The history of glassblowing in Damascus dates back more than two thousand years, since the time of the Phoenicians.

The craft of glassblowing in Syria involves blowing, rotating, and processing the glass to create specific shapes, such as hookah bottles, vases, and plates.

Traditional glassblowing in Syria is considered one of the types of plastic arts.

The Syrian capital, Damascus, is known for its ancient walks, attractive colors, and distinct traditional industries, including glassblowing, which has been threatened by modern technology.

Many Damascene families have names attributed to traditional professions, such as textile professions, shoe manufacturing, and clothing and fabrics, which have historical and social value.

The names of families associated with traditional professions, such as Bait al-Hayek, Bait al-Jazmati, and Bait al-Khayat, reflect the values, culture, and socio-economic level of those families.

Modern technology has become a real threat to traditional crafts, including glassblowing, which has been abandoned by many grandchildren of traditional craftsmen.

The traditional crafts of Damascus, including glassblowing, have left a great impact on the life of the Damascene community and should be preserved through specialized projects.

Some families in Damascus have diversified their professions over time, such as the barber family who moved to work in the soap industry, and the Arqsousi family who turned to carpentry.

The names of Damascene families are related to a variety of professions, including confectionery, education, science, culture, medicine, blacksmithing, and military professions.

The craft of making boxes and other objects, such as hoods, has been associated with certain families, like the Mahayri family, which has been famous for this craft.

Syria has a rich cultural heritage with over 5,000 archaeological sites, including 2,865 registered and documented sites, and six sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The National Museum in Damascus, established over 105 years ago, preserves treasures of Syrian civilizations and is considered a valuable resource for traditional Syrian culture and overlapping accumulations of cultures.

The Syrian World Heritage has been a target of deliberate destruction due to the terrorist war, but initiatives are being established to restore and preserve Syrian antiquities.

The preservation of cultural heritage is important for strengthening Syrian identity and consolidating cultural continuity in the development of humanity.

The National Museum in Damascus was closed and turned into a large store of antiquities after 2011, but was partially reopened in 2018 to reconnect with the local community.

Syria has participated in international exhibitions, including temporary exhibitions at the National Museum of Oman and the National Museum of Prague, to promote cultural exchange and display Syrian antiquities.

'Surprising Syria' in China has attracted nearly one million visitors and has been extended for two new years, highlighting the success of cultural exchange between Syria and China.

The authenticity of Syrian artifacts participating in international exhibitions is a fundamental value in an era of rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Preserving the beauty of ancestors' knowledge and highlighting it as a heritage of humanity is one of the main roles of museums and international exhibitions.

The Syrian intangible cultural heritage includes traditional crafts such as glassblowing, which is an important part of the country's cultural identity.

The craft of glassblowing in Syria has been recognized by UNESCO and is included in the list of intangible human heritage.

Efforts are being made to preserve traditional crafts like glassblowing in Syria, with the support of institutions and bodies such as the Syrian Secretariat for Development and the Ministry of Tourism.

The preservation of traditional crafts like glassblowing is seen as essential to protecting Syria's national identity and cultural heritage.

Glassblowing is one of the traditional crafts associated with the Levantine Rose, a symbol of Syrian culture and heritage.

The Syrian government and institutions are working to promote and preserve traditional crafts like glassblowing, including through events and seminars such as the one held by the Quneitra branch of the Arab Writers Union.

The importance of preserving traditional crafts like glassblowing is highlighted in the context of globalization, which poses a threat to Syria's cultural identity and heritage.

The preservation of traditional crafts like glassblowing is seen as a means of proving Syria's existence and authenticity in the world.

UNESCO included traditional glassblowing on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity that needs urgent preservation in December 2023.

The traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is facing threats to its preservation, as evidenced by the evacuation of craftsmen from the Sulaymaniyah Tekke in Damascus.

The Sulaymaniyah Tekke, a historic site in Damascus, has been undergoing restoration since 2019, with the first phase focusing on the glass market.

The glass market in the Sulaymaniyah Tekke was previously evacuated for restoration, but its current status and whether it will return to its original purpose are unclear.

The handicrafts market in the Sulaymaniyah Tekke, which includes traditional glassblowing shops, is at risk of being displaced due to restoration efforts.

The Ministry of Tourism in the Syrian government has warned craftsmen to evacuate their shops in the handicrafts market by the end of the year for restoration purposes.

Despite promises from the Damascus Chamber of Tourism that craftsmen will be allowed to return to their shops after restoration, there is no legal provision obliging the ministry to renew their contracts.

The traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is considered an intangible heritage that is threatened with extinction, and efforts are being made to preserve it.

