Caitlin,
Thank you so much for this! this is very interesting - I used the word imperfect - really from the concept of 'perfect beauty' and how that is, and has been percieved in the past, not just for pearls but the idea of what is considered beautiful. So imperfect from the measure of perfection only.
Those links look excellent especially the little one where the shape looks like it has another grown from it. I think you might have found it! many thanks. I will take another look at both of them.
The Bahraini ones also sound interesting from the point of view that I am doing a 'water under the sand' piece along side the pearl one, which concerns the fresh water that comes out from the Saudi Arabian desert in Oman (I read the divers used to fill up here before they went out to sea)
and that the peninsular countries are currently finding ways to tap this
LINK
I have quite something to go on here! many thanks
debbie