Three years of archaeological research at Al Zubarah on the northwest coast of the Qatar peninsula has produced detailed information on social, cultural, and economic structures of a major trading town of the Gulf in the 18th
and 19th centuries CE. Detailed investigations, undertaken in partnership with the Qatar Museums Authority, have revealed vital evidence on developments in urban topography and planning, water systems, the arrangement of commercial and private space, commerce and inter-regional trade, relationships with hinterlands, and material culture horizons. The implications of these discoveries are discussed in relation to the socio-economic history of Qatar.