The Sulaymaniyah Tekke has been a hub for traditional crafts, including glassblowing, since the 1970s, and its preservation is important for the cultural heritage of Syria.

The traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is suffering from an unprecedented decline due to difficult economic and security conditions, with production and market conditions making it threatened with extinction.

The decline of traditional crafts in Syria is attributed to high costs of production inputs, increased income taxes, low demand, and insufficient profits, with more than half of confectionery craftsmen stopping production and switching to other professions.

The lack of support and unequal competition are major challenges facing Syrian craftsmen, with many being forced to close their workshops and shops or migrate and move their work abroad.

The migration of brokers and traders has reduced export opportunities for traditional crafts, including glassblowing, and the decline of external demand has further exacerbated the decline.

The average monthly salary in Syria is around $20, making heritage products, including glassblowing, a luxury that many Syrians cannot afford.

The head of the Damascus Craftsmen’s Union has reported a high percentage of Damascene craftsmen migrating, especially among young people, which threatens the continuation of traditional crafts like glassblowing.

Economic and social policies, including the change in general economic orientation in 2008, have restricted the owners of traditional crafts, excluded them from support, and taken their places of deployment.

The family and social disintegration suffered by Syrians due to large-scale migration has also contributed to the decline of traditional crafts, which relied on inheritance between generations.

The high prices of raw materials, energy, and other components have made it difficult for craftsmen, including glassblowers, to continue their work, with many selling their products in small quantities to keep the sales movement going.

The prices of food, nuts, and other components have risen significantly, making it challenging for craftsmen to produce and sell their products, including glassblowing.

The gradual disappearance of traditional crafts, including glassblowing, is a severe blow to the Syrian economy, which has relied heavily on these crafts for labor and contribution to the economy.

The history of glassblowing in Damascus dates back more than two thousand years, since the time of the Phoenicians.

Title:

Content: Art of glassblowing returns again in Aleppo countryside liberated from terrorism

The town of Urem Al-Kubra in Aleppo province in northern Syria has historically been famous for its skilled glassblowing craftsmen. The war considerably affected this traditional craft inherited from our ancestors, but after the liberation of the city from terrorism, some artisans have brought it back to life. The artisan, Yassin Arab learned the glassblowing craft from his father when he was a child, and after the town was liberated from terrorism, he returned to his small facility, where he worked to restore it and start working again. Arab does not hide his enormous passion for the craft of glassblowing and his belief in the need to preserve this ancient Syrian heritage. Regarding the working mechanism, the artisan explained to SANA that he uses recycled glass, melts it again in the oven at high temperature, and then chooses a specific shape for its manufacture, whether hookah bottles, vases, plates, small jugs, fish houses for decoration, decorated cups and antiques of different sizes. After that, t he piece is blown, rotated and processed by the artisan until it takes its final shape using white and brown colors, and once the manufacturing of the product is finished, it is decorated and colored to give it the required aesthetics. For his part, Hussein Najjar noted that he learned the craft of blowing glass manually since he was young and has been working in this field for 40 years. He added that he is able to make any shape or glass container, using his imagination, and considered that the art of glassblowing is one of the types of plastic arts. Traditional glassblowing is a profession that dates back more than two thousand years (since the time of the Phoenicians) and was included in December 2023 by UNESCO on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity that needs urgent preservation. Source: Syrian Arab News Agency

The craft of glassblowing in Syria involves blowing, rotating, and processing the glass to create specific shapes, such as hookah bottles, vases, and plates.

Traditional glassblowing in Syria is considered one of the types of plastic arts.

The Syrian capital, Damascus, is known for its ancient walks, attractive colors, and distinct traditional industries, including glassblowing, which has been threatened by modern technology.

Title:

