Freiha (Arabic: فريحة, romanized: Furayḥah) is a small deserted village on the north western coast of the Qatar Peninsula in the Al Shamal municipality.

[2][3][4][5][6] The age and origin of the settlement is unknown, however excavations and historical documents suggest that it was at its peak in the 17th–18th century, almost certainly pre-dating its larger neighbour Al Zubarah.

[7] The Bani Utbah clans, who migrated from Kuwait and settled at Freiha and Zubarah in 1732,[2] founded and ruled these historical towns.

Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf published in 1904, Freiha was described as a place 3 miles south of Al Khuwayr which had a few trading boats and approximately 150 inhabitants, most of whom were fishermen.

[12] Freiha was among the villages occupied by Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani's forces in July 1937 during his military expedition against the Naim tribe and its supporters, whom he considered to be defectors to Bahrain.

This has led to a new series of excavations on the site, targeted at a central mosque, several domestic structures, and middens (rubbish dumps) surrounding the settlement.

[18] It seems likely from archaeological evidence, that the first occupation of the site was in temporary structures, and shelters prior to more permanent, mud and then stone dwellings being built.