falconry

Both birds came from a local hawk sanctuary and were used in falconry.

Although the origins are murky, the earliest records of falconry trace back to Asia and the Middle East more than 6,000 years ago.

The addition of the Khawlani coffee bean to the heritage list brings Saudi Arabia’s contributions to 11, including a type of dance, falconry and an indigenous species of cat.

Long before soccer fever swept Qatar, peaking with its hosting of the World Cup this year, the sport of falconry was a point of national pride.

“You have falconry, you have dates, you have pearls,” Gelvin said, ticking off three ancient pillars of regional culture that predate the establishment of any Arab Gulf countries.