Siyadi Pearl Museum / Studio Anne Holtrop

For millennia, pearling and its associated trades shaped the economy and culture of Bahrain's island society. 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. The outcome of the pearling season provided a livelihood for many local residents and their trades, amongst them: merchants, creditors, boat owners and makers, captains, divers, haulers, and sail-makers.