Content: 00: 00
Expo 2020 Dubai Today
Ancient Crafts Blown by Technology
T + T - normal size
Thuriyeh is the Syrian capital, Damascus, with its aesthetics, ancient walks and attractive colors.
It is filled with the cultural and societal vocabulary of distinct traditional industries, manifested in one of its prominent images by ancient professions, which have been associated with and named, since ancient times, by specific families who have practiced them.
However, these names, which are full of cultural and historical content, have become threatened by the threat of modern technology, which, with its various fields, has been “stolen ” by the descendants of the“ industrialists ” of the ancient Damascene professions.
The names of the majority of Damascene families are attributed to many of the names of traditional professions, where we find the names of families who worked in the textile professions and derivatives, including Bait al-Hayek, ropes, kattan, nouilati, maslati, Sabbagh, wool, and many more.
We also find that there are families that practiced the manufacture of shoes called Bait al-Jazmati, al-Sakafi, al-Kandarji, al-Bawabiji, Kabaqibi, while the families that practiced the profession of al-Samana, for example, Bait al-Khodari, al-Fakhani, al-Kuzbari, al-Khallati, al-Arqsoussi, al-Jabban, al-Labban, al-Zayat, and Sharabati.
The families working in the field of clothing and fabrics were named Bait al-Khayat, al-Kawa, and al-Hariri.
It is clear that these names have an important historical and social value, as they are linked to a cultural and historical component that tells the stories of the place and reflects its heritage and features of attractiveness, but it is remarkable that these nicknames, which were associated with important unique professions and were a strong indication of an influential presence. As they melt and disappear, the grandchildren abandon the origins of the craft or abandon it altogether, and they see it as useless and profitable.
This will lead in the future to the loss of a rich heritage, as Mohammed Samer al-Mahayri confirms to Al-Bayan, whose family is famous for the craft of making hodges and then boxes, hence the name, where he shows that hundreds of families in Damascus were associated with the names of professions as the city was an important commercial and economic center, pointing out that “there are many families with the same surname, but they are not related. It is not a city or a province, and one of these families is the Mahayri family, for example. ”
He pointed out that modern technology has become a real threat to an important traditional heritage component, namely the traditional crafts group, which has been abandoned by grandchildren.
Reflection
Al-Mahayri points out that the naming of families by the names of professions that were prevalent in Damascus reflected the values, culture and socio-economic level of those families.
He also explains that these crafts, together with the families, have left a great impact on the life of the Damascene community, a beautiful impact that should not be absent, and there must be specialized projects that protect and care for it by preserving the component of these traditional professions.
He continues: You find that it has developed professions and ended some professions turned owners to other professions, the barber family some of them moved to work in the soap industry and trade in the market of Bzouria, and the Arqsousi turned to carpentry also, and they originally were selling liquor, and many others.
Continuation.
In turn, Mahmoud Hamami, who insisted on challenging the waves of technological temptation and preserving the profession of his grandparents, where his family works in the profession of Damascene baths as a law graduate, but he continues to manage family-owned baths for decades, pointing out that « his brothers went to work in other professions, and this is the case of most families whose name was associated with the names of professions ».
Diversification
It is worth mentioning that the names of the Damascene families referred to are related to the variety of professions. At the level of confectionery industry, we find many family names associated with these professions, such as: Bait Ka ’ ikati, Halwani, Sukari, Knivati, Baggati.
While we find the house of Kahwaji, Hakawati, Rawi, Tetunji Tanbokji, and Arkeli.
As for the professions related to education, we find: the families of the house of the professor, the teacher, the teacher, the haja, and the osta, while the families famous for science, culture and medicine are called the house of the poet, the writer, the writer, the writer, the Arab writer, the wise, the surgeon and the case.
There are also many families that bore the name of the profession of blacksmithing, such as: Sankari, Bawabiri, Mujlakh, and Sheikh blacksmiths, while the families that made musical instruments were called the house of string, and Awad, while the families were named after the house of castles, stones and flint for those who practiced the profession of stone quarries.
There are family names associated with military professions such as: the house of the soldier, the lieutenant colonel, the soldier, and the brigadier.
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Many Damascene families have names attributed to traditional professions, such as textile professions, shoe manufacturing, and clothing and fabrics, which have historical and social value.

The names of families associated with traditional professions, such as Bait al-Hayek, Bait al-Jazmati, and Bait al-Khayat, reflect the values, culture, and socio-economic level of those families.

Modern technology has become a real threat to traditional crafts, including glassblowing, which has been abandoned by many grandchildren of traditional craftsmen.

The traditional crafts of Damascus, including glassblowing, have left a great impact on the life of the Damascene community and should be preserved through specialized projects.

Some families in Damascus have diversified their professions over time, such as the barber family who moved to work in the soap industry, and the Arqsousi family who turned to carpentry.

The names of Damascene families are related to a variety of professions, including confectionery, education, science, culture, medicine, blacksmithing, and military professions.

The craft of making boxes and other objects, such as hoods, has been associated with certain families, like the Mahayri family, which has been famous for this craft.

