Uplifting of the Qatar Peninsula (Miocene)

23–5 Million Years Ago

The Arabian Plate began to separate from the African Plate in this period and moved gradually towards the Eurasian Plate. The Arabian Gulf and the Zagros Mountains formed as a result of the Arabian and Eurasian Plates colliding. Qatar was home to a range of marine species. Fossils of ancient plants and animals from this time have been discovered, including sea urchins, sharks, sawfish and dugongs.

Shaping the Qatar Peninsula (Quaternary)

7 million – 4,000 years ago

The waters of the Gulf rose and fell as glaciers retreated and advanced across the world. Sea levels stabilised around 4,000 years ago, defining the coastline of Qatar as we know it today. Displayed here are desert roses. These clusters of minerals and sand grains occur when salty ground water evaporates in very dry conditions. They probably formed in the past 6,000 years, when Qatar became arid enough for them to develop. Desert roses inspired the architecture of the National Museum of Qatar

Palaeolithic Period

Lower Palaeolithic Period

300,000-40,000BCE

The Palaeolithic, or Old Stone Age, is one of the major periods of prehistory and is characterised by the appearance of the first human species. This period is also known as the ‘Carved Stone Age’, as humans used and worked stones to create tools. The first basic tools were simple cutting, chopping and grinding tools, later evolving into more and more complex forms that were increasingly difficult to make. This period is divided chronologically into three periods: the Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic, the dates of which vary between continents and populations.

Neolithic Period

Early Neolithic Period

8,000–6,500 BCE

The Neolithic or New Stone Age is characterised by major changes in the ways of life of prehistoric man. This included increased sedentarisation (settling in one place); the appearance of agriculture; domesticated animal husbandry; and pottery and polished stone tools. The emblematic tool from this time was the polished axe, for this reason this period is also referred to as the ‘Age of the Polished Stone’. In a few thousand years, many human populations went from being hunters and gatherers (Palaeolithic) to producers (Neolithic), attempting to dominate and transform the natural world. This is why the literature often uses the term 'Neolithic revolution'. However, it was rather a slow and geographically disparate evolution that took place in different ways and at different speeds across the world.