Emily Chan
On Siniyah Island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a team of researchers has possibly identified a lost ancient city that was once famous for its pearls.
They uncovered a collection of residential buildings believed to have been part of the city of Tu’am. It marks the first time that archaeologists have found physical evidence of an older pearling town from the Persian Gulf.
The city was mentioned in historical records, but its location had never been clearly established. Previously, researchers thought Tu’am was in other regions of the UAE, but the findings on Siniyah Island disprove that idea.
Siniyah Island’s name means “flashing lights,” which might come from the effect of the white-hot sun shining overhead.
The residential buildings that the archaeologists identified were made of beach rock and limestone mortar. Some of the homes were smaller and cramped, while others were larger and more spacious, suggesting the existence of a social hierarchy.
Inside the structures, there were loose pearls and diving weights that were used to help people search for the gemstones on the seabed.
Tu’am dates back at least to the fourth century and reached its peak in the sixth. Scholars suspect that the city used to be the capital of a coastal territory now known as the UAE. Ancient sources described the settlement as a major pearl fishing center that produced high-quality products.
However, sometime during the sixth century, Tu’am fell into decline. The main reasons for the city’s decline were regional tensions and a bubonic plague epidemic that swept through the Near East, the Mediterranean region, and other areas of Europe.
Eventually, the city was forgotten. But the latest finds are bringing the lost settlement back into the light. In recent years, archaeologists have also unearthed a Christian monastery dating back around 1,400 years within the same zone of the island.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
