Iconic jeweller Jacques Cartier’s much-celebrated journey to Bahrain will be the focus of a new book celebrating the kingdom and the region’s rich heritage by historian and author Dr Abdullah Mohammed Al Sulaiti.
The researcher, who has delved into the world of the famous Frenchman for more than three years studying and interviewing families directly related to him, recently staged a lecture at the Bahrain National Museum entitled ‘Jacques Cartier’s Journey to Bahrain in 1912’ featuring material that had rarely been displayed in public.
“One of the main focuses of the event was sharing these images, talking about the photographs and their significance,” the 49-year-old from Riffa explained. “They’re very useful for researchers, writers, artists or anyone looking into the history and customs of Bahrain and the Gulf, particularly pearl trading which Jacques was involved in.
“Few people at the time were taking images of Bahrain. He probably wasn’t even thinking they would ever be published when he took them 110 years ago!
“It’s most likely he took them to help memorise the visit, for his family and company but, I’m sure, he never thought that one day they would be very important to nations to study and compare the past with the present and plan for the future.
“Some of the images of Jacques’ journey featuring Muharraq and Manama were being seen for the first time. I’m so excited about publishing this book because of the Bahraini historical significance.”
According to Mr Cartier’s great granddaughter Francesca Cartier Brickell, the English author of The Cartiers: Untold Story of the Family Behind the Jewellery Empire who visited the kingdom during Jewellery Arabia last year, 60 per cent of their jewellery designs featured natural pearls.
This was largely made possible through Mr Cartier’s trip, the youngest of the three Cartier brothers, in 1912 to Bahrain which had earned the nickname, ‘The land of pearls’.
She discovered a trunk load of letters in her grandfather’s cellar 11 years ago containing his diaries in which he recorded and commented on the places he visited, the food he ate, the people he met and the gems he bought.
Apparently, the whole Bahrain experience ‘really blew his mind’ ... and the jeweller’s joy could be seen in the images.
“He shared the beautiful pictures he took on this historical trip and what it contained about Bahrain’s landmarks, such as Manama and Muharraq, plus the reception he received from Shaikh Isa ibn Ali Al Khalifa, the ruler of Bahrain at the time,” explained Dr Al Sulaiti.
“He also touched on the pearl trade in Bahrain and the Gulf and his relationship with the merchant Muqbil Al Thukair.”
The doctor also mentioned Mr Cartier’s journey in pearl diving, his visit to Al Khamis Mosque and the royal burial mounds in A’ali during the lecture.
He also shared Mr Cartier’s interest in Bahrain’s donkeys which aided him during his travel and when boarding from the boat to be taken to the beach, so that he would not ruin his clothing.
He took quite a few images of the donkeys and dubbed them ‘as valuable as horses’.
According to Dr Al Sulaiti, many travellers at this time used to talk about the famous Bahraini donkeys.
Mr Cartier also took an image of Shaikh Ali’s royal carriage that had been gifted to him by the late British Queen Victoria.
“I was able to obtain these photos from the Cartier archives in Paris, which contain many historical photographs of his trip to Bahrain,” added Dr Al Sulaiti, who has a PhD in Historical Geography and a Masters in Geographic Information Systems from Portsmouth University in the UK.
He also has a general diploma in history from Saint Joseph University in Lebanon and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in History from Beirut Arab University along with a BA in applied geography and a minor in history.
He has held many posts in the field of antiquities and modern history in the Arabian Gulf and has published several publications over the years. His most important was the Forts in Bahrain book and his other publication Pictures and Memories about Bahrain.
“I will be focusing on Cartier for the next year but my aim is not just to write about Bahrain,” he said. “I would like to include other parts of the Arab world, including Oman, Egypt or Saudi Arabia.”
At around the same time as the Cartier book, he will also be looking at the former Egyptian royal family’s jewellery. The monarchy was abolished in 1953 following the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 and the establishment of a republic.
mai@gdnmedia.bh
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