A new archaeological discovery in Qatar: skeletons of camels and their calves in one of the oldest historical sites

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - On Tuesday, the Antiquities Department of Qatar Museums announced a new archaeological discovery in the Al-Asila cemeteries, one of the oldest historical sites in the country. In a statement, Qatar Museums stated that the initial excavation was in one of the tombs dating back to the period between 300 BC and 300 AD, according to what was reported by the Qatar News Agency “QNA”.

A “unique” discovery. Despite the theft of tombs in ancient times, a team from the Antiquities Department was able to discover the remains of important figures buried in spacious tombs carefully built at the top of a hill, according to what Qena reported. Some of their personal belongings were also buried with them, such as a sword, some metal tools, and gold earrings.

The excavation also revealed the skeleton of a camel and its calf, buried as an offering in a stone room connected to one of the human graves. The camels were buried in their natural resting position with their legs folded under their bodies. This indicates that they were taken to the burial pit and then slaughtered with their calves.

Qena explained that this discovery would provide new information about camel breeding and its uses, as well as about the rituals followed in the Arabian Peninsula before Islam. Qena indicated that the human remains will be subjected to advanced anthropological and molecular analyses, including the study of ancient genetic materials.

This process aims to understand various aspects, such as migration patterns and food habits, of the people who lived in this region in ancient times. Commenting on this discovery, Director of the Antiquities Department at Qatar Museums, Faisal Al-Naimi, said: “Our work at the Al-Asila site comes within the framework of a systematic plan that has been ongoing for years to uncover thousands of tombs in various parts of Qatar with the aim of forming a general picture of the nature of the lives of the people who settled this region in ancient times.”

Al Nuaimi added: “The antiquities we discovered, after undergoing precise and advanced analyses, will contribute to achieving this goal, which is consistent with our greatest goal, which is to preserve, discover, and document Qatari heritage, and link it to the present in which we live.”