How a Shimmering Gem Transformed Qatar

Before Qatar discovered its oil reserves in 1939, pearls were the driving force behind the Gulf's economy and culture. These lustrous treasures shaped regional politics, relationships, and the fortunes of its people for over 7,000 years. At the height of the pearling industry in the early 20th century, Qatar’s ruling Al Thani family dominated the trade.

Celebrated for their exceptional brilliance, Gulf pearls became highly sought after by the aristocracy and growing middle class in Europe and the United States. Qatar, along with its neighboring rivals Bahrain and parts of the Trucial States (now the UAE), met the rising global demand, with nearly half of the country’s male population working in the pearling industry by 1907.

However, by the 1950s, the pearling industry had collapsed. In 1958, the British political resident in the Gulf remarked that for the first time in many years, no pearling boats left the harbor in Doha, and the once-bustling fleet was now abandoned, its wrecks lying decaying along the coastline.

The discovery of oil was just one of many factors that led to the rapid decline of the Gulf's pearling industry. While most physical reminders of Qatar's pearling heritage have been lost, this rich legacy continues to be deeply embedded in the nation’s identity.

Qatar’s pearling legacy is still woven into its modern landscape, from public art – such as the Pearl Monument at the entrance to Doha's Dhow Harbour, featuring a giant oyster with a pearl – to contemporary developments like The Pearl-Qatar, a luxurious residential area built on what was once a pearling ground.

Discerning commuters will notice pearlescent tiles throughout Doha’s metro stations, further highlighting the city’s connection to its pearling past.

For those wishing to own a piece of Qatar’s pearling history, the Old Pearl Diver boutique in Doha’s Souq Waqif offers rare, highly valuable Gulf pearls. The shop is managed by Saad Ismail Al Jassem, an octogenarian who claims to be one of the last remaining commercial pearl divers in Qatar.

Dangerous lives

While commercial pearl diving has yet to experience a revival in Qatar as it has in Bahrain and the UAE, the country actively celebrates its pearling heritage through annual events like the Senyar Festival, which features a pearl diving competition, and the Katara Traditional Dhow Festival, which hosts maritime displays and cultural exhibitions.

Qatar's museums, such as the National Museum of Qatar in Doha, offer enriching experiences year-round. One notable exhibit is the immersive film “Nafas” (Breathe) by Mira Nair, which vividly portrays the hardships of the pearling industry.

In Qatar's northwest, a modest pearling exhibit at Al Zubarah Fort—set atop the ruins of an ancient pearling port—provides a unique glimpse into the lives of those in the country's coastal pearling communities. The site, accessible via a boardwalk opened in November 2022, adds a new dimension to Qatar's rich heritage.

While the tujar (wealthiest pearl traders) and sheiks who commanded the pearling fleets amassed vast fortunes, life for the ghasa (divers) who spent over four months each summer at sea was described as “pretty grim,” according to Robert Carter, senior archaeology specialist at Qatar Museums and author of 'Sea of Pearls: Arabia, Persia, and the Industry That Shaped the Gulf.'

Carter explains, “The divers didn’t have much to eat except rice, fish, and occasionally some bread, which made scurvy a constant issue. Water was rationed, so they washed in the sea and endured constant dampness, leading to severe fungal infections.”

Carter also shares stories of divers, who often completed 50 to 60 dives a day, enduring painful stings from rays and the constant danger of shark attacks.

Once the divers, burdened by rocks, gathered approximately 20 oysters, they would pull on a rope to be hoisted back up to the surface by a siyub (rope hauler). Any pearls retrieved from the shells were securely stored on the dhow (pearling boat), while the empty shells were either thrown back into the sea or retained for use as mother-of-pearl. According to the late Australian writer and mariner Alan Villiers, any crew member caught hiding a pearl could face execution.

“The profits were distributed among the crew, making theft of a pearl a severe breach of trust,” explains Carter. However, a good payout was never guaranteed, and many divers, haulers, and even dhow captains often struggled to support their families between seasons. Meanwhile, slaves had to surrender their earnings to their masters.

Desert Relics

Historically, the pearling industry had intricate labor systems, with a large proportion of divers enslaved during its peak. Even after the British Empire abolished slavery in 1807, the practice persisted in Qatar for nearly 40 years after the region became a British Protectorate in 1916.

Located in the heart of Doha, Bin Jelmood House, once the residence of a slave trader, forms part of the Msheireb Museums. It chronicles Qatar’s history with slavery, highlighting its connections to the pearling industry.

Among the most intriguing remnants of Qatar’s pearling heritage are the rock carvings at Al Jassasiya. Situated near the serene beaches of Fuwairit, an old pearling settlement in northern Qatar, these carvings – estimated to be over 250 years old – feature images of pearling dhows with oars extending from their mandorla-shaped hulls like insect legs.

The sands of the Qatari desert continue to unveil evidence of the nation’s pearling legacy. In 2022, Qatar Museums’ head of excavation, Ferhan Sakal, discovered a Neolithic pearl bead, believed to be the oldest pearl ever found in Qatar.

There are undoubtedly more hidden treasures yet to be discovered, but what we know already, according to Carter, suggests that the pearling industry was far more crucial to Qatar’s history than it is often acknowledged.

Carter states, “Without the pearl fishery, it’s likely that only the Bedouin would have remained here.”