Syria has a rich cultural heritage with over 5,000 archaeological sites, including 2,865 registered and documented sites, and six sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Title:

Content: Syria participates in the Ninth Nishan Forum of World Civilizations in China
Syria participates in the Museums Sub-Forum within the Ninth Nishan Forum of World Civilizations, which is entitled “Museums …
A bridge between the past, present and future ”, in Kufu, Shandong Province, China.
During the forum, the curator of the National Museum in Damascus, Dr. Rima Khawam, presented a lecture entitled “The National Museum in Damascus..
The importance of international exhibitions, during which she reviewed the history of Syria and its geographical location, which is located at the crossroads between the African continent and the European continent.
Khawam explained that Syria is one of the countries in the world that includes a large number of archaeological sites, numbering more than 5,000 sites, including 2,865 registered and documented sites, including six sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Khawam stressed that the treasures of Syrian civilizations are preserved in more than 40 museums across the country, and are considered valuable and rare, and include many elements of traditional Syrian culture and overlapping accumulations of cultures that have spread throughout the country.
Khawam referred to the terrorist war in Syria that has made the Syrian World Heritage a target of deliberate destruction, while initiatives are being established to restore and preserve Syrian antiquities.
She stressed that the preservation of cultural heritage is not only important to strengthen the Syrian identity, but also helps to consolidate cultural continuity in the development of humanity, in addition to the fact that this cultural heritage belongs to future generations, pointing to the history of the establishment of the National Museum in Damascus, which dates back more than 105 years.
She explained that after 2011, the National Museum in Damascus was closed and turned into a large store of antiquities, where the work in the museum during times of crisis revolved around the rescue, protection, preservation and restoration of Syrian museums.
“In 2018, after security stabilized in the country, the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums worked to open a single section in the National Museum, the Classical Section, to reconnect with the local community, ” Khawam said.
On the importance of international exhibitions, Khawam explained that the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums in 2020 worked in cooperation with a number of cultural institutions in the field of international exhibitions to hold international exhibitions, including temporary exhibitions at the National Museum of Oman between 2020-2022, and an exhibition at the National Museum of Prague in 2022. ".
She added that the agreement and cooperation to hold six exhibitions in six museums belonging to different Chinese provinces, the first of which was in the Nashan Museum, entitled “Surprising Syria ” since 2021 and for two years, during which 195 artifacts representing the most important models that bear witness to the achievements of human societies that lived in Syria for thousands of years since prehistoric times that date back to more than one million years until the 19th century.
Khawam pointed out that the number of visitors to the amazing exhibition of Syria in the Chinese provinces has reached nearly one million visitors, and its visit is still available in the Guagdong Museum, which is part of the Guagdong province and will continue until October 20, indicating that the cooperation between Syria and China to display Syrian antiquities was recently extended for two new years.
Khawam pointed out that the cultural project, which came in cooperation with the Chinese Antiquities and Arts Fair and the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums, is successful for many reasons that go beyond cultural exchange. It enhances the cultural identity of the Syrian archaeological heritage in danger since the beginning of the war. “We are looking forward to strengthening the connection and connection with the past in which cultural exchange was established for a long time between our two countries via the Silk Road. ”
Khawam pointed out that the authenticity of Syrian artifacts participating in international exhibitions is a fundamental value in an era in which artificial intelligence is rapidly developing around the world, which will seem a rare opportunity for visitors in the coming years, stressing that preserving the beauty of our ancestors ’ knowledge and highlighting it as a heritage of humanity and protecting it for future generations is one of the main roles of museums and its extensions through cultural exchange of international exhibitions.
Khawam concluded her speech by stressing the importance of enhancing the image of museums at the international level, and their role in spreading culture with the participation of different communities, to provide diverse experiences in education, enjoyment, reflection, knowledge exchange and interaction with the relics of ancient civilizations as a source of learning and education about historical, scientific and cultural facts that have occurred throughout history.
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The National Museum in Damascus, established over 105 years ago, preserves treasures of Syrian civilizations and is considered a valuable resource for traditional Syrian culture and overlapping accumulations of cultures.

The Syrian World Heritage has been a target of deliberate destruction due to the terrorist war, but initiatives are being established to restore and preserve Syrian antiquities.

The preservation of cultural heritage is important for strengthening Syrian identity and consolidating cultural continuity in the development of humanity.

The National Museum in Damascus was closed and turned into a large store of antiquities after 2011, but was partially reopened in 2018 to reconnect with the local community.

Syria has participated in international exhibitions, including temporary exhibitions at the National Museum of Oman and the National Museum of Prague, to promote cultural exchange and display Syrian antiquities.

'Surprising Syria' in China has attracted nearly one million visitors and has been extended for two new years, highlighting the success of cultural exchange between Syria and China.

The authenticity of Syrian artifacts participating in international exhibitions is a fundamental value in an era of rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Preserving the beauty of ancestors' knowledge and highlighting it as a heritage of humanity is one of the main roles of museums and international exhibitions.

The Syrian intangible cultural heritage includes traditional crafts such as glassblowing, which is an important part of the country's cultural identity.

