Bahrain: The Island Of Pearls And Its Rich History

Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is a small island country in West Asia, situated in the Persian Gulf. It is known as the 'Island of Pearls' due to its rich pearling history, which dates back to ancient times. Bahrain was the world's premier location for natural pearls, with ancient authors describing the fine pearls found in its waters. The pearling trade was a significant economic activity in Bahrain for centuries, with the country serving as a hub for merchants from around the world who came to acquire these precious gems. The pearling industry shaped the economy and culture of Bahrain and continues to be an important part of the country's cultural identity today.

Bahrain's pearling history

Bahrain is known as the 'Island of Pearls' due to its rich pearling history, which dates back to the late fourth millennium to 800 BC. The ancient Dilmun civilisation (also known as Tilmun, Tilvun, Telmun, or Tilman) flourished in the region through the trade of pearls and date syrup. The kingdom's pearls have been renowned throughout history for their purity, brilliance, and beauty, with natural pearls from Bahrain commanding a higher price than cultured pearls due to their rarity and superior quality.

The pearling industry in Bahrain was centred in Muharraq, the kingdom's capital from 1810 to 1923. During this period, Muharraq was the most active and prosperous pearling city in the Arabian Gulf. It boasted the largest fleet of pearling vessels and the highest number of pearl divers, with virtually the entire population involved in pearling activities or its supply industries. The city's architecture, largely built from coral stone, also reflects the importance of the pearling industry, with storehouses offering specialised merchandise for pearling activities.

The pearling economy in Bahrain reached its peak in 1911-1912, contributing three-quarters of the country's total exports in 1877. However, a series of events, including wars, price crashes, the introduction of cheap cultivated pearls, and the Wall Street crash, led to the industry's decline and eventual collapse by 1950. Despite this, Bahrain's pearling heritage continues to be a significant aspect of the country's cultural identity, with the Pearling Trail in Muharraq recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Pearling Trail, a 3.5-kilometre-long path, showcases the legacy of the pearling industry in Bahrain. It includes 17 buildings, such as the residences of wealthy merchants, shops, storehouses, and a mosque, as well as three offshore oyster beds, a section of the seashore, and the Qal'at Bu Mahir fortress, from where pearling journeys originated. This trail serves as a testament to the time when pearling was the foremost part of Bahrain's economy and a major factor in its cultural identity.

The superior quality of Bahraini pearls

Bahrain is known as the Island of Pearls, and its pearling history dates back to the late fourth millennium to 800 BC. The country is the world's premier location for natural pearls, with virtually every ancient author describing the fine pearls found in its waters. Pliny, writing in the first century AD, mentions the pearl fisheries of Tylos (the classical name for Bahrain), which were well-known even then.

The classification of pearls is based on size, shape, colour, and lustre. The most valuable pearls are those that exhibit exceptional purity and beauty, and the most excellent pearl, known as the "Jiwan", was carefully weighed and its value recorded in a special logbook.

Bahrain's pearling industry has a long and rich history, with the trade once dominating the Gulf economy. The 'Pearling Trail' on the island of Muharraq, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012, bears testimony to the importance of pearling in Bahrain. The trail encompasses residences of wealthy merchants, shops, storehouses, oyster beds, and a fortress, showcasing the cultural tradition of pearling and the wealth it generated.

Today, Bahrain continues to be a respected source of natural pearls, with its state-of-the-art pearl labs ensuring the authenticity and quality of these precious gems. The country's natural pearls are highly sought-after, with some pieces selling for up to $32 million at auctions.

The Pearling Trail

Bahrain, known as the Island of Pearls, is a group of 33 islands in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia. It is famous for its rich source of pearls and oil, as well as leisure activities such as pearl diving, golfing, and horse riding.

The Bahrain Pearling Trail, also known as the Pearling Path, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the island of Muharraq, close to Bahrain's capital, Manama. It is a serial cultural heritage site that showcases the rich history and cultural significance of pearling in the region. The trail is about 3.5 km long and includes various buildings and sites related to the pearling industry, especially during its golden age in the 19th century.

The trail consists of three oyster beds in the northern waters of Bahrain, a segment of the coast, and the Bu Mahir Fort in the southern tip of Muharraq Island.

The ancient Dilmun civilisation

Dilmun is described in ancient texts as a blessed, prosperous land with great dwellings. It was an important trading centre, controlling the trade routes in the Persian Gulf at the height of its power. The civilisation is also mentioned in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform records, as well as in the mythology of Mesopotamia.

The capital of Dilmun is believed to have been located at Qal'at al-Bahrain in modern-day Bahrain, with evidence of seven successive levels of settlement, the oldest dating back to around 2300 BCE. Dilmun was an independent kingdom, free from Mesopotamian rule, and had strong trade connections with Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley Civilisation.

The Sumerian myth of Enki and Ninhursag describes Dilmun as a paradisiacal place where predators do not kill, pain and diseases are absent, and people do not age. Dilmun is also featured in the Epic of Gilgamesh, where the hero Gilgamesh seeks out Ut-napishtim, the only man who attained eternal life, believed to dwell at "the mouth of the rivers".

Dilmun's prosperity was due in part to its agricultural productivity, made possible by the abundance of artesian waters in the region. They also had a monopoly on the copper trade, with copper from Omani mines being shipped to Mesopotamian cities. Dilmun's burial practices, including the use of burial mounds, also indicate a belief in the afterlife.

The decline of Dilmun began around 1000 BCE due to piracy in the Arabian Gulf, and it came under foreign rule, first by the Middle Assyrian Empire and later by the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the Neo-Babylonian Empire, and the Achaemenid Empire. The name Dilmun fell out of use after the collapse of Babylon in 538 BCE, with the area being referred to as Tylos during the Hellenistic period.

The decline of the pearling economy

Bahrain, known as the Island of Pearls, has a long history of pearling, with the trade dominating its economy and culture for millennia. However, by the 1920s, the ancient trade began to decline due to the development of cultured pearls in Japan, which could be produced in abundance at a much lower cost. This, coupled with the global crash in 1929, dealt a significant blow to the traditional pearling industry.

• Development of Cultured Pearls: The introduction of cultured pearls, which are artificially created by pearl farmers under controlled conditions, began in Japan in 1916. These cultured pearls could be produced in large quantities and were much cheaper than their natural counterparts, disrupting the traditional pearling industry.
• Global Economic Crash: The global economic crash of 1929 further exacerbated the challenges faced by the pearling industry. With a decrease in disposable income, the demand for luxury goods like natural pearls decreased significantly.
• Embargo on Pearl Imports: In the late 1940s, an embargo on the import of pearls into newly independent India, which was a significant market for Bahraini pearls, further impacted the industry.
• Discovery of Oil and Gas: The discovery and subsequent exploitation of oil and gas resources in Bahrain provided an alternative source of economic revenue, reducing the country's reliance on the pearling industry.
• Competition from Japanese Goods: The influx of Japanese goods, including imitations of British products, into Bahrain during the 1930s increased competition and provided consumers with alternative options.

The combination of these factors led to a steady decline in the pearling industry, with the value of pearl exports decreasing and the industry struggling to compete with alternative sources of pearls and changing market demands. By the 1930s, the pearling economy in Muharraq, the historical centre of pearling, had subsided, and by 1950, the industry had completely collapsed.

Despite the decline and eventual collapse of the pearling economy, the cultural traditions and heritage of pearling remain an important part of Bahrain's history and identity. The pearling era has left a lasting impact on the country's social, economic, and cultural practices, which are recognised and celebrated as a significant aspect of Bahrain's UNESCO World Heritage Site, "Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy".

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