UAE discovers Gulf's oldest known pearling town
The town discovered on Siniyah Island showed clear evidence of its pearling industry from the sixth century AD.
The discovery of the oldest known pearling town in the Gulf was announced on Tuesday. Uncovered in the United Arab Emirates on Siniyah Island, it’s believed to date to the region’s pre-Islamic history in the late sixth century AD.
The discovery was made last year by the Umm Al Quwain Department of Tourism and Archaeology and its partners in the northern emirate of Umm Al Quwain, according to the UAE government news agency WAM. The town is located near the ancient Christian Siniyah Monastery, which was also discovered in 2022.
The department's chair, Sheikh Majid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, said the discovery is of major importance to the UAE emirate of Umm Al Quwain, where generations of pearlers still live.
“Pearling has been an essential part of the livelihood and a fundamental component of the heritage for over 7,000 years. In addition, the Neolithic graves in Umm Al Quwain are known for evidence of pearling,” he said.
