Up until the turn of the 20th century, most Bahrain pearls were exported to Bombay, where they were classed, matched and drilled before being resold. Thirdly, there was a mid-season loan (kharjiyyah), taken if necessary to supplement the salaf, or in the event that extra money was required to support the boat during the dive. Three types of loans were made to the pearling crews. Murad Majlis still preserves its function as of today. Cultural customs stemming from the pearling era provide important avenues for celebrating and remembering the pearling era. The pearling economy reached its apex in 1911-12, after which a series of catastrophes including wars, price crashes, the arrival of cheap cultivated pearls, the Wall Street crash and its impact on the market for luxury goods, and riots by divers aggrieved at the loss of income, all led to the decline in the 1930s and ultimately total collapse of the industry by 1950. The diver collected the oysters from the sea bed. Socio-political matters of pearling were administered and contested within a system of jurisprudence that provided an important legal basis for social relations and financial transactions of the time. Siyadi Majlis, Murad Majlis, Al-Jalahma House, Nukhidhah House are among the properties where the social gatherings took place. It was customary, for example, to sing along with the song leader (nahham) on board as music, some former pearlers explain, accompanied most activities on board—the setting of the sail, the rowing of the oars, and the opening of the oysters. The words of these songs express the hope that their husbands and sons return safely to their families. This site uses cookies to provide you an optimal browsing experience. Pierced pearls as items of jewellery dating to around 5,000 BC have been found at coastal sites in the Arabian Gulf region. pearling luggers in Torres Strait. In the same street, don’t miss the Pearl Luggers Museum (pearlluggers.com.au), which gives an evocative account of the divers’ lives and displays rigged pearling luggers. Chinese pearls came mainly from freshwater rivers and ponds, whereas Japanese pearls were found near the coast in salt water. The industry soon folded however. One resident of Muharraq remembers: “Women of Muharraq don’t veil their faces when walking in public during al-ghus al-kabir because any man that did not leave the city was not considered a man that women would need to cover for.”. “This magnificent early 20th-century house was constructed as a family home,” she says. ‘Amarat complex located within the Muharraq Suq and Fakhro House are the components testifying to the wealth and economic power, brought by the pearling economy. With the European discovery of the Pacific Islands in the late 1700's came a rush of traders and explorers who soon learned of the water’s riches, among them: mother-of-pearl, turtle-shell, sandalwood, and of course, natural pearls. These areas were largely supplied by the pearling industry in the Persian Gulf, with pearl divers working hard to keep up with the high demand from trading partners in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Badr-Ghulum House had served as the medical facility to cure the boat crew by using tradition folk medicine during the peak years of the pearling era. Copyright © 2018 Blackbird International Ltd, Pearling in Cape York and the Torres Strait. Men, women and children were forcibly removed from their camps. The value of Bahrain’s pearl exports increased six fold between 1900 and 1912, when Indian merchants were joined in Bahrain by others from Paris, London and New York, all vying to secure the finest pearls at source. A decision that shaped the history of Broome and Australian pearling forever. The oyster beds on the north of Bahrain were the centre of a natural pearl fishery that dominated the Arabian Gulf from at least the 3rd century BC until the early 20th century. Home > Culture & History > Settlement History > Pearling The Shark Bay pearl oyster, Pinctada albina, spawned a rush not unlike the gold rushes of the 1800s. Muharraq can be distinguished from many other Arabian Gulf settlements in that, by the last decades of the pearling economy, the city was built largely of coral stone. Sought after were small straw-coloured ‘seed’ pearls favoured in Asian markets, and pearl shell used to make buttons in the days before plastic fasteners. Al-Ghus House and Nukhidhah House are among the ones to visit to gain a perception on how the pearling crew members’ living spaces looked like. They had to live on the cash advances provided by their husbands and carefully calculate their spending to ensure it lasted the full length of the season. Founded as a pearling port in 1880s, by the turn of the century over 300 luggers were plying the rich waters of Broome’s Roebuck Bay. Later leading French, British and American jewellers began to visit Bahrain to secure the finest pearls at source. The European pearling industry began in the 1850s at Shark Bay where pearls (called the 'Oriental, or Golden' Pearl) were found in the Pinctada albina oyster in relatively large numbers. The Persians called them ‘children of light’ and believed they were the tears of the gods. The Kingdom’s pearls have long held legendary status for their purity, brilliance and stunning beauty. Pearling. As the majority of the local residents were unable to read or write, oral traditions were one way in which stories, knowledge and legends were passed on from generation to generation. With time, as he gained in strength and experience, he could begin work as a hauler or a diver. Muharraq developed into a city from a number of core settlements, each based on tribal and family alliances and centred around a mosque or tribal gathering