Al Sinn: The stone anchor of the Persian Gulf pearl fishery

The distinctive triangular stone anchor, the sinn, used primarily in the Persian Gulf pearl fishery, acts as a calling card of this significant cultural activity. Seasonal pearling employed more than half the coastal population of several Gulf States and affected virtually every aspect of the local economy, and has been carried on in the Gulf for thousands of years (Carter 2005: 140). Historical use of the sinn is described as early as 1508, and the anchor is depicted in petroglyphs of undetermined age in Qatar (Badger 1863: 95; Pilcher et al. 2003: 38). Yet, there are very few material remains known of pearling equipment older than living memory (Carter 2005: 168–169).