AILYN AGONIA

DOHA QATAR Museums Authority (QMA) and the German Archaeological Institute (DAI) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a joint archaeological framework for excavation and survey in south Qatar.

QMA Vice-Chairman Sheikh Hassan bin Mohammed al Thani and DAI President Prof Friederike Fless signed the papers. DAI is Germany’s foremost archaeological research establishment active at historical sites like Rome and Egypt in five continents.

The cooperation is expected to produce new data on the historical, social, economic and cultural role of Qatar in the past and contribute to the preservation and protection of the country’s archaeological heritage.

The activities involve archaeology, ethnography and site management, besides measures to protect the excavated sites. It will also conduct workshops, lectures and seminars to help build the capabilities of Qatari and German students in the field.

Prof Fless asserted that the project will help complete the inventory of archaeological sites and investigate the archaeological potential of arid environments in the region.

“Several ongoing DAI projects in a variety of different cultures are examining similar questions pertaining to water management and they could benefit from a comparative perspective and data from Qatar and vice versa,” he said.

QMA CEO Abdulla al Najjar hailed the agreement as a necessary measure for preservation and protection of the country’s heritage.

Senior Advisor and Director of Archaeology and Heritage Department at QMA Prof Sultan Muhesen said the project was an ambitious venture of QMA and added the scope of archaeological sites of south Qatar remains unknown as the area has not been surveyed.