Their world was the oyster: Oldest pearl town found in UAE

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press

SINIYAH ISLAND, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Archaeologists say they have found the oldest pearling town in the Persian Gulf on an island off one of the northern sheikhdoms of the United Arab Emirates. The discovery further expands this young nation’s understanding of its pre-Islamic history. Archaeologists announced Monday that artifacts found in this town on Siniyah Island in Umm al-Quwain date as far back as the late 6th century. While older pearling towns have been mentioned in historical texts, this represents the first time archaeologists say they have physically found one from this ancient era across the nations of the Persian Gulf.