The UAE's Pearling History
Pearl diving was once the major source of income for the majority of inhabitants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was tightly woven into UAE culture that dates back around 7,000 years.
When the Japanese discovered how to make artificial pearls in the early 1900s, the practice of pearl diving naturally declined.
Because of the discovery of oil in the Persian Gulf in the mid-1900s, jobs in the oil industry quickly took over as the most lucrative in the region.
Once the backbone of the country’s earnings, pearl diving is now no longer the massive industry it once was. However, it is still very much alive in the collective memory of many Emiratis, and many of its’ residents.
Methods
Pearl diving was practiced only part of the year, from April to September. During these months, the water was warm enough for divers from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to dive safely. Their boats, known as dhows, were wooden sailing vessels that featured a triangular sail. The most important crew members were the diver himself and the Al Saib, the sailor in charge of pulling him back up to the surface.
Trade
UAE pearls have been documented to have traveled all the way to Rome, Venice, India, Sri Lanka, and some have even pointed to evidence of pearls from the UAE showing up in Viking possessions in Scandinavia. The pearls of the UAE were one of the most sought-after accessories of the time.
A good income
Well before the money from the oil boom, the UAE was thriving off of the money made from the pearls. Pearl diving offered seasonal if not full-time work for many local Emiratis, and many UAE families can still trace their fortunes back to the historic pearl diving their forefathers did.
Pearl diving was the basis for the founding of cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Because of the booming pearl industry, many families and pearl divers ended up moving to coastal towns like Dubai and Abu Dhabi to be closer to work, and therefore helped establish the history and foundation of the UAE’s two biggest cities.
Diving for pearls was no easy job
Diving under water using only traditional tools was no easy task, and only the strongest and most enduring could handle this task. Divers were expected to tie a small stone to the bottom of their foot in order to sink to the bottom of the seabed, and collect as many oysters as they could before their breath ran out. In many unfortunate cases divers drowned or were even attacked by sharks.
The odds of finding a natural, non-cultured pearl inside a shell is 1 to 1000. It is impossible for a diver to know if a shell contains a pearl just by looking at it.
Many international brands used UAE pearls in the beginning for prestige
While pearls are no longer an exclusive commodity only from the UAE, some of today’s most top-ranking brands began their careers by using UAE pearls for prestige and quality insurance. Cartier is one of the most famous examples of a loyal customer of the pearls of the Arabian coastline, with Jacques Cartier making his first journey to the region in 1912 to hunt for the mother of all jewels, which is what the pearl is so often refered to as.
Once the backbone of the country’s earnings, pearl diving is now no longer the massive industry it once was. However, it is still very much alive in the collective memory of many Emiratis.