Title:

Content: Culture of Al-Baath Newspaper
Intangible heritage contributions to the protection of national identity
Amina Abbas
Heritage researchers and scholars agree that the Levant region is the most important heritage repository for humanity, as it has the oldest and richest heritage, and this heritage, both material and intangible, was coveted by the colonists since ancient times to destroy culture and identity, there is no identity without heritage based on it, and no heritage without identity, so Syria is keen through its institutions and bodies to emphasize the importance of preserving it.
Hence, the Quneitra branch of the Arab Writers Union, in celebration of World Heritage Day, decided to hold a seminar in the Levant Hall of the National Museum entitled “Contributions of Intangible Heritage to the Protection of National Identity ” with the participation of Dr. Amal Daccak, Professor Ruba Al-Diab, Qas Ghassan Houranieh and Dr. Rima Diab, Head of the Quneitra branch of the Arab Writers Union. It represents not only traditions and the past, but society in all its layers, and links the past to the present and the future, and it is a means for each people to prove its existence in the world and its authenticity, while stressing that the intangible heritage contributes to the preservation of identity and personality. Our identity and our heritage in the era of globalization, which is trying to eliminate our heritage and culture to be part of this lost world.
This was also confirmed by Dr. Dakak in her participation: “The Syrian tangible and intangible heritage is rich in its authenticity and civilization that dates back thousands of years, so it was and still is coveted by the colonists who stole many treasures to be in their world museums, and their war on Syria recently was aimed at destroying culture and identity and stealing antiquities. ” It is an integrated cultural unit formed by man throughout his long history with his creative thinking, observations, reflections and experiences accumulated generation after generation, and it is the social environment occupied by man and the components and pillars produced by previous generations until it reached subsequent generations and has the function of supervising the behavior of the individual and his sociocultural upbringing because it is a reflection of the social, intellectual and cultural life of peoples. As Daccak pointed out, the identity is the set of psychological, social and civilizational features of our nation throughout its long history, and the folklore constitutes the identity of a homeland rich in culture and civilization, calling in the era of globalization to seek to preserve our cultural identity and heritage, which represents this identity to face the challenges of globalization that invade us and want to eliminate our identity and culture. And our originality by drawing different borders in which national identity is absent and killing people in their country.
Because the Levantine rose and its associated practices and traditional crafts are important Syrian heritage elements inherited from generation after generation, and was included by UNESCO in 2019 in the list of intangible human heritage was talked about by Professor Al-Diab, who was crowned queen of roses and became Syrian ambassador to the world: “The Levantine rose was found painted on the wall of a palace on the island of Crete and was introduced to France during wars. As the poet Nizar Qabbani wrote about her,“ I am your Damascene rose, O people of the Levant, and whoever finds me should put me in the first vase, ” referring to the areas of its cultivation in Damascus countryside and Ghubartha. The project was launched by the Syrian Secretariat for Development in 2020 with the support of First Lady Asma al-Assad, affirming that Syrians consider the Levantine Rose an important part of their culture. The Ministry of Tourism has taken it as its slogan, in addition to many medical and cosmetic companies and building a path that is architecturally designed in the form of a Levantine Rose, explaining that the elements of the Syrian intangible cultural heritage include: Traditions and expressions “qaṣīda, mawwāl, ataba, dalaouna, zaghārīd, folk proverbs ” and the arts:“ Aleppo qadūd, coastal dabka, Circassian dance, Syriac church music ” Social practices “preparing and serving bitter coffee ” Knowledge and practices related to nature and the universe:“ cupping, traditional architecture ” Skills related to traditional crafts “wooden mosaic, brocade ” The crafts associated with the Levantine Rose ”, and that the elements of the intangible Syrian heritage included in the lists of human heritage are: falcon hunting, shadow fiction theater, Levantine Rose, Aleppo cod, glass blowing and making sticks and playing on them.
It is noteworthy that the seminar included the presentation of a film prepared by dr.
Amal Daccak spoke about heritage in our contemporary lives and its role in preserving our national identity, and the participation of the storyteller Ghassan Houranieh through a short story titled “The Levantine Rose ”.

The craft of glassblowing in Syria has been recognized by UNESCO and is included in the list of intangible human heritage.

Efforts are being made to preserve traditional crafts like glassblowing in Syria, with the support of institutions and bodies such as the Syrian Secretariat for Development and the Ministry of Tourism.

The preservation of traditional crafts like glassblowing is seen as essential to protecting Syria's national identity and cultural heritage.

Glassblowing is one of the traditional crafts associated with the Levantine Rose, a symbol of Syrian culture and heritage.

The Syrian government and institutions are working to promote and preserve traditional crafts like glassblowing, including through events and seminars such as the one held by the Quneitra branch of the Arab Writers Union.

