour company. They will have a four-wheel drive vehicle, which is necessary to reach the site.
For further information about the rock carvings and other heritage sites, visit the official Qatar Museums website.