The first book of its kind to be published for a general readership from youngsters upwards, Hidden in the Sands: Uncovering Qatar's Past is the fascinating, fun and educational story of Qatar's heritage and the exciting discoveries being made by archaeologists. This informative and delightful book is published through the generosity of Maersk Oil as part of its programme to support education and unlock Qatar's history and heritage. Hidden beneath the sand and sea and revealed on rocks are the clues which explain why this ancient land has been such a key region throughout history. Here you can follow the detective work of archaeologists and discover Qatar's rich past. In conjunction with a fully interactive website and also available in an Arabic edition, Hidden in the Sands describes in words and pictures the treasures uncovered by archaeologists, the methods they use, and the significance of their discoveries. Today, using state-of-the-art technology for excavation, dating and conservation, teams of experts are working all over Qatar to reconstruct its past. Hidden in the Sands is fully illustrated with photographs, maps and diagrams, and embellished by the vivid and evocative illustrations of the artist Norman MacDonald. Told simply and with in-depth and up-to-date detail, it leads readers through the fascinating world of archaeology. Like reconstructing an earthenware jar from a hundred little shards, this work pieces together the fragments of the past to produce a complete and beautiful whole.

 

There are 48 pages in this book. This book was published 2013 by Medina Publishing Ltd .

Frances Gillespie is an acknowledged expert on the archeology and natural history of Qatar and author of many books on the subjects. She has nearly 30 years experience in the country and was the coordinator of the Qatar Archaeology Project. Her best-selling book, Discovering Qatar, was published in 2006 and she is the author of the first English language field guide on the birds of Qatar. Along with adapting an educational interactive website on the environment, she has published a series of six books in English and Arabic for young readers on the fauna and flora of the country and acts as scientific editor on a number of publications. Hidden in the Sands is the result of Frances' long-held ambition to introduce young people of all nationalities to the fascinating story of Qatar's past. Faisal Abdulla Al-Naimi has 22 years experience in the Department of Antiquities in Qatar, which he became head of in 2006. He is responsible for locating and mapping many of the sites found by earlier teams and discovering hitherto unrecorded sites. In addition to recordings, he has undertaken surveys and excavations in Qatar and around the world. He has been instrumental in setting up the Qatar national database and Geographic Information System for heritage management, along with the Qatar National Historic Environment Record [QNHER], which has surveyed and recorded more than 5000 monuments and archaeological sites. He is the coordinator of relations between the Gulf Cooperation Council and its counterparts in Europe and the spokesperson on heritage issues concerning UNESCO in Qatar. Illustrator Norma MacDonald is an Aboriginal Yamatji artist whose works feature in government and private collections throughout Australia and overseas. Norma is passionate about presenting her culture to young children; she does this with the aid of her art, her artefacts and her recounting of Aboriginal stories. Norma wrote and illustrated the children's book Spinifex Mouse (Magabala Books). Frances Gillespie is a British writer and journalist, resident in Qatar for over 25 years. Her bestselling book, Discovering Qatar, was published in 2006, reprinted in 2008, and has sold over 8, 000 copies. She also co-authored Common Birds of Qatar (2010).

This book has the following chapters: Sponsor's Dedication and Foreword; Contents page; Annotated map of Qatar; 1. Archaeology in Qatar 2. How Archaeologists Work 3. The First People 4. Early Coastal Settlements 5. Stone Tools 6. Making Tools from Stone 7. Colour from the Sea (marine dyes) 8. The Mounds of the Dead 9. Rock Carvings 10. The Golden Age 11. Nomads of the Desert 12. Seeking the Angels' Teardrops 13. Zubara 14. A Lost Settlement and an Ancient Fort 15. Conservation of Archaeological Finds Interspersed with maps showing how the shape of Qatar has changed over the last 15, 000 years Glossary; Acknowledgements