Before beginning to travel more, I always thought of archeology as digging up stuff to figure out how people lived in the past. Then I discovered that archeology is at least as much about what living generations value most - in what things do they have most pride?
Robert Carter, an archeologist for University College of London's program in Qatar, is pursuing research that he claims will be the most exhaustive and detailed of any Arabian Gulf city. He lauds Qatar's support of his work and the responsiveness of Qatari nationals as they embrace research that confirms that Doha has always been a place of rapid change. The biggest issue Carter faced was that the history of Qatar has been shared primarily through oral tradition. And, from my experience living in Qatar, many Qatari and other regional residents don't really believe that Qatar and the Gulf have much, if any, history.
The discovery of artifacts is not only about documenting history. It's also about providing ways for Qatar to recognize its past contributions to civilization and take pride in its culture. UCL's research is being done in coordination with the Museum Authority which guarantees that what is discovered is displayed and adds to a growing body of information about Qatar's role in the Gulf and world. As more is discovered, the colonial influence that extinguished history in so many places around the world will be restored in Qatar and the Arabian Gulf - a growing source of pride that is important to the identities of its people.
Robert Carter, an archeologist for University College of London's program in Qatar, is pursuing research that he claims will be the most exhaustive and detailed of any Arabian Gulf city. He lauds Qatar's support of his work and the responsiveness of Qatari nationals as they embrace research that confirms that Doha has always been a place of rapid change. The biggest issue Carter faced was that the history of Qatar has been shared primarily through oral tradition. And, from my experience living in Qatar, many Qatari and other regional residents don't really believe that Qatar and the Gulf have much, if any, history.
The discovery of artifacts is not only about documenting history. It's also about providing ways for Qatar to recognize its past contributions to civilization and take pride in its culture. UCL's research is being done in coordination with the Museum Authority which guarantees that what is discovered is displayed and adds to a growing body of information about Qatar's role in the Gulf and world. As more is discovered, the colonial influence that extinguished history in so many places around the world will be restored in Qatar and the Arabian Gulf - a growing source of pride that is important to the identities of its people.
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