Pearl diving in Kuwait — in pictures

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  The crews use ropes to reel in the divers and their catches after they free-dive using only a wooden nose clip to the oyster fields on the seabed.

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  Kuwaiti divers look for pearls in shells they picked. Each year, dozens of young Kuwaitis go to sea in an attempt to preserve the tradition of pearl diving.

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  Once the cornerstone of the Arabian Gulf’s economy, the pearl industry thrived in the 19th Century before the discovery of oil.

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  The pearl-diving trips are held under the patronage of the Kuwaiti emir.

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  To stop the skills and customs associated with this important part of Kuwait’s heritage from dying out, pearl-diving trips take place every summer.

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  Aboard traditional sailing dhows, the young men, many still teenagers, learn how to sail, dive, prepare the boats and sing songs as Kuwaitis did in the past.

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  Kuwaitis sail in traditional dhows.

Like the UAE, pearl-diving is an important part of Kuwait’s heritage. Trips are held annually under the patronage of the Kuwaiti emir to keep the tradition alive. All photos by Yasser Al Zayyat / AFP Photo