Ath Thaqab ( ar, الثغب) is an abandoned village in
Qatar
Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...
, located in the
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
Ash Shamal, approximately 110 km away from the capital
Doha
Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the count ...
.
It is close to the settlements of Al Ruwaydah
and
Al Khuwayr,
the latter of which is only 3 miles away. Thaqab Fort is located in the vicinity of the settlement.
History
Archaeological evidence has shown that Thaqab has been inhabited since the 10th century.
In J.G. Lorimer's ''
Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf
The ''Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia'' (nicknamed ''Lorimer'') is a two-volume encyclopedia compiled by John Gordon Lorimer. The ''Gazetteer'' was published in secret by the British government in India in 1908 and 1915 a ...
'', it is stated that in 1908, Ath Thaqab accommodated a well from which the inhabitants of the nearby settlement of
Al Khuwayr would fetch their water. The well was described as being approximately 35 feet deep and yielding good water.
In the early 20th century, the Bedouins of the Naim tribe living in the region of Zubarah were involved in conflicts with the
Al Thani
The House of Thani ( ar, الثاني , translit=Al Thani) is the ruling family of Qatar, with origins tracing back to the Banu Tamim tribal confederation.
History and structure
The Al Thanis can be traced back to Mudar bin Nizar. The tribe w ...
who ruled Qatar. Though they were loyal to the
Al Khalifa
The House of Khalifa ( ar, آل خليفة, translit=Āl Khalīfah) is the ruling family of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Al Khalifas profess Sunni Islam and belong to the Anizah tribe, some members of this tribe joined the Utub alliance which m ...
, the ruling family of Bahrain, the tribe agreed to abide by the rules set by Qatar's then-emir,
Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani
Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani ( ar, عبد الله بن جاسم بن محمد آل ثاني "Abdullah bin Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani"), also known as Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani or Sheikh Abdullah bin Qassim Al Thani, ...
. In July 1937, Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani reported to the British agency that he was to take action against the Naim tribe who were residing in Ath Thaqab over their perceived violation of the country's laws. For their part, the tribal leader of the Naim claimed that Abdullah Al Thani had "stolen their cattle" and had set fire to the Naim's houses and villages before and after his decree.
Hostilities came to a boiling point when an armed force sent by Abdullah Al Thani, numbering in the hundreds, confronted around 60 armed men of the Naim who were encamped inside Ath Thaqab Fort. According to Rashid bin Mohammed, upon encountering the Qatari loyalists, he and his troops surrendered, but four of his men were shot and killed anyway. Abdullah Al Thani's forces continued to capture the fort and occupy the villages of Ath Thaqab,
Freiha
Freiha ( ar, فريحة, Furayḥah) is a small deserted village on the north western coast of the Qatar Peninsula in the Al Shamal municipality. It is located in the Zubarah region being 3 km north of Zubarah town, and was founded by the Al ...
,
Al `Arish and
Al Khuwayr, whose inhabitants were among the Naim supporters. After the Naim had conceded defeat, Abdullah Al Thani confiscated most of their weapons, including 40 rifles from the people of Ath Thaqab, and some of their livestock.
Ath Thaqab Fort
Ath Thaqab Fort is rectangular in shape and has four towers. A courtyard with stairs leading to the towers are in the center of the fort. It dates to somewhere between the 17th and 19th century.
Gallery
Ath Thaqab Fort.jpg, Ath Thaqab Fort, outside view.
Stone ruins near Ath Thaqab Fort.jpg, Stone ruins near Ath Thaqab Fort.
Round tower of Ath Thaqab Fort.jpg, Round tower of Ath Thaqab Fort.
Farm structures near Ath Thaqab Fort.jpg, Farm structures near Ath Thaqab Fort.
References
External links
Geographic.org
Populated places in Al Shamal
Archaeological sites in Qatar
{{Qatar-geo-stub