Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy, Bahrain

Pearling and its associated trades shaped the economy and culture of Bahrain’s island society. As a centre for pearling, Bahrain was the economic hub where pearl divers and people in other, related professions arrived from across the Gulf to test their fate on board the dhows.

Many of the local residents relied on pearling for their livelihood. Amongst them were merchants, boatmakers and owners, captains, divers, haulers and sailmakers. The pearls were sent to Europe and India where they were refined and then traded to larger markets around the world.

The spatial and architectural testimony of the pearling economy in Muharraq island and the northern waters of Bahrain is the last remaining, and therefore outstanding, example that represents the complete narrative of the cultural tradition of pearling.

Despite the significant amount of modern construction in most parts of the city, the urban layout remains unchanged. It is characterised by a maze of narrow, often picturesque alleyways, with buildings that are uniquely decorated with engraved gypsum boards and wooden doors.

While the economic system of pearling subsided with time, the narrative it produced is one of the most significant aspects of Bahraini cultural identity today, evident in everything from festivals and songs to traditional costume and gathering spaces.

The UNESCO World Heritage site, the “Pearling Path”, consists of three oyster beds, a part of the seashore on the southern tip of Muharraq and a seafront fort.

All aspects of the pearling economy can be observed while passing along a three and a half kilometer pathway which connects the site’s historical structures, creating an open-air museum that is an integral part of the vibrant city of Muharraq.

Two visitor’ centres;

And four multi-storey parking structures.

The facades of around 400 houses along the path were upgraded.

The old suq also underwent a redevelopment as part of the project surrounding the pathway.

The seafront fort is connected to the main pathway by a pedestrian bridge which, since its construction, re-establishes the link between the city and the sea.