Name of Object:

Pearling Scales with their casing

Location:

Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (Sharjah)

Holding Institution:

Sharjah Maritime Museum / Sharjah Museums Department

 About Sharjah Museums Authority, Sharjah

Date of Object:

Hegira late 13th – early 14th century / AD late 19th – early 20th century

Author:

Unknown

Inventory Number:

SM1999-77

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Wood, copper alloy, fibre

Dimensions:

Length 152 mm, width 27 mm

Provenance:

Sharjah Emirate

Description:

Pearling scales (mizan, pl. muwazin) like these were an essential tool for any pearl merchant as all aspects of a pearl’s physical appearance – its shape, hue, perfection, size and indeed weight - all determined its value and saleability. The scales typically consisted of small hemispherical copper alloy bowls suspended by simple string from a balance. Polished agate or - more rarely - copper alloy weights were used to determine the pearls' weights accurately. In order to prevent the scales from getting damaged, they were carefully stored in a purpose-made copper alloy container. The scales were generally made in India, with one known centre located in Ahmedabad.

Type of Object

Copper alloy and fibre pearling scales with metal and wood casing

Citation of this web page:

Ulrike al-Khamis "Pearling Scales with their casing" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;ua;38;en

Prepared by: Ulrike Al-Khamis

MWNF Working Number: UA 039