The Pearl Diving Heritage Sites of Bahrain

The Pearl Diving Heritage Sites of Bahrain

Bahrain’s newest World Heritage Site added on June 30, 2012 — “Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy” — mainly includes 17 buildings in Muharraq city, three oyster beds in the sea, parts of the coastline, and Qal’at Bu Mahir (Qal’at Bu Mahir) Fort at the southern tip of Muharraq Island — where pearl divers’ boats once set off for the oyster beds.

The urban architecture included in the World Heritage listing comprises merchants’ residences, shops, warehouses, and a mosque. As a representation of pearling cultural traditions and a symbol of the wealth generated by what was once the foremost economic activity in the Arabian Gulf (from the 2nd century AD until the 1930s when Japan developed cultured pearls), the Bahrain Pearling Trail is the last intact heritage site of its kind. It also stands as an outstanding example of traditional use of marine resources and human interaction with the environment, forming the economic and cultural character of this island society.

Pearling, testimony of an island economy

Why Go: The best-preserved pearling heritage site in the world

Continent: Asia

Country/Region: Bahrain

Province/State: Muharraq Governorate

City: Muharraq