For millennia, pearling and its associated trades shaped the economy and culture of Bahrain’s island society. Pearling in Bahrain dates back thousands of years, with archaeological evidence suggesting pearl diving was practiced as early as 2000 B.C.E., making it one of the oldest-known industries in the region. The abundance of oysters in the shallow waters of the Arabian Gulf made it an ideal location for pearling, and Bahrain’s geographic position helped it become a center for this lucrative trade.

© Anne Holtrop

As a center for pearling, Bahrain was the regional economic hub where pearl divers and other crew from across the Gulf arrived to test their fate onboard dhows (various types of sailing vessels used by Arabs on the east African, Arabian and Indian coasts). The outcome of the pearling season provided a livelihood for many local residents and their trades, including merchants, boat owners and makers, captains, divers, haulers, and sail-makers.

The spatial and architectural testimony of the pearling economy in Muharraq and northern waters of Bahrain are the last remaining examples representing the complete narrative of the cultural tradition of pearling. With more than 4,000 years of pearling history behind the Kingdom, the pearl fisheries of Tylos (the ancient name for Bahrain) have been well documented throughout history.

Bahrain’s rich history is deeply intertwined with the pearl trade and nowhere is this more evident than in Muharraq, the island’s former capital and a UNESCO-listed hub of Bahraini heritage. With the recent opening of the newly revitalized Siyadi Pearl Museum, this legacy has been given a new home, one celebrating the Kingdom’s storied past while preserving its cultural and economic significance.

Amongst the iconic structures, the Siyadi and Murad family clusters in Muharraq are essential components of the Pearling Path, since both families were highly involved as pearl merchants. The Siyadi Majlis is an architecturally unique example of a majlis in which Tajir Al-Lulu received pearl buyers from as far as India and Europe. Siyadi Majlis was the scene of negotiations over special pearl collections.

© Anne Holtrop

Fortunately, Studio Anne Holtrop is currently active in Muharraq, involved in several significant projects. They recently restored Siyadi Pearl Museum and mosque, using a plastering technique that maintains the historic qualities of the buildings.

Anne Holtrop, former resident of Holland, met wife Noura Al Sayeh as she was planning and commissioning architectural works in Bahrain, and they have been the architectural force behind the Pearling Path. They are involved in the conservation and new additions of 11 UNESCO-listed heritage buildings in Muharraq, including the former king’s house and Qaysariya Suq. Holtrop’s work reflects a focus on material processes and the integration of existing architecture with modern design.

The first step of the restoration of the Siyadi Majlis and Mosque was the removal of the incompatible additions and modifications built over time. Stripped down to the remaining historic elements, the missing parts of the building were added by extending the existing walls and their directions, more or less based on the historic foundations. The newly complete rooms are used for exhibiting pearl jewelry and loose pearls from the collections of Bahrain National Museum, Mattar Jewelers and Cartier Collection.

The historic construction material is coral stone (froush), finished fully with a lime-based plaster. The historic plaster is built in two layers, a first thick layer of plaster thrown by hand on the coral stone wall construction, and a fine smooth layer applied as a wall finish. Often, this final layer has carved gypsum and lime reliefs and painted decorations. The impressive guestroom of Siyadi Majlis features outstanding decorative motifs that cannot be seen anywhere else in Muharraq.

© Anne Holtrop

To distinguish the new walls of Siyadi Pearl Museum and Mosque, workers invented a new plastering technique, where both layers remain visible. After the first rough layer, a smooth layer of around 8 feet in width is partially smeared over the surface from bottom to top, resulting in large surfaces with irregular boundaries and a smooth top surface. In this way, a new, distinctive technique for plastering is proposed, while maintaining the intrinsic plaster characteristic of the past.

In the main exhibition room, with a height of 21 feet, the plaster surfaces are finished with silver foil. Silver has the character to create a patina just by air and humidity, giving it a soft golden hue. The silver finish of the main room relates to the historically rich decorations of the interiors, such as that of Siyadi Majlis.

During visits to Siyadi Pearl Museum, guests get to see some of the tools and traditions that made Bahraini pearls among the most coveted in the world, with the opportunity for close-up looks at the stunning pearl jewelry from the earliest of times.