Umm al Quwain: Oldest Pearl in the World The oldest pearl in the
world is found in the United Arab Emirates, according to AOL
news/Huffpost this morning: French researchers are flashing
their pearly whites after a historic discovery: what’s believed
to be the oldest pearl in the history of the human world.
Discovered in a grave, the Umm al Quwain pearl — named for the
location in the United Arab Emirates where it was found — has
been carbon-dated back to the 5500 B.C., during the Neolithic
Period, which makes it more than 7,500 years old, Press Trust of
India reports. Previously, the oldest known pearl was just over
5,000 years old. According to Discovery News, the pearl is 0.07
inches in diameter and remains fully intact. Pearls buried with
the deceased were typically either half-drilled for a man or
fully drilled for a woman, though unpierced pearls were often
placed on the deceased’s upper lip. The discovery provides
insight into the origins of pearl oyster hunting, suggesting the
practice began in Arabia