Bahrain's pottery craft survives modernization
Date
12/30/2015 5:26:04 AM
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Mohammad Al-Enezi
MANAMA Dec 30 (KUNA) -- With ongoing modernization and economic boom in the Kingdom of Bahrain plenty of traditional crafts have vanished; however some have survived and have been preserved by a few Bahraini artisans.
Pottery is a craft dating back to 500 years ago; an industry that has remained a landmark tradition in face of the encroaching changes of civilization with the products being marketed locally and abroad.
Al-A'li village west of the Bahraini capital has remained the major location for the potteries' making since more than a century ago. The craft has been preserved due to care by state authorities.
The craftsman makes the pottery using a mixture of mud and water that is placed on a revolving wheel. The wet piece is kept at dry location for a whole day before being placed in a special oven; before being immersed in cold water to harden.
Abdullah Al-Shoghol interview by Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said the traditional industry has remained largely unchanged since 500 years ago however some changes have taken place such as usage of gas-powered ovens instead of wood-fired ones.
Mud is fetched from locations in the south of the Kingdom after rainfalls. The Government allows scooping up the mud four times per year. At the factories the mud is placed in water. The mixture passes through a machine for cleansing of sands and pebbles and other unneeded residues. The mud is later dried for 20 days before the manufacturing begins.
Asked about segments of buyers Al-Shoghol explained to the Kuwaiti news network that in the old times these potteries were widely used by the people of Bahrain for cooking and food keeping in addition to various other purposes however nowadays most of the buyers purchase the pieces for decoration.
Abbas Al-Asafrah owner of a pottery store says many Bahrainis buy the pottery pieces as a reminder of old times while the foreigners tend to have them as travel souvenirs.
Pottery craft exists throughout the Arabian Gulf namely in the UAE and Oman. However the Bahraini products are of high quality and distinctive colors. Moreover the local artisans are highly skilled and very much creative.
Sales of the potteries increase on some occasions such as fasting month of Ramadan eids weddings and students' graduation.
Encroaching architectural and construction development has limited spots rich in the raw material thus largely affecting the traditional craft. (end) mga.rk
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