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28 June 2022

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Law No. 2 of 1980 on Antiquities

Law Summary Record Type: LawNumber: 2Date: 16/02/1980 Corresponding to 30/03/1400 HijriNumber of Articles: 43Status: In force

Official Gazette :Issue: 2Offcial Journal Issue Publication Date: 01/01/1980 Corresponding to 13/02/1400 HijriPage from: 14

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General Provisions

1 Article

a. Antiquities are deemed to include all monuments of civilizations, ruins of past generations and movable or immovable discoveries related to arts, science, ethics, morals doctrines, daily life, and public incidents or otherwise, with a history of forty years or more, provided that such monuments are of artistic or historical value.

In accordance with Article 5 below, antiquities are deemed to be public assets owned by the State unless their allocation is abolished pursuant to the provisions herein.

2 Article

Antiquities are divided into two categories: immovable and movable.

Immovable antiquities shall mean the ancient antiquities permanently constructed on land and which cannot be moved without causing destruction or permanent alteration to them.Such antiquities shall include the ruins of cities, buildings, archaeological mounts, caves, valleys, fortresses, fences, citadels, religious buildings, schools and others; whether above or belowground or in territorial waters.
Movable antiquities shall mean those which can be separated from the land and which may be moved from their locations without being damaged or altered.

3 Article - Amended

The Qatar Museum Authority QMA shall undertake the assessment of the archaeological value and significance of every movable or immovable antiquity. A decision regarding the definition of archaeological sites shall be issued by the board of trustees of QMA for endorsement by the Cabinet and subsequent publication in the Official Gazette.

4 Article - Amended

a. The maintenance and preservation of antiquities shall be assigned to QMA, which shall undertake the discovery, registration, maintenance and preservation of properties and patterns of antiquities. Such undertaking shall include exhibition to the public and propagation of archaeological culture. The owner may not object to such procedures.

Antiquities shall be registered by a resolution of the QMA board of trustees. All concerned individuals and entities shall be notified of such resolutions.
Registered movable or immovable antiquities shall be listed in records prepared by QMA and such records shall indicate the significance of each item along with a description of its features. In the case of a movable antiquity, the record shall contain the names of the sequence of respective possessors.
QMA shall implement procedures related to registration of immovable antiquities at the real estate register.

5 Article

All movable and immovable antiquities existing above or belowground are deemed to be public property of the State. Claims of ownership shall be according to the provisions of this law
6 Article

No landowner shall be entitled to dispose of antiquities existing above or below ground, nor to excavate antiquities therein or thereon.

7 Article - Amended

a. Damaging, deforming or manipulating antiquities is prohibited. The posting of signboards or other advertising materials in or on registered archaeological sites and historical buildings is also prohibited.

Construction of authorities or buildings on archaeological sites or sampling of soils or any other debris, materials or plants from such sites shall not be undertaken unless permitted by license from the competent authorities of QMA.
No new buildings may be added to any archaeological monument, and no opening, outlet or other form of access may be made in archaeological buildings and archaeological fences.

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