Located in the northeastern region of Qatar, Al Jassasiya is the most impressive of the dozen rock carving sites in Qatar. The site is the holder of the highest number of engravings. It includes a total of 874 “petroglyphs”, the oldest of which dates back to the Neolithic period. The exact age of the carvings is yet to uncover. The remains of ancient dwellings were also an incredible discovery as they encapsulated potteries from the 15th century. Al Jassasiya rock carvings depict different shapes, including rosettes and ovals, animals such as fish and ostriches, and traditional ships that are still operating today. Scientists do not know the reason behind so many carvings of boats at this site, but it is well known that boats and ships had an important symbolic meaning in ancient beliefs. Since its discovery, the site aroused keen interest among archeologists and has been the ground for assiduous studies. The most frequently found engravings represent cup-shaped hollows and channels sculpted in the limestone rock. They were often described as representing the famous “board game”called Mancala, a traditional game very popular along the trading routes between Africa and Southeastern Asia.
Another hypothesis behind these special carvings and the most popular one suggests that the cutmarks could have been used for storage. This area was once an important stopover for pearl traders and researchers speculate that people may have used the“tumblers” to store their stock.
Although rock art is common in the Arabian Peninsula, some of Al Jassasiya’s carvings are unique and cannot be found anywhere else and show that the artists had a great sense of observation, which gives this particular site its universal value. The carvings of the Al Jassasiya’s site remain to this day a great mystery for archeologists and other specialists in the field. The exact dating of the engravings, and the reason or goal behind all of them, are all questions that still need answers.
