Ruwayda Archaeological Project

Ruwayda, Ar Ruwaydah, Qatar
Ruwayda Archaeological Project Ruwayda Archaeological Project is one of the popular Landmark & Historical Place located in Ruwayda ,Ar Ruwaydah listed under Landmark in Ar Ruwaydah , Archaeological Service in Ar Ruwaydah ,

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Although Ruwayda was identified as an important archaeological site more than forty years ago it has only recently begun to be investigated in detail. All of the historical and archaeological evidence indicate that Ruwayda was inhabited as early as the twelfth century and abandoned by the end of the eighteenth century (1700’s). This means that Ruwayda has the potential to provide information on a period of Qatar’s history that is otherwise largely unknown.

At the centre of the site there is a large square enclosure measuring more than 100 metres per side with the remains of towers at the corners and along the sides of the walls. The interior of the fort is divided into a series of rectangular enclosures which
Appear to have been built at different times. At the north-east corner of the fortress next to the sea there is a square courtyard house which probably functioned as the house of the ruler. Excavations in front of the fort next to the sea have uncovered the remains of a mosque, workshop and a warehouse. The mosque comprises a prayer hall divided into eight bays and a large square courtyard with a minaret at the north-east corner. A projecting mihrab (niche indicating the direction of Mecca) in the west wall was later modified to incorporate a recessed minbar (raised platform for addressing the worshippers). The mosque was rebuilt at least five times including at least one change of alignment to take into account a more accurate perception of the direction of Mecca.

Next to the mosque there is a small two room enclosure which contained a mixture of domestic refuse in the form of ash filled cooking pits and what appears to be industrial remains including layers of bitumen and large iron nails. It seems likely that this building functioned as a workshop for repairs of ships.

To the south of the workshop is a large rectangular building over fifteen metres long built parallel to the north wall of the fort. The warehouse comprises a series of eight separate rectangular rooms with doorways facing the sea. The location of the warehouse between the mosque and the main entrance to the fortress indicate the prominent position of trade within the economy of the settlement.

The excavation have provided plentiful evidence for long distance trade with ceramics from China, south-east Asia (Burma), Oman, Iran and India. The proportion of East Asian ceramics is particularly high reaching 5% of the total suggesting both a high standard of living as well as good connections to Indian Ocean trading routes. In addition to cermics numerous other tyes of objects were found including stone mortars (grinding stones), glass, jewellery and metalwork.

Map of Ruwayda Archaeological Project