During the first large-scale
archaeological expedition of Qatar in the 20th century, the Danish Mission, active from 1956 to 1964, made discoveries at Ras Matbakh. The area was first introduced to archaeologists Hans Jørgen Madsen and Jens Aarup Jensen in November 1961 by Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani, then-ruler of
Al Khor. Arriving on 22 November, the two Danish archaeologists surveyed and wrote a report of the site on 23 November. They unearthed a green pot near the coastline containing long-decomposed human remains, likely those of an adult, as well as some animal bones. The Danes estimated that the pot could originate from 500 to 300 BC and stated it resembled the burial tradition and pottery design found in ancient
Bahrain and
Mesopotamia at that time. Thus, they postulated that it may have been a burial for a Bahraini or Mesopotamian sailor who died near the site. ==References==