place (majlis). Europe emerged as a major direct market for Bahrain’s pearl exports following the turn of the century, and by 1904-05 an estimated 97.3 per cent of the Gulf’s turnover in pearls was traded through Bahrain. The wealthiest women would have noticed little real difference, as they were continuously attended to by their female servants. History and Decline of the Pearling Industry . Thus began the boom times, but a massive decline in production occurred during World War II when Broome’s foreign labour was sent to indentured camps and much of the pearling fleet was torched to save it falling into enemy hands. As a centre for pearling, Bahrain was the regional economic hub where pearl divers and other crew from across the Gulf arrived to test their fate on board the dhows. Among these were the diver (ghīs); the hauler (sīb); a young assistant to the hauler (ridhīf); a multipurpose helper, usually aged between 9 and 13 (tabbab); the captain’s best mate and second-in- command (mjaddimi); and the captain (nukhidhah). More than a ton were searched in order to find at least 3-4 quality beds. Throughout the ages, pearls have been shrouded in mystery and coveted by … An Islamic scholar widely followed in Bahrain allowed an exception, saying the women could be left behind provided their safety could be guaranteed. Natural pearl necklaces and earrings are depicted in the works of the Renaissance masters, and the use of natural pearls as ornaments in crowns and tiaras, hair adornments and brooches through the ages illustrate their universal appeal. Pearls collected in Bahrain were sent to Europe and India where they were refined and traded to larger markets. The departure of most of the men each diving season meant the Islamic rule that women shall remain in the company of a close male relative (mahram) could not be fulfilled. Especially in Muharraq, the storehouses developed a high level of specialisation. Despite a great deal of modern construction, in most parts of Muharraq city, the street pattern remains the same as in the pearling era, characterised by a maze of narrow, often picturesque alleyways. On land, however, medical practitioners offered a wider range of remedies to treat psoriasis and other skin diseases, as well as chest, lung, ear, eye and dental complaints as required by the residents of Muharraq Island, and particularly by the pearl divers. The first (tisqam), was taken for the off-season, two months after the end of the main dive, for the maintenance of the haulers and divers and their family. THE HISTORY AND PREHISTORY OF PEARLING IN THE PERSIAN GULF 143 east of Bahrain, may have been visited seasonally, judging from Dutch inves tigations in 1643, which state that pearling vessels paid regular visits to "a certain island which is situated about 10 to 12 miles from Bahrain" (Floor 1982: 211). The decline of the pearling economy and the almost simultaneous discovery of oil and gas resources in Bahrain saw Muharraq’s role diminish, and that of the city of Manama, located just across the harbour on the main island of Bahrain, expand. The main centres for the industry were Broome, Cossack, Onslow and Shark Bay, but it was Broome which emerged as the leader for pearling by the time of Federation. By continuing to visit this site, you agree to the use of these cookies. Until the pearling reforms of the 1920s, a diver’s or hauler’s next of kin would inherit his unpaid debts. Bahrain prohibits the import or trade of cultured pearls, and boasts a state-of-the-art pearl testing laboratory to ensure every pearl sold in Bahrain is natural. Among them was Jacques Cartier, who visited Bahrain to select natural pearls for his exceptional jewellery, initiating a relationship between Cartier and Bahrain that endures to this day. A music house (Dar) was a space where men gathered to drink tea and coffee and remember the sea by singing the songs of the pearling season. In contrast to the long list of ailments suffered by pearl divers, provision for on-board medical services was severely limited. On Dampier Terrace, stroll along the small Streeters Jetty, the original jetty for the pearling luggers in the 1880s. Old Muharraq settlement was Bahrain’s capital from 1810 to 1923, the peak years of the pearling economy, and is today the predominate city of Bahrain’s second largest island. Crowds would watch for the dhows on which their husbands, sons and fathers were expected to return. History of Qatari Pearling. Several music genres and numerous songs are directly connected with pearling. The 4000 Year History of Pearls Pearls have been prized and collected for more than 4000 years, giving them the title of the world's oldest gem. This requirement could be satisfied if a woman was supervised by a guardian group of trustworthy women, something each farij easily established. The Beginning History of Pearls Pearls have long been treasured and highly valued in many cultures throughout history. Yousif Abdulrahman Fakhro and Mahmood Mohammed Al-Alawi were among those, who gained economic strength through the supply trade. The history of pearling in the gulf can be traced back to the first century AD. One of the largest and most elaborate buildings on the trail, the two-story Bin Matar House, reflects the importance of that family in the pearl business, explains its director, Melissa Enders-Bhattia. History. With an innate instinct and extraordinary gift to peel away outer imperfections, TB could take a seemingly worthless pearl and reveal the priceless treasure inside. This stone construction ensured the survival of significant elements in Muharraq that now constitute a unique testimony of the pearling societies not only of Bahrain but of the Arabian Gulf region. The application of heated