MEI Salon Cultural Segment III – Al Zubarah: The Past, Present and Future of a Pearling Town

<p>Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013, the Al Zubarah Archaeological Site is Qatar’s first entry in this international register. Once a thriving pearl fishing and trading port in the 1760s, the Al Zubarah site showcases impressive, excavated findings. These include a city wall, ancient residential palaces and structures typical of an urban centre – including markets, living and industrial areas. Stretching from Fort Zubarah lining the coast to the early inland settlement of Qal’at Murair, the site provides a reimagination of a Gulf merchant town in the 18th and 19th centuries.</p> <p>Middle East Institute, NUS, in collaboration with the Qatar Embassy in Singapore, will welcome Dr Ferhan from Qatar Museums to take our audience on a virtual tour of Al Zubarah. Beyond nostalgia, the speaker will also share his knowledge about contemporary uses of the Zubarah Fort, for instance.</p> <p>This public talk was conducted online via Zoom on Friday, 21 January 2022, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm (SGT).</p>