Qatar’s Desert Sentinel

By Linda Tancs

About 65 miles from the Qatari capital of Doha, Al Zubarah was one of a long line of prosperous trading towns centuries ago in what is present-day Qatar. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it comprises a fort and archaeological area covering the remains of a historic pearl diving and trading center. In fact, the walled town was once ranked as one of the Persian Gulf’s most important pearl diving and trading centers with links extending to the Indian Ocean. The visitor center is located in the fort, where tourists can learn about the area’s mercantile past and the artifacts that have been unearthed.

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