A photograph of the pearl divers on display at the Pearl Museum at Emirates NBD head office in Deira, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Stamps picturing pearl-diving tools, with a half piece of pearl placed at the corner of each stamp. These were issued in 2005. Reem Mohammed / The National
Men who once worked as crew on pearl-diving ships help out on their friend's racing dhow. Many still gather with other pearl divers in Umm Sequim 1, a fishing port near Burj Al Arab. Nicole Hill / The National
Young men hunt for pearls in the oysters they harvest while participating in the Kuwait Sea Sports Club's Pearl Diving Heritage Revival Festival in 2010.
Jossem Al Ameni, 19, and Mashal Al Dhiferi, 24, dive for pearls in the Arabian Sea in 2009. Andrew Henderson / The National
Kuwaitis sail in traditional dhows during preparations for the annual pearl diving expedition in 2009. Andrew Henderson / The National
Attiq Khalfan, left, and Ahmed Majed, back right, once worked as crew on pearl-diving ships. Nicole Hill / The National
A traditional pearl-diving experience is recreated for tourists as part of an EMAG and Jumeirah-run event in Dubai in 2012. Antonie Robertson / The National
Boats sail into the Arabian Sea off the coast of Khairan, Kuwait, the traditional site for the Al Ghous Festival, to undertake in the 23rd pearl diving expedition in 2009. Andrew Henderson / The National
Bakeet Bin Safan, pictured in 2008, used to work on a pearl diving ship. Nicole Hill / The National
A photograph of pearl diver Faraj Al Muhairbi's souvenir pearls, collected over a lifetime of diving. Sarah Dea / The National
An organiser holds pearls that young sailors found in oysters on August 4, 2009 during the Al Ghous Festival in Kuwait. Andrew Henderson / The National
The divers would use a fettam, a clip made of turtle shell or sheep's bone, to keep their nostrils closed while underwater. Andrew Henderson / The National
