Al Ghariyah

Al Ghariyah ( en árabe : الغارية ) es una aldea en la costa noreste de Qatar , ubicada en el municipio de Al Shamal. Fue fundada en 1885 por colonos de la ciudad de Al Wakrah . Fue un lugar de disputa entre las tribus qataríes aliadas con los otomanos y el jeque Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani . ^{[ 1 ]}

En Al Ghariyah se descubrieron varias marcas de copas antiguas y grabados rupestres. ^{[ 2 ]}

El nombre Ghariyah deriva de ghar , palabra árabe que significa " cueva ". Recibió este nombre porque la zona contiene muchas colinas con pequeñas cuevas. ^{[ 3 ]}

Debido a la ubicación precisa de Al Ghariyah en la costa, en el pasado sus habitantes carecían de acceso directo al agua subterránea. Además, el agua que se podía obtener era salina. ^{[ 10 ]} Por lo tanto, la aldea estableció una relación comercial con los asentamientos cercanos de Al-ʽAdhbah , Filiha y Ain Sinan, mediante la cual recibía agua a cambio de productos del mar como pescado y perlas. ^{[ 11 ]}

Al Ghariyah's landscape is influenced by a series of wind-blown ridges believed to date back to the end of the Late Pleistocene period. These ridges start in and enclose Fuwayrit, approximately 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) to the south.^[12] In Al Ghariyah, these ridges, which form Jebel Ghariyah, are noticeably lower and shorter than in Fuwayrit; with a length of 200 meters (660 ft) and a height of 5 meters (16 ft).^[13]

Al Ghariyah Beach is a popular spot for tourists to encamp, and has traditionally played host to the desert camp of The Scout and Guide Association of Qatar.^[14] A small number of sea turtles nest near the town's coastline during breeding season (late spring to early summer). The area is regularly patrolled by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME) to ensure the conservation of these nests.^[15]

A number of structures dating to as early as the 17th century and as late as the mid-19th century have been discovered. To the east of these structures and the proceeding village that was formed in 1885 are various petroglyphs carved on the sides of the low rock outcrops on the southern flank of Jebel Ghariyah.^[16] Consistent with what has been observed elsewhere in the country, cup-marks are the most common form of rock carving. Here they appear in various forms, such as single cup-marks measuring 0.38 cm (0.15 in) in diameter, in daisy-like patterns known as rosettes, and in aligned rows of three to six cup-marks. Furthermore, similar to what was observed in Fuwayrit 6 km (3.7 mi) to the south, there are also rock carvings at the highest point of the jebel at its northern extremity, a spot that would have offered the best vantage point of returning pearling vessels.^[17]

The motifs of Jebel Ghariyah's petroglyphs bear much resemblance to those found at nearby Jebel Fuwayrit and Jebel Jassassiyeh, and even to rock carvings found in the east in Freiha. It is speculated that aside from aesthetic purposes, these rock carvings also served functional purposes such as facilitating board games like mancala.^[18]