What Souvenirs to Bring from Saudi Arabia – Part Ten of the Top 15 Ideas for Gift Shopping.
What Souvenirs to Bring from Saudi Arabia – Part Ten of the Top 15 Ideas for Gift Shopping.
Natural treasures of Saudi Arabia – Pearls.
Pearling was bringing an important input to the Saudi economy for a long time. The old pearling center al-Qatif on the Saudi Arabian coast along with al-Jubail, Darin and al-Khobar was known in the 11th century. Just in the port of Jubail, more than 200 pearling boats were harbored at one time.
Old waterfront at Jubail and a pearling boat with resting divers
Image source Saudi Arabia by the First Photographers book by William Facey http://lovely0smile.com/
In the Red Sea shores, the southwestern Farasan island group also was involved in the trade. Pearls fishing considered to be a lucrative profession and divers learned it at an early age, passing the skill from generation to generation.
Saudi port on the Red Sea shore.
Image source Saudi Arabia by the First Photographers book by William Facey http://lovely0smile.com/
As William Gifford Palgrave reported after his voyage to across the Arabia Felix in the late 19th-century, the state of the pearling fishing at that time was most precisely described by Mohammed bin Thani in 1863, when he told William Palgrave: “We are all from the highest to the lowest slaves of one master – Pearl.” (Personal Narrative of a Year’s Journey Through Central and Eastern Arabia (1862-63) book by William Gifford Palgrave).
The finest samples of pearls were coming from the Arabian Gulf. Pearls used in the bedouin jewelry had “baroque” (or irregular) shape.
Bedouin pendant decorated with pearls
Image source: Bedouin Jewellery in Saudi Arabia book by Heather Colyer Ross
The people of Makkah and Madinah were known for decorating their clothing with pearls, which were abundant on the coasts of the Peninsula.
The superb craftsmanship of the Makkan veil.
Image source: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia book by Stacey International
Colloquial Arabic language has a term for possible each shape and color of a pearl. Natural seawater pearls originated in Saudi Arabian waters are expensive and rare, and unlike neighboring Bahrain, Saudi Arabia allows importing pearls, therefore beware of what you are buying (or ask for a certificate).
Pearl trader at his home in Farasan Islands
Image source: The Heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia book by Wahbi Al-Hariri-Rifai and Mokhless Al-Hariri-Rifai
There are internet forums where you can read about pearling and grade of pearls before buying.
Old chest with pearl jewelry and tools to measure pearl grade, found in Farasan Islands, southwest of the city of Jizan.
Image source: The Heritage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia book by Wahbi Al-Hariri-Rifai and Mokhless Al-Hariri-Rifai
Next post with describe another gemstone found in the seas of Arabia – coral, or marjan in Arabic.
