Pearling Path in Bahrain on UNESCO World Heritage List

It’s rare that a tourism project works well for both visitors and residents, but the Bahrain Pearling Path, has succeeded where many have failed. Winding through the former capital Muharraq, Bahrain, the 2.2-mile path connects the beach where pearl divers once set off from to the residences of former divers to impressive merchant homes and other historic sites. Lampposts, reminiscent of floating pearls, lead the way through the labyrinthine lanes, while historic markers and detailed descriptions provide context for the recently unveiled project, a dozen years after the Gulf nation’s pearling history was formally recognized by UNESCO. Each of the path’s public squares is named after a type of pearl, such as Sajni (drop-shaped pearls) or Badla (baroque shapes), and the path is shady, lined with trees and benches, which invite old and young alike to gather and play. The visitor center, designed by Valerio Olgiati, digs into Bahrain’s pearling history and fits well in the old quarter.

“Pearling, Testimony of an Island Economy” is a serial nomination consisting of 15 property components: three vast oyster beds located in the northern territorial waters of Bahrain, one seashore site at the southern tip of Bahrain’s Muharraq Island, and nine clusters of historic buildings consisting of seventeen architectural structures embedded in the urban fabric of Muharraq city. Taken together, the fifteen individual sites reflect the final expression and last remaining – and thus outstanding – example of a cultural tradition that dominated the Arabian Gulf from prehistory to the early 20th century.

Visitors to the area can follow "The Path", a pathway extending 3.5 kilometers from the Bu Mahir seashore to Siyadi complex in the heart of Muharraq. This includes various buildings which were involved in the pearling economy, especially in the 19th century. The path also includes a modern-built visitor centre, 16 public squares, a number of cultural buildings and 4 car parking structures.

The buildings listed by UNESCO were the residences and majlises of pearl merchants, traders, divers, along with trade establishments, storage houses and the Siyadi family mosque.


Although Muharraq’s pearling economy subsided in the 1930s, the grand narrative it produced remains the most significant source of Bahraini cultural identity. More than a mere “story”, this grand narrative is a comprehensive, shared memory and a thorough explanation of historical experience and traditional knowledge that provides meaning to contemporary identity throughout the Arabian Gulf.


Sources:https://time.com/6992368/pearling-path/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain_Pearling_Trail

https://pearlingpath.bh/en/