The importance of preserving traditional crafts like glassblowing is highlighted in the context of globalization, which poses a threat to Syria's cultural identity and heritage.

The preservation of traditional crafts like glassblowing is seen as a means of proving Syria's existence and authenticity in the world.

UNESCO included traditional glassblowing on the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity that needs urgent preservation in December 2023.

The traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is facing threats to its preservation, as evidenced by the evacuation of craftsmen from the Sulaymaniyah Tekke in Damascus.

Title:

Content: Sulaymaniyah in Damascus.
Do you want to throw out your guards?
While the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent saw in his dream that he was in a grove in the center of the capital Damascus, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) appeared to him and instructed him to build a mosque in that land. The Ottoman Sultan awoke from his sleep pleased with what he saw and heard. He immediately ordered to cut off a side of that grove and build a large kiosk in the middle of it. He was in a dream and pointed out.
This is the story conveyed by a number of writers and historians, the latest of which was Sheikh Najmuddin al-Ghazi in his book "The Walking Planets in the Eyes of the Tenth Hundred", about the decision of the legal sultan to build the Tekke Sulaymaniyah (west of Damascus) in the 16th century, one of the most prominent Ottoman tekaya and the most modern style and the most beautiful architecture, according to specialists.
Historically, the Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah was a place to perform religious duties and a resting place for pilgrims and a refuge for the maqtada and poor people of Damascus, Muslims and others, and remained so until the French colonizer entered the country in 1920; where General Guru and his forces took from the Tkiyet as a residence.
With the departure of colonialism and the advent of 1948, the Shari ’ ah school in Tkiyet returned to hold educational seminars and memorization of the Quran, and since the mid-seventies of the last century began to embrace dozens of shops of ancient Damascene handicrafts, and expanded this part to be known later as the market of handicrafts.
Recently, this complex cultural and religious identity of the heritage teacher has become threatened, after the Ministry of Tourism (in the government of the Syrian regime) notified professionals to vacate their shops before the end of the year under the pretext of restoration.
From Al-Ablaq Palace to Al-Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah
The site of Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah, west of Damascus, was known for the construction of a number of royal residences, the last of which was the palace of the owner of the Mamluk Sultan Baqiris (1228-1277 AD), which was named after the colors of the stones of its construction black and yellow brought from Aleppo and Daraa.
However, large parts of the palace were burned during the conquest of Damascus by the Mongol commander Tamerlane in 803 A.D. (1402 A.D.), and it was not until the Ottoman Sultan Selim I entered Damascus in 923 A.D. (1517 A.D.) that the Ablaq palace was restored and rehabilitated.
By 959 A.D. (1502 A.D.), Sultan Selim the Magnificent commissioned the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan to develop a modern architectural plan for a hospice on the site of the Al-Ablaq Palace. In 960 A.D. (1553 A.D.), a large number of workers began building the hospice under the supervision of the Damascene engineer Shahabuddin ibn Al-Attar.
Then rest on the banks of the Barada River "a luxurious architectural group that captivates the hearts of the hearts with its regular domes like knots around a large main dome, surrounded by two minarets, and interspersed with gardens and trees whose beauty blends with the beauty of architecture makes this spot in Damascus one of the most beautiful and beautiful spots", the Tkiyet Sulaymaniyah, as described by Abdul Qader Rihawi in his book "Architecture in Arabic".
Ottoman architecture and Damascene motifs
The building of the Sulaymaniyah Tekke consists of two similar architectural blocks, one large and includes the mosque and the other small and includes the school, and linked between these two blocks was a market dedicated to the caravans of pilgrims, and the Ottoman engineering effects on the planning and construction, while the Damascene artistic touch overshadows the designs of doors and windows and decorations that decorate the walls and rooms of the place.
The two architectural blocks are surrounded by relatively low walls, while the middle of them are two rectangular pools fed by water vertical fountains used for ablution, and the mosque with its narrow minarets tops the southern block, while the school mosque with its smooth dome tops the eastern block, and on the sides of the blocks spread buildings are shops and narrow rooms covered with low domes interspersed with low The chimneys are shaped like minarets and are led by shady arcades with ornate arches.
The Sulaymaniyah Tikkiye market extends from its easternmost to its westernmost, and is lined with dozens of shops that were previously commercial shops, and have since the 1970s turned into handicrafts shops.
In addition to its traditional role as a place for the betters, the poor and the needy, the Sulaymaniyah Tekke was designed to be a stop for pilgrims on the pilgrimage route to Mecca, where the place was equipped with spacious kitchens, bakeries, rest rooms, several prayer rooms, a sea for ablution and other necessary services for pilgrims.
When it became a teachers ’ house in 1923, it stopped hosting guests and sheltering arrivals for the first time since its establishment four centuries ago, but soon regained its identity as a hospitable place when it hosted a number of Palestinian families displaced to Damascus following the 1948 Nakba.
While the Sulaymaniyah school was famous for receiving students of Sharia sciences from all parts of the world, before turning, with the opening of the Syrian University in Damascus in 1934, into a place to teach dentistry, and then into an archaeological landmark that includes a war museum with the continuation of religious activities in the chapels and mosque to this day.
From an incubator to a bounty hunter.
In mid-October, the Ministry of Tourism in the government of the regime warned the Karar sheikhs of craftsmen in the handicrafts market to evacuate their shops before the new year 2023 for the purpose of restoration.
Despite the appeals of the craftsmen to the concerned authorities through the local newspapers and media, and the intervention of the Damascus Chamber of Tourism to promise the craftsmen their return after the completion of the restoration operations, Nidal Mashfej, Assistant Minister of Tourism, stressed that there is no legal provision obliging the ministry to renew the contracts of craftsmen after the end of each year. Shopkeepers have the right to claim any malfunction, damage, injustice or the like, the official told the official Tishreen newspaper.
A member of the Damascus Chamber of Tourism, Arafat Oza Bashi, points out that all the shopkeepers in the Sulaymaniyah Tkiyet hope to return to their shops after the completion of the restoration, to continue their work and preserve the intangible heritage threatened with extinction.
Haj Abu Mohammed, 57 years old, owner of a shop in Tkiyet, told Al Jazeera Net, "Years ago they evacuated the glass market of Tkiyet under the pretext of restoring it, and it is still a wreck and it is not clear if it will return to a glass market, and I do not exclude that our shop has a similar fate."
"As if they were not satisfied with the stagnation of the market in the last 10 years and the absence of tourists and visitors from our shops, which the simple citizen can not buy goods from them because of their high cost, and all the losses we suffered to continue to revive these crafts during the war."
The Sulaymaniyah Tikkiye has been undergoing restoration since 2019, and the first phase aimed to restore part of the Tikkiye and what is known as the glass market, while the second phase is dedicated to the handicrafts market and some parts of the interior of the Tikkiye “to preserve the archaeological site from landings and structural cracks, ” according to Nidal Mashfaj.
Source: The Island

