Cultural
Activités perlières, témoignage d’une économie insulaire
Bahreïn
Pearl diving activities in Bahrain represent a significant cultural heritage linked to the island nation's maritime economy and historical trade networks. The site encompasses the physical and intangible dimensions of traditional pearl fishing practices, including diving techniques, boat construction, and commercial infrastructure that sustained island communities for centuries. Located in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain's pearl beds were among the most productive in the region and attracted merchants and divers from across the Indian Ocean trade sphere. The heritage includes both underwater pearl beds and associated onshore sites such as trading posts, storage facilities, and residential quarters of pearl merchants and workers. These pearl diving activities document an economic system that profoundly shaped Bahraini society, architecture, and cultural practices prior to the oil economy. The site testifies to the sophisticated knowledge systems, social hierarchies, and international commercial connections that characterized pre-modern island economies.
