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."
Early Pearling Town Discovered on Persian Gulf Island
News March 22, 2023
Recommended Articles
Features July/August 2023
Africa's Merchant Kings
The early Christian kingdom of Aksum was at the heart of a great maritime trading network
Features May/June 2022
Secrets of Scotland's Viking Age Hoard
A massive cache of Viking silver and Anglo-Saxon heirlooms reveals the complex political landscape of ninth-century Britain
Digs & Discoveries July/August 2018
Divine Invitation
Digs & Discoveries March/April 2017
A Mix of Faiths
-
Features January/February 2023
Jungle Realm of the Snake Queens
How women ascended the ranks in the highstakes world of Maya politics
-
Letter from Ethiopia January/February 2023
Exploring a Forgotten Jewish Land
Using oral history, texts, and survey, archaeologists search for traces of a once-vibrant religious community
-
Artifacts January/February 2023
Byzantine Solidus Coins
(Dafna Gazit/Courtesy Israel Antiquities Authority) -
Digs & Discoveries January/February 2023
An Undersea Battlefield