Emblem of Qatar

File:Emblem of Qatar.svg

The previous national emblem shows two crossed, white, curved swords in a yellow circle. Between the swords there is a sailing boat (Dhow) sailing on blue and white waves beside an island with two palm trees. The circle is surrounded by an additional circle, which is divided horizontally between the two colours of the flag. In the white section, the name of the state of Qatar is written in black and in Arabic, while in the maroon section, the country's official name is written in a white Old English font.

File:Purple Purpur (retouched).jpg texts labels them as red-violet, blue-violet, and dark red respectively.|209x209px]]

The national colour of the state of Qatar, outlined in 2015 by the Qatari government as Pantone 1955 C Maroon,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Qatari Flag |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/qatar/qaflags.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229131334/http://www.worldatlas.com:80/webimage/countrys/asia/qatar/qaflags.htm |archive-date=2011-12-29 |access-date=2021-01-02 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=What Do The Colors And Symbols Of The Flag Of Qatar Mean?|url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-do-the-colors-and-symbols-of-the-flag-of-qatar-mean.html|access-date=2020-11-19|website=WorldAtlas|language=en-US}} is rooted in the origins of Qatar's history, and the factors that made it an independent nation. Being the first known place to mass produce shellfish dye, where large amounts were known to be initially found in Khor Ile-Sud, modern day Qatar.{{Cite journal|last=Edens|first=Christopher|date=1999|title=Khor Ile-Sud, Qatar: The Archaeology of Late Bronze Age Purple-Dye Production in the Arabian Gulf|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4200468|journal=Iraq|volume=61|pages=71–88|doi=10.2307/4200468|issn=0021-0889|jstor=4200468|s2cid=55670371 }} The current colour used in the emblem and flag is the same to the original purple dye that was sourced, and distributed in Khor Ile-Sud. The dye was obtained from the Murex snail and was known as "Tyrian purple".{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-12-26|title=History of Qatar|url=http://www.qatarembassy.or.th/download/Complete_History_of_Qatar.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210054117/http://www.qatarembassy.or.th/download/Complete_History_of_Qatar.pdf |archive-date=2015-02-10 |access-date=|website=www.qatarembassy.or.thv|publisher=Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Qatar. London: Stacey International, 2000}} Before the state of Qatar's conception, the purple dye was a valuable commodity and the area surrounding Al Khor Island and was under contention of the Sasanian Empire,{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Qatar - History|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/qatar-history.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022225012/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/qatar-history.htm |archive-date=2014-10-22 |access-date=2021-01-01|website=www.globalsecurity.org}} gaining control over much of the Persian Gulf.{{Citation|last1=Cadène|first1=Philippe|last2=Dumortier|first2=Brigitte|title=Atlas of the Gulf states|date=15 April 2013 |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/862122228|place=Boston|isbn=978-90-04-24566-2|oclc=862122228|access-date=2021-01-03}} In his History of Animals, Aristotle described the shellfish from which Tyrian purple was obtained and the process of extracting the tissue that produced the dye.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1050082874|title=History of animals|last=Thompson|first=D'Arcy W.|isbn=978-1-4191-2391-7|location=United States|oclc=1050082874}}

The adoption of this maroon began with Sheikh Mohammed bin Thani in 1932, when Qatar shifted from using a more traditional red, which was too similar to the flag of the neighbouring country Bahrain. This change allowed Qatar's flag to become more distinguished, and also gave national identity to the new colour maroon that was then adopted, as by 1932, the area in the Persian Gulf surrounding the city of Al Khor, referred to as Khor-Shaqiq, was the largest source of the Tyrian purple shellfish dye in the world.

The emblem of Qatar contains symbolic references to its history and culture, and each item in the emblem has some reference when looking at the inception of Qatar as an independent state. The emblem's design is primarily based on the trinity of sand, sea and sky—three elements that are closely associated with Qatar's history.{{Cite web |title=The State of Qatar Launches a New National Emblem |url=https://www.gco.gov.qa/en/top-news/the-state-of-qatar-launches-a-new-national-emblem/ |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=Government Communications Office |language=en-US}}

