Early Pearling Town Discovered on Persian Gulf Island

UMM AL-QUWAIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES—The Associated Press reports that traces of a town made up of hundreds of dwellings have been uncovered on Siniyah Island, which is located in the Persian Gulf off the coast of the emirate of Umm al-Quwain. Timothy Power of United Emirates University said that the town is thought to have been founded in the late sixth century A.D. for the processing of pearls. The houses, which have been found in a range of sizes, were made of beach rock and lime mortar. “The houses are crammed in there, cheek by jowl,” Power said. “The key thing there is permanence. People are living there all year round.” Loose pearls and diving weights have been recovered from the houses, he added, while tons of discarded oyster shells have been found at a dump site. The town predates the rise of Islam in the region, and was likely inhabited by Christians. A Christian monastery dated to 1,400 years ago has been discovered to the north of the pearling town, Power concluded. To read about the world's oldest known pearl, go to "Around the World: United Arab Emirates."