Al Ghariyah
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QatarAl Ghariyah
الغارية | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 View from Jebel Ghariyah of ruined buildings in the old village of Al Ghariyah | |
  Al Ghariyah Location in Qatar | |
| Coordinates: 26°4′41″N 51°21′42″E / 26.07806°N 51.36167°E | |
| Country | Qatar |
| Municipality | Al Shamal |
| Established | 1885 |
Al Ghariyah (Arabic: الغارية) is a village on the northeast coast of Qatar located in the municipality of Al Shamal. It was founded in 1885 by settlers from the town of Al Wakrah. It was a site of contention between Qatari tribes allied with the Ottomans and Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani.[1]
A number of ancient cup-marks and rock engravings were discovered in Al Ghariyah.[2]
History
19th century
Al Ghariyah was first settled in 1885 by a group of 100 members of the Al-Buainain and Al-Jehran tribes who had left the town of Al-Wakrah after a dispute with Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani. Al Ghariyah was almost immediately attacked by Jassim's troops. This, however, did not deter the town's growth.[4] Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab (not to be confused with the Wahhabi founder), a brother in-law of Jassim, soon emerged as the sheikh of the town. He came to lead the coalition formed to resist Jassim's rule, with the ultimate goal of achieving independence for Al Ghariyah.[4]
A meeting was soon summoned between Sheikh Jassim and Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab and the discussion was mediated by an Ottoman commander of an Al Bidda-situated gun boat. The Ottoman commander's proposal that the coalition be left alone infuriated Sheikh Jassim. This incited tribesmen loyal to Sheikh Jassim to attack Al Ghariyah, but they were defeated, with the Bani Hajr tribe suffering a few casualties.[1]
In an attempt to earn favor with the Ottomans stationed in Qatar while simultaneously undermining Jassim's authority, Abdel Wahab suggested the establishment of an Ottoman customs in Doha. Although the inhabitants of Doha protested against it, the Ottomans favored his suggestion.[1] In May 1885, out of a coalition of 50 Ottoman troops who arrived that month, 20 had been sent to protect Al Ghariyah. It was also reported that the Mutasarrif of al-Hasa proclaimed Al Ghariyah to be Ottoman territory.[5]
Some time after its settlement, Al Ghariyah was mostly abandoned by its original settlers after the town founder, Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab, had a meeting with 250 members of the Al-Jehran tribe who by then had migrated to Al Ghariyah. The meeting, held in Bahrain, concluded that the founding tribes would leave Al Ghariyah and settle an area in Qatif with Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab as their leader.[5]
20th century
In 1908, Al Ghariyah was described in British diplomat J. G. Lorimer's encyclopedia, Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, as a deserted village with the remains of a ruined fort in its confines.[6]
The village was later repopulated and its first formal school was opened in 1957.[7]
Like many other coastal towns in the north, Al Ghariyah was abandoned sometime in the mid-20th century after its aquifer was exhausted by the excessive use of diesel-powered water pumps.[8]
21st century
In the 21st century, the Qatari government has been active in implementing projects in Al Ghariyah in an attempt to develop it as a tourist destination. One such project is the Al Ghariyah Resorts, which features many high-end villas overlooking the coast.[9]
