An official meeting has been held to discuss the possibility of using modern technology in identifying the types of date seeds found at Al Zubarah archaeological site, a World Heritage Site.

Masoud Jabr al-Marri, director, Agriculture Research Department at the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME), Qatar Museums (QM) Archaeology Department head Faisal al-Naimi were present along with a representative from Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar.

Al-Naimi gave a presentation on the archeological site at Al Zubarah town and the remains discovered there. The meeting discussed the possibility of analysing the DNA of the date seeds discovered at the archaeological site and to what extent they could be planted again in the same area.

Al Zubarah town was established in the 1760s on the northern coast of Qatar. It was known as a destination for fishing and independent trade founded by merchants as key linking point between the east and the west in end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century. It stretches 4km and hosts a number of archaeological sites including a fort.

A large number of date presses found in the ancient town indicate that dates had a key economic importance during its prime.