File:DhowsQatarNationalDay.jpg]]The dhow on the insignia is a reference to the pearling industry as the main factor in the stimulation of the economic and social growth of Qatar as a nation. The boat played a large part in the creation of the state as an economically sound country and is to this day is a part of Qatar's economic stability, with imports and exports in 2018 accounting for over 54% of the county's GDP{{Cite web|title=Qatar (QAT) Exports, Imports, and Trade Partners|url=https://oec.world/en/profile/country/qat|access-date=2020-11-15|website=The Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC)|language=en}} thus making the state of Qatar financially reliant on the seas and their assets.{{Cite journal|last=|first=|title=Excavations at MR11 on Marawah Island (Abu Dhabi, UAE): new insight into the architecture and planning of Arabian Neolithic settlements and early evidence for pearling|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aae.1991.2.issue-3|journal=Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy|date=1991|volume=2|issue=3|pages=|doi=10.1111/aae.1991.2.issue-3|issn=0905-7196|via=}}

During the ascendancy of the Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad, Qatar's surrounding bodies of water became famed for their riches, as the pearling industry grew larger, and the demand for Qatari pearl increased in the East, which extended as far as China.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Qatar - Early History|url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/qatar-history.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022225012/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/qatar-history.htm |archive-date=2014-10-22 |access-date=2021-01-01|website=www.globalsecurity.org}} These waters also became one of the main sources for the production of Tyrian Purple which had gained popularity throughout the East for its symbolic value in royalty and its artistic references from the likes of Theodoor van Thulden in Hercules' Dog Discovers Purple Dye.{{Cite book|last1=Lewis|first1=Sian|last2=Llewellyn-Jones|first2=Lloyd|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1124388166|title=The culture of animals in antiquity a sourcebook with commentaries|date=9 January 2018 |isbn=978-1-351-78249-4|location=London|oclc=1124388166}}

The dhow on the new national emblem is called Fath al-Khair, named after the first traditional wooden, motor-powered ship in Qatar's history. Built in 1900, the dhow was owned by Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani, and was usually used for pearl diving and trading trips.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-16 |title=New Qatar National Emblem: Everything You Need To Know (2022) |url=https://www.dohaguides.com/qatar-national-emblem/ |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=www.dohaguides.com |language=en-us}}

File:Long walkway shaded by palm trees during rainy day in Education City.jpg, Qatar]]With dates being the mainly cultivated fruit by the countries of the Middle East and North Africa,{{Cite web|title=FAOSTAT - Elements: Production Quantity / Items: Dates|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|access-date=2020-12-13|website=Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations}} Qatar officially recognises the two date palms as a symbol of giving and the Arab dignity, with its height in the emblem being equal to that of the dhow, to reflect the state's generosity in giving. The edible fruits of date palms are popular local delicacies, especially during Ramadan and at majlis gatherings. Date palm syrup manufacturing was also a traditional practice; with the syrup being popular due to its high-calorie content and nutrient density; it was a cheap and quick source of energy for the locals, particularly pearl divers.{{cite web|url=https://www.qatartourism.com/content/dam/visitqatar/img/qt-media-kit/Qatar-and-culture.pdf|title=Traditional Qatari Culture|publisher=Qatar Tourism|page=11|accessdate=28 April 2024}}

Qatar has also played a role in the research of the Phoenix dactylifera (date palm).{{Cite web|last=Diwan|first=Amiri|title=About Amiri Diwan|url=http://www.diwan.gov.qa/ar-qa/amiri-diwan/about-the-amiri-diwan|access-date=2020-11-22|website=www.diwan.gov.qa|language=en}} In 2009 a team of researchers from the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar published their findings on the Date palm Genome, by using "whole genome shotgun next generation DNA sequencing".{{Cite book|last=Crampton|first=W.G.|title=The complete Guide to flags|publisher=Gallery books|year=1989|pages=78–79}} According to one of the researchers who had established the genomics laboratory in 2008{{Cite web|title=A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Qatar|url=https://history.state.gov/countries/qatar|access-date=2020-12-18|website=Office of the Historian}}

{{Quote|text="We have increased the publicly available knowledge of the date palm gene by about 1,000 fold."|author=|title=|source=Weill Cornell Medicine, Qatar - Cornell University}}The palm tree on the new national emblem is inspired by a tree on the farm of the late Grandfather Amir Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani in Al Ashra.

