The pearling industry, which created a period of wealth for the United Arab Emirates from the late 19th century through the second decade of the 20th century, relied on extensive expertise, from shipbuilding to sailing. But the most complex process of all was the pearl diving voyage, which lasted four months during summer. Above, a Sambuq full of pearl divers on their way to a diving trip in Abu Dhabi.
Alain Saint-Hilaire/National Archives