Records show that humans encountered pearls as early as 4,000 BC, making pearls arguably the oldest gemstone in the world. Today, let's talk about the historically recorded origins of natural pearls.
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf boasts the oldest pearl history, dating back approximately 4,000 years. Rocky reefs along the Arabian Peninsula coast, at depths exceeding 20 meters, accumulated nutrients from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, making it a fertile fishing ground. It was home to the Hapu pearl oyster, similar to the Japanese Akoya oyster, and people primarily harvested natural pearls from Bahrain.
The pearl industry reached its peak around 1900, reportedly employing over 20,000 divers. However, in the 1930s, a global economic downturn, coupled with increased labor demand from oil exploration and the emergence of cultured pearls in Japan, led to a rapid decline in the local pearl industry. The Persian Gulf's natural pearl industry came to an end in the 1960s.
Celyon
Ceylon has a long history with pearls, with records dating back to around 550 BC. The ancient Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder described Ceylon as "the world's most pearl-producing region," and Marco Polo's "Travels in the East" also provides detailed accounts of pearl harvesting. The pearl oysters in this region are called Ceylon pearl oysters.
Because their appearance is unpredictable—they may appear in large numbers one year and disappear completely the following year—pearl harvesting is irregular. Unfortunately, by the 19th century, over-harvesting of pearl oysters led to their near extinction, causing the pearl industry to decline.
Americas
In the Americas, the local people and pearls have had an inseparable bond since ancient times, whether they are marine or freshwater pearls. Among the artifacts unearthed from Indigenous sites in Mexico and Peru are pearl ornaments. After Columbus discovered the Americas, pearls gradually gained global appreciation. There are three main types of pearl oysters inhabiting American waters: the Caribbean Aguya oyster, the Panamanian black-lipped oyster, and the rainbow mackerel oyster. It's easy to imagine the astonishment of European royalty and nobility, accustomed to the white pearls from the Persian Gulf and Ceylon, when they first saw the grey and black black-lipped or rainbow mackerel pearls. Unfortunately, it is said that the resources of these pearl oysters were depleted due to overfishing in the 18th century.
Freshwater pearls gained global attention in the mid-19th century. On one occasion, someone accidentally discovered a huge pearl in an edible shellfish and sold it at a high price, thus making pearls famous and sparking a pearl craze. Ultimately, the influx of people searching for pearls in the rivers led to the depletion of all the mother-of-pearl oysters. In the late 19th century, freshwater bivalves became the raw material for buttons, so pearl oysters were once again targeted for harvesting, and their byproduct—natural pearls—were exported to Europe. Soon after, with the rise of cultured pearl farming in Japan, freshwater bivalves from the Americas were heavily harvested for use as nuclei in pearl farming. Natural pearls discovered at that time are now widely available in the market.
Europe
All natural pearls in Europe are freshwater pearls produced by freshwater mussels. Freshwater mussels have a wide distribution across Europe, with Scotland, Russia, and Bavaria (present-day southern Germany) being the most popular pearl-producing regions. Scottish pearls entered the market around the 12th century and reached their peak in the 18th century. Queen Victoria and other royalty wore pearls as everyday jewelry, and this trend spread throughout Europe until the outbreak of World War I. The pearl industry did not recover after the war. In Russia, pearl harvesting continued throughout the Middle Ages, primarily for creating images and embroidery of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and saints. This tradition persisted until the end of the Russian Empire. Grails and crosses decorated with pearls from that era have survived to this day.
Bavarian pearls were first introduced to Paris in the 14th century, competing fiercely with Scottish pearls. While Scottish pearls were predominantly white, Bavarian pearls came in a wide variety of colors and shapes, and although slightly smaller, they commanded almost the same prices as Scottish pearls.
Japan
Surrounded by the sea, Japan also has pearl oysters inhabiting various regions, including Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Based on shell remains found throughout Japan, it is believed that the Japanese people in the past already knew how to harvest shellfish for food. Natural pearls produced by abalone and Akoya oysters, which are widely distributed throughout Japan, were crafted into jewelry and highly valued. The earliest records of pearls appear multiple times in ancient Japanese books. The term "shiratama" (note: this is the Japanese pronunciation of white pearl shiratama) is also mentioned. Furthermore, a famous and well-preserved pearl in Japan is housed in the Sangatsu-do Hall of Todai-ji Temple in Nara, built around 748 (Tenpyō 20).
Inside the hall is a statue of Amoghasiddhi Kannon (Avalokitesvara), whose urna (white curls between the eyebrows inlaid with beads) is a flat, round pearl approximately 7.6 mm in diameter and weighing about 0.375 grams; the crown is about 12 mm long and weighs 0.75 grams, with a pearl shaped like an eggplant. However, in terms of quantity and preservation, the most representative treasures are the pearls in the Shosoin Repository in Nara. The Shosoin was built to house the imperial artifacts offered to the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple on Emperor Shomu's seventh death anniversary in 756 (the 8th year of the Tenpyō-shōhō era). It still preserves 4,158 pearls produced approximately 1,200 years ago. Of these, 3,830 were used by Emperor Shomu and Empress Kōmyō at the Great Buddha's eye-opening ceremony, and are fragments of the emperor's crown.
In addition, pearls were also used on treasures such as scabbards for daggers and sashes (dangling ornaments) used by Emperor Shomu at the Great Buddha's eye-opening ceremony. Based on material analysis, most of these pearls are natural pearls from the Akoya shell, with another portion being natural pearls from abalone. Records of pearls from the Nara period onwards are more numerous, so we can believe that the name "Akoya shell" originated from this era. These stories may illustrate that the Sea of Japan is home to abundant and high-quality pearl oysters, and also reflect the culture and history of the Japanese people coexisting with pearl oysters and pearls since ancient times.