File:Boulanger Gustave Clarence Rodolphe A Tale of 1001 Nights.jpg painting of One Thousand and One Nights]]

Officially known as a scimitar, the curved sword is known to be a depiction of Qatar's "might as an Arab country" and a “safe haven” for its people. The two crossed scimitars are a feature shared with the Emblem of Saudi Arabia, as is the palm tree, likely due to the weapon's role in Arabian history, and the date palm being the most cultivated fruit in the Arab peninsula. The curved sword or "scimitar" was widespread throughout the Middle East from at least the Ottoman period until the age of smokeless powder firearms had relegated swords to dress and ceremonial function.{{Cite journal|last=Alexander|first=David|date=2001-12-30|title=SWORDS AND SABERS DURING THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD|url=http://gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.php/gladius/article/view/86/86|journal=Gladius|volume=XXI|issue=1|pages=193–219|doi=10.3989/gladius.2001.86|issn=1988-4168|via=|doi-access=free}}

Additionally, the Arabian Scimitar has presence in Islamic history, with the most famed being that of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the first imam in the Shia school of thought and fourth Sunni Caliph. {{Cite book|last=Lindsay, James E., 1957-|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/61253806|title=Daily life in the medieval Islamic world|date=2005|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=0-313-32270-8|location=Westport, Conn|oclc=61253806}} With Zulfiqar being the name of the double bladed sword that was wielded by Ali, as depicted by Islamic scholars.

On the new national emblem, the sword has been redesigned to be as close as possible to the original description of the Founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani's sword.

The sea is a symbol of Qatari heritage. Sailing, fishing and pearl diving are among the country's richest traditions. History recalls a time that these traditions also formed the main sources of income in Qatar. Waves have been drawn using the nine-point serrated edges of Qatar's flag, which also symbolise the sea's strength. Three lines represent waves to symbolize Qatar's three-sided encirclement by water.

File:Qatar embassy.JPG, displayed above the entrance of the Qatari Embassy in Paris]]

The emblem of Qatar is used across departments of government and in official documents, its mark is a symbol of authority and power used by various bodies of government. The emblem carries presence in statutory and non-statutory authorities included. The current Qatar emblem can be found on the front of the Qatari passport, birth certificates, some official university documents and other non-official documents used throughout the state.

Additionally, the emblem is printed on Qatari riyal notes, and embossed on the Hamad and Tamim coins.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Monetary System in Qatar Historical Background|url=http://www.qcb.gov.qa/English/AboutQCB/Pages/History.aspx|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426161352/http://www.qcb.gov.qa:80/English/AboutQCB/Pages/History.aspx |archive-date=2009-04-26 |access-date=2021-01-15|website=www.qcb.gov.qa}}

Different parts of the emblem are occasionally used independently in different government branches. The two crossed scimitars are used in the Qatar Armed Forces for the types of Military ranks of the state.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Rank Insignia State of Qatar|url=http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=1042|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116022315/http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=1042 |archive-date=2017-11-16 |access-date=2021-01-14|website=www.uniforminsignia.org}} As per the states rank insignia's, the highest ranking officials in the Navy and Air Force are those with the two crossed scimitars taken from the emblem.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=RANK INSIGNIA - NAVY & COAST GUARD OF QATAR|url=http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=2821|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116022932/http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=2821 |archive-date=2017-11-16 |access-date=2021-01-14|website=www.uniforminsignia.org}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=RANK INSIGNIA - AIR FORCES & AVIATIONS OF QATAR|url=http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=1041|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116032358/http://www.uniforminsignia.org/?option=com_insigniasearch&Itemid=53&result=1041 |archive-date=2017-11-16 |access-date=2021-01-14|website=www.uniforminsignia.org}}

In 2022, the Government Communications Office created a Government Brand Assets team dedicated to assisting all government entities in adopting the new government brand identity.

File:Emblem of Qatar (1966-1976).svg|1966–1976

File:Emblem of Qatar.svg|1976–2022

• Flag of Qatar

{{Cite web |date=2024-03-25 |title=What are the National Symbols of Qatar |url=https://qatarvibez.com/what-are-the-national-symbols-of-qatar/ |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=qatarvibez.com |language=en-US}}

• [https://gba.gco.gov.qa/ Brand Guidelines – Government Communications Office of Qatar]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928163719/http://www.qatarembassy.net/psystem.asp Embassy of Qatar in Washington DC]
• [https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/qa.html Flags of the World - Qatar]
• [http://www.bis-ans-ende-der-welt.net/Katar-B-En.htm The banknotes of Qatar] {{in lang|en|de}}
• [https://qatarvibez.com/what-are-the-national-symbols-of-qatar/ The National Symbols of Qatar]

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Category:National symbols of Qatar

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