The Book of Pearls is a stunning visual and cultural tribute to Bahrain’s rich pearling heritage, captured through the lens of legendary Bahraini photographer Abdulla Mohammad Alkhan. This book brings to life the soul of a bygone era — one defined by courage, endurance, and the sea.
Featuring powerful black-and-white photography, it documents the daily lives of pearl divers, their boats (dhows), tools, and traditions — offering a rare, intimate look into a profession that shaped the identity and economy of Bahrain before the oil era.
The book offers a comprehensive view of the lives of divers, including diving tools, the diseases they suffered from, protests, agreements, and the myths associated with the profession. It also includes names of important books about diving and famous quotes from the lives of divers.
This book is more than a photographic collection; it is a historical archive and a heartfelt homage to the men who dove deep for treasures that built a nation’s legacy.