The Sulaymaniyah Tekke, a historic site in Damascus, has been undergoing restoration since 2019, with the first phase focusing on the glass market.

The glass market in the Sulaymaniyah Tekke was previously evacuated for restoration, but its current status and whether it will return to its original purpose are unclear.

The handicrafts market in the Sulaymaniyah Tekke, which includes traditional glassblowing shops, is at risk of being displaced due to restoration efforts.

The Ministry of Tourism in the Syrian government has warned craftsmen to evacuate their shops in the handicrafts market by the end of the year for restoration purposes.

Despite promises from the Damascus Chamber of Tourism that craftsmen will be allowed to return to their shops after restoration, there is no legal provision obliging the ministry to renew their contracts.

The traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is considered an intangible heritage that is threatened with extinction, and efforts are being made to preserve it.

The Sulaymaniyah Tekke has been a hub for traditional crafts, including glassblowing, since the 1970s, and its preservation is important for the cultural heritage of Syria.

The traditional glassblowing craft in Syria is suffering from an unprecedented decline due to difficult economic and security conditions, with production and market conditions making it threatened with extinction.

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Content: What is the reality of traditional and traditional professions in Syria?
DAMASCUS – The traditional professions and crafts in Syria were not immune to the repercussions of the war. In light of the difficult economic and security conditions that the country has been witnessing for more than a decade, these professions are suffering from an unprecedented decline related to production and market conditions, which makes them today threatened with extinction.
The head of the Union of Craftsmen in the province of Latakia Jihad Pro, in a recent statement to the local newspaper Al-Watan, the decline of the production of handicrafts and handicrafts of various kinds by 50% within the province, considering the high costs of production inputs and increased income taxes as direct reasons for this decline.
Bassam Qalaji, head of the artisanal association for confectionery in Damascus, told the local newspaper Global last month that more than half of the confectionery craftsmen had stopped producing and switched to other professions due to low demand and insufficient profits.
Successive statements reveal the reality of Syrian traditional and traditional crafts, which are suffering under the weight of the economic decline that the country is suffering from.
This situation has prompted thousands of craftsmen to close their workshops and shops and switch to other jobs, or migrate and move their work abroad, amid the real threat of the disappearance of many traditional traditional traditional professions and handicrafts, which constitute vital sectors of the economic sector in the country and an integral part of its cultural identity.
What are the main reasons for this decline?
How does it affect the economic life of the country?
Lack of support and unequal competition
Anton, a 42-year-old Damascene craftsman and former owner of a mosaic workshop in rural Damascus, says his struggle for years to keep his workshop open, producing and selling enough to pay its workers has been futile.
He adds in an interview with Al Jazeera Net: "I tried hard to maintain the workshop and its workers for as long as possible, but the constant high prices of wood (local and imported) in an inappropriate manner, the long interruption of electricity (16-18 hours a day), and the low demand for mosaic in the domestic and foreign market, all factors forced me to lay off workers, and later to close the workshop after months, during which I received only two orders."
In addition to these factors, Anton attributed the low demand for "original" mosaics and other handicrafts and heritage artifacts (copperware, damask, antika, textiles) to:
The reality of the market at the moment in the absence of tourists.
• The decline of external demand for the commodity as a result of the interruption of trade relations with foreign markets.
• Migration of brokers and traders and thus reduced export.
• Unequal competition.
With heritage products becoming “more than luxury ” for Syrians suffering from poor purchasing power (average monthly salaries of about $20), and the lack of support for craftsmen and awareness of the importance and authenticity of these products by trade unions and government agencies, Syria ’ s craftsmen face major challenges to continue their craft.
