The Abu Dhabi Pearl is an 8,000-year-old pearl that was discovered on Marawah Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi making it the world's oldest known pearl. ^{[1] [3]}

Archaeologists made the discovery in the room of a structure they were excavating. They then used radiocarbon dating to determine that it formed between 5800 B.C and 5600 B.C., making it the oldest pearl ever to be discovered. ^[1]

The pearl is less than a third of a centimetre in diameter and in photos, appears to be pale pink in color. It's set to feature in an upcoming exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi titled "10,000 Years of Luxury," which opens on October 30, 2019. ^[3]

Other historical sources and texts suggest that Abu Dhabi was widely known for its pearls, and was a major trading hub for them by the 16th century.

The Venetian jewel merchant Gasparo Balbi traveled through the region in the 16th century, and mentioned the islands off the Abu Dhabi coast as a source of pearls. ^[3]