Rock carvings at Jabal Jassassiya
Near the coast in the northeast of the Qatari peninsula there is a series of limestone hills (jabals). On some of these hills you can find rock carvings that are believed to be several thousand years old. These were discovered during archeological expeditions in the 60s and 70s, when over 900 carvings were catalogued. You'll be lucky to find a fraction of those, but you should be able to spot at least a few. There are said to be carvings depicting boats, some from an aerial view and others from the side. You can see plenty of patterns of circular depressions cut out of the rock; these were used in playing traditional stone-throwing games called Al Aailah and Al Haloosah.

Some sources state that human habitation of the Qatar Peninsula dates as far back as 50,000 years, yet little is known about these ancient cultures, since a harsh climate, lack of resources, and frequent periods of conflict have made it inevitable that no settlement would develop and prosper for any significant length of time before the discovery of oil. Some historical texts indicate that the first inhabitants of Qatar are the ancient Canaanites, who are known for their trade and navigation skills. Directions: Take the North Road from Doha for about 45 min. then turn right at the sign for Fuwairit. Continue until you reach the deserted village at the end of this road, then follow the track to the right that heads back down the coast. A good place to start your exploration is the large jabal near the isolated house with the large wall around it. You can reach this far with a regular car, but to continue into the desert you will need a 4WD.

A Fossil Hunting Guide To the Tertiary Formations of Qatar
By: Jacques LeBlanc, Geologist

The Dammam Formation is the most widespread Middle Eocene rock in Qatar. It is subdivided into four main members; the Midra Shale, the Dukhan Limestone, the Umm Bab Member and the Abarug Member.

The Midra Shale Member is the most prolific member (in the author’s opinion) with regards to fossil marine life. Rays and Shark teeth of all sorts, echinoderms and echinoderm spines, teleost teeth (Pycnodus), and nummulites are all numerous and fairly easy to find. Since very recently, dugong bones (the first ever Middle Eocene bones found over the Arabian peninsula) have also been found by the author and authentified by two known paleontologists.

The Dukhan Limestone Member includes numerous ostracods, nautilus, gastropods, and other types of mollusks. This member normally outcrops together with the Midra Shale; thus making a fossil hunting trip interesting for all the family.

The Umm Bab Member is the most common of the Dammam Formation in Qatar. It is found over 70% of the surface of the country. Gastropods are the best known fossils from this dolomitic and Limestone member. Most often, they have been silicified, giving them a shiny appearance.

The dolomites and limestones of the Abarug Member are found on the west coast of Qatar (mainly unfossiliferous) and over the Ras Abrouk Peninsula. In Ras Abrouk, the eroded plateaus (mesas) yield fist size echinoderms displaying their star-like shapes. Coral life forms, gastropods and other mollusks are also common.

The Dam Formation represents a complete sabkha sequence in Miocene sediments from offshore to continental deposits. Therefore, from a paleontological point of view, a large variety of fossils can be found. In certain localities and stratigraphic horizons, spectacular gypsum crystals can also be found.

Dwarf echinoderms (1 cm in diameter) of the Fibularia genus can be found in the thousands in certain localities. Crab parts are normally associated with these echinoderms. Reptile and shark teeth can be found at the base of the Formation associated with disarticulated fish bones. Gastropods and mollusks, from centimetre to decimetre in size, are probably the most common types of fossils in the Dam Formation. In some horizons they compose over 75% of the rock. Lastly, stromatiles, with size of as much as 2 metres in diametre, occur towards the top of the Formation

The complete 82 page guide is freely available on
http://leblanc.jacques.googlepages.com/fossilhome

The document discusses the Tertiary geology and macrofossils of the State of Qatar for the purpose of amateur fossil hunting. The geology of all the Tertiary formations outcropping in the country is briefly reviewed, however, this edition concentrates especially on the Eocene Dammam formation and the Miocene Dam formation for the point of view of fossil hunting since they are perceived by the author as having the most potential to satisfy any avid weekend paleontology aficionados. It is hoped that the present publication will help in putting Qatar on the map of Geo-Tourism.
The author explains the technique (GoogleEarth) he uses to find fossils is Qatar and the best tools to bring during a fossil hunting trip. A lesson in desert driving is also provided in appendix.
The author expects to investigate new sites and other formations of Qatar in the coming year(s). The result of his investigation will always be published on his website for the delight of his interested audience.