On the small island of Siniyah, not far from Umm al-Qaiwain, the capital of the emirate of the same name, researchers have found the oldest pearl city in the Persian Gulf. The city’s remains date back to the late sixth century, archaeologists said Monday.
Excavations at Siniyah, where the remains of a 1,400-year-old Christian monastery were discovered last year, have unearthed a number of sandstone and lime mortar houses. The city covers an area of about one hectare and is one of the largest surviving urbanized settlements ever found in the United Arab Emirates, the researchers said.
Pearls were an important economic factor
The town consists of a large number of houses, indicating the presence of thousands of inhabitants who once lived there. In addition, finds confirm that pearls were probably the most important economic factor in the city. That shows the discovery of a large area of opened and discarded oyster shells near the city, the scientists said.
Found antique diving weights
A number of pearls were also found during the excavations in the houses, as well as diving weights that were used when diving for the oysters. To the researchers, there is clear evidence that pearl hunting was an important factor in the region.
Source: Krone
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