H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qawain, signed on Monday here at the Emiri court, a new postage stamp which depicts the earliest-known pearl found on an archaeological site.

This came when he received Emirates Post Group's delegation including Mohammed Sultan Al Qadi, Chairman of Emirates Post Group; Abdullah Al Ashram, Acting Chief Executive of Emirates Post Group; Yousef Al Khaja, CEO of Networks at the Group, and a number of officials of the group who called to deliver to him a copy of the postage stamp.

The Ruler was briefed on the decision to issue the stamp, which contains an image of the pearl. It was excavated at an archaeological site known as UAQ (Umm al-Qaiwain)-2, which dates back to the Neolithic period, perhaps as far back as 7,500 years ago. It is the oldest pearl known to have been excavated at an archaeological site anywhere in the world.

Sheikha Al Amiri, Director of Events and Stamps at Emirates Post Group, said that, in cooperation with the Department of Museums and Heritage at Umm al Qaiwain and a group of Emirati youth, the pearl had been photographed by using high technology.

The event was attended by H.H. Sheikh Rashid bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Crown Prince of Umm Al Qaiwain; Sheikh Saif bin Rashid Al Mualla, Head of the Department of Economic Development; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Deputy Chairman of the UAQ Executive Council; Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla; Nasser Saeed Al Talai, Director of the Emiri Court, and Rashid Mohamed Ahmed, Director of Protocol.