THE HISTORY OF BOY ALI, THE ANCESTORS OF WHICH WERE PEARL CATTERS, LAY BASED ON THE DUBAI APPLICATION FOR THE WORLD EXHIBITION "EXPO2020". ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION RACE WE WILL FIND OUT SOON. And here's what started the shining megalopolis gave a small fishing village of catchers of pear, is already known to the whole world.
Stick to the roots
Emirates are proud of their history of the pearl empire. Many myths and legends have survived in folklore, in which the pearl appears both as the daughter of rain, imprisoned in a shell, and the daughter of the moon, which descended into the sea along the moon beam. With all the striving for innovative development, the legacy is read in everything: in the names of residential areas, the design of water parks and even the exterior of metro stations resembling pearl shells.
According to tradition, the Arabian pearl is the oldest in the world. So, in June last year in the northern emirate of Umm al-Quwain, a mother of pearl jewelry was found, which was born 5500 years ago. The find confirmed that the oldest center of pearl fishing was located on the western coast of the Arabian Peninsula, where modern Arab Emirates are located today. For centuries, it has been the backbone of the "economy" of the tribes who moved in search of a catch from the poor desert vegetation to the seashore.
Al-Idrisi, an outstanding Arab geographer and writer, author of the famous essay “Entertainment of the Exhausted by Traveling by Region”, mentions that already in 1154, Julfar, the port on the site of which the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is located today, was a large center for pearl mining.
For many centuries, the method of catching it has remained traditional ... Divers, young and physically strong men, attached a clothespin to their nose, stuffed their ears with wax and, with a basket to collect the catch on their neck, and a stone tied to their legs as sinkers, dived to a depth of 40 meters.
Start diving immediately after sunrise, having a bite of coffee and dates, and finish only after sunset. Thus, on a day, divers plunged into the water up to 30 times, spending there, on average, for a minute and a half. The age of pearl hunters was short-lived: they often received injuries, sea salt corroded the skin, and by the end of their lives, many of them lost their sight and hearing.
The main profit from the catch went to the owner of the vessels, and only a small part to the captain and crew, which amounted to 1820 people. The season lasted about 120 days, and if the catch was successful at the end, divers could use the proceeds to purchase land in the oasis. For example, in Liv and Al Ain, and in case of failure, they remained in debt with the owner of the vessel until the next summer season. The fleet gradually grew, and by the beginning of the 20th century, more than 1,200 ships under snow-white sails were sailing in the coastal waters of the Persian Gulf. Their leisurely return to their home harbor, in the radiance of moonlight, can be considered one of the most picturesque paintings of the time.
In response to the growing demand from Europeans and eminent Indian Maharajas, representatives of the ruling dynasties, the flow of pearls along the Great Silk Road increased. At first, trade was of a barter nature, but since the establishment of the protectorate of the British Empire in the region, settlements began to be carried out in British pounds. In the 1920s, history witnessed the case when a rare pearl was sold for a fabulous amount at that time - 15 thousand pounds (about 200 thousand dollars in terms of current currency).
The period of the Great Depression, the collapse of world empires and the invention of artificial pearls in Japan became a real funeral march for the pearl industry of the United Arab Emirates. Demand for it fell, leaving thousands of families unemployed, and neglected the local economy until the discovery of "black gold" reserves on the west coast of the Persian Gulf.
The birth of a new era
In the Persian Gulf, oysters Pinctada Radiata traditionally live, producing light pearls of small size (6-6.5 cm in diameter) of white, pink-cream, green-golden and blue colors. They are more rounded and smoother than, for example, their Pacific counterparts. Their value lies in the fact that from them you can quickly assemble a thread for precious jewelry.
Today, pearl threads remain the epitome of style and elegance. Largely thanks to its famous messengers - the legendary Coco Chanel, Grace Kelly and Princess Diana. Emirates believe that the Renaissance of Arabian pearls is just around the corner. If we talk about shoes, Italy invariably comes to our mind, which holds the palm in this industry, not inferior to China and the United States. So pearls should undoubtedly be associated with the United Arab Emirates.
This is the opinion of the RAK Pearls Group, which at the beginning of the 21st century set itself the task of restoring the glory of the pearl empire to the country. True, now with the help of cultured jewelry, artificial insemination of oysters.
At their farm in Ras Al Khaimah, the brothers Mohammed and Abdullah Al Suwadi grow up to 40 thousand pearls per year, which bring 120 thousand shellfish. The production process and the implemented know-how give 80% success: the artificial pearl takes root and begins to grow.
This spring, RAK Pearls Group put up 5,000 selected stones at the first pearl auction in UAE history. In Dubai today, along with gold and diamond, the pearl exchange also operates. Its main goal is to return the emirate the status of the largest transit center for commodities, including precious stones. From 2003 to 2011, pearl prices in Dubai grew by 25% annually. The industry grew to US $ 30 million, with pearl jewelry accounting for about 5% of the global jewelry industry.
A committee has been set up in the neighboring emirate of Abu Dhabi to revive the pearl industry, whose task is to restore the status of a world center for the extraction of pearls. The already new, stronger economy of the country is returning to its roots, gaining points in those sectors where for thousands of years they really had no equal.
Facts and Figures
- US $ 1.4 million was earned for the necklace of Egyptian singer Umm Kulsum, a gift from Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first president of the UAE and the "father of the nation."
- The pearl of Allah is the largest in the world. She was caught on May 7, 1934 on the Philippine island of Palawan. The pearl weighs 6.37 kg and its diameter is 23.8 cm. Its cost is about S $ 40 million.
- Even with proper care, pearls do not live for more than 200 years. At the same time, the stones lying in the box “age” faster than those that are regularly worn.
- In 1917, Pierre Cartier, brother of the founder of Cartier Jewelry House and future president of Cartier International, purchased a mansion in Manhattan (Place de Cartier) for US $ 100 and a pearl necklace (worth US $ 1 million).
- The largest fossilized pearl blister, 74 mm across, is exhibited in one of the US museums. However, because of their rarity, these findings have no practical value ... The Maharaja necklace of the Indian region of Baroda was sold at Christie's House in April 2007 for a record amount of US $ 7 million. Initially, it consisted of seven strings of pearls, but in 1948 it was disassembled and turned in a two-row necklace.
Immersion in history
Today, pearl fishing in the coastal waters of the Persian Gulf is no longer an urgent need, but a kind of entertainment for tourists who want to experience the local flavor. The resorts of the famous Anantara hotel chain, located on the island of Sir Bani Yas (west of the capital of Abu Dhabi), offer everyone to plunge into history and learn about the age-old traditions of the local people.
In addition to catching pearls, cruise participants on a traditional Dow boat will be able to explore the almost uninhabited islands of UmmAlKurkum and UmmKasr, observe dolphins and sea turtles that live in warm waters. The cost of cruises is from 450 dirhams (US $ 122.5) per person.
Pearl Museum
The Pearl Museum opened in Ras Al Khaimah, on the Al Kassimi promenade, in 2011. Here you can learn all about the process of growing stones, admire an amazing collection of pearls of various colors, shapes and sizes, see the ancient equipment and costumes of divers. If you visit this museum, you will learn how natural pearls are formed, in essence, - a grain of sand that has fallen into the sink. To protect itself, the oyster releases a protective substance - mother of pearl, enveloping the intruder.
Moreover, over time, the number of layers of this substance only increases, enlarging the pearl. In the case of stone cultivation, a small pearl ball is placed inside the shell, covered with a piece of the mantle of one of the pearl mollusks of the same species, so that the implant will better take root.