iron rods was the mode of treatment most frequently attempted when an illness looked serious. Pregnant women were chosen to free dive for their apparent skill in breathing underwater - a fallacy that killed many. Muharraq’s architecture, as in other Islamic cities, attaches great importance to privacy and the domestic life, with modest exteriors and no visual access to the interior. The Chinese thought the moon gave them their power to glow. The outcome of the pearling season provided the livelihood of many local residents and their trades, amongst them: merchants, creditors, boat owners and makers, captains, divers, haulers, and sail-makers. Pearling. The crew collected oysters from rock pools at low tide, returning to port with 910 shells and 150 pearls. After a few years of training, a tabbab could become a ridhīf. The women were left behind with their children and the few older men who could no longer work on board the pearling dhows. A hauler not only pulled the diver up from the depths of the sea, but also rowed and set the sails of the dhows. If, by the end of the season, the crew’s catch did not score favourably, the crew would take a loss and their debt would carry over to the following season. Some women, according to descendants of the era, even took up occupations such as bread baking and fishing. The popular story of pearling begins in the 1860's however Indigenous use of pearl shell goes back 20,000 years. The pearling crews formed a cohesive unit that included a variety of professions working side-by-side on board the dhows. Initially, such affairs were addressed in community gatherings (majlis), usually held at the meeting or gathering place (majlis) of a prominent trader or figure within the community. The woodwork for ceilings and decorative panels presents influences from Persia; windows, doors and their frames were imported through Indian trade routes; and the decorative patterns were inspired from the Arabic culture. The pearling industry changed rapidly in the late 1880s with the introduction of hardhat divers wearing copper helmets and canvas dive suits. All of these majlis were open to the public, and often played a role in dispute arbitration. Two primary festivals are associated with the main pearl collection season (al-ghus al-kabir). In 1868 on the Brig Julia Percy, Captain William Banner and his South Sea Islander crew harvested the first commercial quantity of pearl shell from the reefs of Tudu. Exploding demand for pearls beginning in the 19th century produced a single product economy in Bahrain, centred in its then capital and the capital of Arabian Gulf pearling, Muharraq. Pearls were treasured in the ancient world, especially by Arabs, Romans, and Egyptians. Similar festivities awaited the crews upon the annual return from the main season (al-Quffal). Depending on the size of the boat, the crew of a pearling dhow ranged from fewer than 10 to more than 100 men. The primary lenders were leading merchants, who extended advances to the captains, who in turn would use the money to maintain, equip and provision the boats, and also to advance a variety of loans to the divers to support their families. The Japanese section of Broome cemetery. The loans system was closely regulated by customary law, as were the returns due to the creditor. Cultivation. The divers worked most efficiently during the warm months from May to September. A large pearling ship, however, typically carried 60-80 sailors, each of whom was associated with a different profession or rank, and had a special role and responsibility. Pearling activities were dependent on an intricate system of trade and support industries that furbished the dhows with the supplies required for the diving season (al-ghus al-kabir). Pearling or genital beading is a form of body modification, the practice of permanently inserting small beads made of various materials beneath the skin of the genitals—of the labia, or of the shaft or foreskin of the penis.As well as being an aesthetic practice, this is usually intended to enhance the sexual pleasure of partners during vaginal or anal intercourse. The captain of the ship (nukhidhah) mapped the course for that season and oversaw the care of his crew. Several families in Bahrain were single-handedly relying on the income generated from the supply industries, which was enough to sustain a middle-class or an upper middle-class family. Coffee houses were central public and occupational meeting places frequented by divers, haulers, pearl traders and ship captains. Tahitian pearl's rich history helps explain their allure and ever-increasing demand in today’s market. They would spend the money to maintain th… Western Australia's commercial pearling industry began during the nineteenth century. These connect the centre of each farij to the seashore and the market which were crucial elements in the pearling economy. Women also maintained social gathering quarters Similar in function to a majlis, a magad was both a social practice and a space where women, usually of a similar social status, gathered and socialised. Even today, an opening question is: “What farij are you from?”. Pearl shell was used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in everyday life and was also traded for canoes, food and human heads. Bu-Mahir Seashore, which is the only remaining natural coastline in the island of Muharraq, served as the departure and arrival point for the pearling fleets; thus it was where the farewell and welcome festivals would take place. Muharraq’s urban pattern retains features of the classic Islamic city with its alleyways winding into residential quarters in combination with larger axial thoroughfares.
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