Elements

Palm Tree:

• The Palm trees are a native tree to Bahrain and have been in existence for millenniums, However the prosperity of these tree gardens across the Island was the result of the agricultural cultivation method used in the beginning of the Islamic era, during which the people followed the ways of Islam and the sharia. Palm trees are considered to be a sign of wealth and prosperity.
• Palm tree gardens are of great importance to the community as Bahrain was once known as the land of a million palm trees.
• As people grew fond of palm trees, they began to invent systems and practices for the preservation of this sacred tree. One of these inventions were the water canal; which were built by the people to preserve and transport water from the natural springs and aquifers to the agricultural lands, however today the existence of these canals have vanished due to the increased infrastructure development in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Pottery:

• One of the oldest inventions in history, the art of pottery has been practiced in Bahrain since the first civilization and has survived to this day. Many of the archaeological find are pieces of pottery used by the people of Dilmun and the neighboring civilizations such as the Mesopotamian and the Indus Valley.
• Today pottery is being practiced mainly in the town of A’ali and has been the center of this craft for centuries as some of the Royal mounds have been used as pottery ovens most likely during the Islamic era. The raw material used in pottery is clay which is found locally in the area of Riffa in the area of Al – Hunainiya.
• There are two methods used in the craft of pottery making:
• Use of the hands: the artisan molds the clay into a long string like a snake, and then layer it on top of each other until it is satisfied by the shape and height of the pot, the artisan then creates a base and places it on the bottom opening of the pot, it is then refined and smoothed out and placed in the oven.
• Using the wheel: the artisan places the clay on the wheel which he then turns it using his feet as he shapes the pot and determines the size, he then places it in the oven.

Gold:

• Gold sold in Bahrain have the highest level of purity in the world, ranging from 22 carats, to 18 carats and in some occasions 14. At the crossroads of trade and commerce gold and silver were brought from Africa and India and are formulated locally.
• The types of jewelry pieces range from a variety of shapes and sizes, the patterns used in traditional jewelry are influenced by the Islamic symbols such as the Hilal; crescent, which represents the waxing of the moon, ushering in each new month.
• In Bahraini culture the amount of gold and jewelry reflected a woman’s wealth and social status, it is a commodity women pass down to their offspring’s and could last for generations.

Pearl:

• One of the most demanded activities prior to the 1930’s was pearl diving as it supplied more than 80% of the world’s pearl market. Pearls found in Bahrain are some of the finest pearls found in the world and have been cultivated in the island of Muharraq for over 4000 years.
• The Pearling activity took place during the season of Al-Ghus Al-Kabir, which starts from the end of May or beginning of June to the end of September or beginning of October. Along the journey the pearling crew travel by traditional dhows from one oyster bed to another in search of the best Pearl.
• Pearl jewelry has been an object of intense desire since ancient times. Pierced pearls as items of jewelry dating to around 5,000 BC have been found at coastal sites in the Arabian Gulf region. Up until the turn of the 20th century, most Bahraini pearls were exported to Bombay, where they were classed, matched and drilled before being resold.
• Later leading French, British and American jewelers began to visit Bahrain to secure the finest pearls at source. Among them was Jacques Cartier, who visited Bahrain to select natural pearls for his exceptional jewelry, initiating a relationship between Cartier and Bahrain that endures to this day.
• The millennia-long tradition of crafting fine jewelry with natural Bahrain pearls is still being continued in Bahrain by a handful of artisans. Bahrain prohibits the import or trade of cultured pearls, and boasts a state-of-the-art pearl testing laboratory to ensure every pearl sold in Bahrain is natural.