A Dying Craft
Damascus Syria 2011
A couple of years before I went to Syria, I searched Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar for coppersmiths. There aren’t any these days. The Grand Bazaar is like a modern shopping mall and all the atmosphere that was priceless has been painted and tiled over. What a shame. And now, even more shameful, the old cities of Damascus and Aleppo are being bombed and burned.
This man was working on a side street in the Hammadiyeh Souk. I’d blundered along through the winding streets asking now and then and finally found it. There were quite a few men hammering out these large copper pots. I couldn’t ask anyone what they were used for as no one spoke English. I guess they could be used for cooking for large groups. Storing water or olive oil? Can you store olive oil in copper?
I hope the men in the coppersmith souk are safe these days.
Thanks – this is a beautiful picture. I hope they are safe too.
Hi, Mary.
Thanks for writing and for checking my blog. I know you are a subscriber and I hope you feel as if you are getting an email from a friend when you open them each day. I think that looking at these photos gives us a feeling of empathy for the Syrian people as well as a glimpse into what their lives are like.
Regards,
Rosemary
Hello Rosemary,
Beautifully captured, I think the value for this artisan came from your side, which is appreciable i hope he must have realized the real value of his work at present time.but the people do not value there precious traditional knowledge, one should understand the other aspects of development, where it will affect.
We in India specially in my city, Jaipur, the king of the city had dedicated one place for these crafts people when the city was about to established, to encourage and motivate these people for there craft. And still now days you can hear the sound of bitten hammer when you by pass that street. Designers are using these crafts in contemporary designs to promote the craft.
Hello, Durgesh,
I’m glad you found my blog. I didn’t know that Jaipur had a special street for coppersmiths and other artisans. I do remember watching a woman cutting the uneven knots on a handmade carpet in Jaipur. She had a special pair of scissors that enabled her to cut evenly. If I return to Jaipur, the artisan’s street will be at the top of my list.
Best wishes to you.
Rosemary