Although there are no accurate figures on the number of craftsmen who have been driven by working conditions to emigrate outside the country, the head of the Damascus Craftsmen ’ s Union, Ali Qarmashti, revealed in an interview with the local news website Click News last year that the percentage of Damascene craftsmen migrating has become very high, especially among young people.
Repellent economic and social policies
In addition to the direct economic factors that led to the decline of traditional crafts during the past few years, represented by the high prices of raw materials, the poor reality of services, and the decline of the sale and purchase movement, there were indirect factors that affected these crafts.
Syrian economist Younis Karim believes that the artisan crisis began in 2008 after being subjected to great pressures due to the change of the general economic orientation in the country.
He said in an interview with Al Jazeera Net: "Since 2008, the authorities have put their hands on the spread of these industries due to the importance of their geographical location, and work to change their features in favor of wealthy investors, or provide them as donations to countries that Damascus seeks to establish bilateral relations with."
According to the expert, the reality of the work of traditional crafts after 2011 became more complex and difficult with "the continued adoption of economic and social policies by the regime that restrict the owners of these crafts, exclude them from support, take their places of deployment, in addition to the cessation of exhibitions and the difficulty of participating in external events because of the political positions of the regime.
Karim explains that the family and social disintegration suffered by Syrians as a result of large-scale migration during the last decade was an added reason for the decline of these crafts, which “relied on inheritance between generations of the same family as a tradition followed by Syrian craftsmen long ago. ”
Kilo to Piece and Pieces
It seems that some traditional crafts and crafts are in the same trench with traditional crafts in their war against extinction, where the owners of many traditional crafts are no less original than those of heritage, especially the confectioners from the high costs of raw materials in production, high costs of energy stands, and successive losses due to the reluctance of citizens to buy expensive Arabic sweets.
Suhaib, 55, owner of a sweets shop in the Jazmatiya area of Damascus, told Al Jazeera Net: "Days pass without selling a total of a kilo of various items, and two years ago the stagnation of goods in the shop became a familiar phenomenon to us, and had it not been for the holiday seasons, and some occasions and weddings held here and there, we would have closed long ago."
Al-Halwani Al-Damascene adds in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net: "Our profits, and the profits of most of the shops of Halwanis in Damascus, have decreased by a large percentage since the beginning of the economic crisis in the country."
Al-Halwani pointed out that the price of a kilo of some varieties of Arabic sweets has exceeded 400 thousand pounds recently, adding: "Which is not able for Syrians to buy, so we have become selling methods in which we rely on small quantities, so we sell baklava, crystal, shaped, asian, brominated and other items in ounces, grain (piece) and two grains to keep the sales movement, and do not stop customers from our shop."
As for the reasons why sweets in Damascus stopped working and many of them emigrated outside the country, Al-Halwani said: “Many reasons start from the large annual taxes that are inconsistent with high operating costs and low profits, in addition to the high prices of commercial electricity and fuel needed to operate shops and laboratories, the huge increase in the prices of raw materials, the high wages of workers, and the reluctance of customers to buy these sweets except on occasions. ”
High prices
Prices of food, nuts and other components of Arabic sweets have risen by varying rates recently, as the price of a kilo of animal margarine reached 150 thousand pounds ($equivalent to about 2511 pounds), while the price of a kilo of pistachio love rose to 300 thousand, and the price of a kilo of walnuts to 120 thousand.
The prices of popular sweets such as Al-Barazek and Al-Ma ’ amoul in Damascus markets, by the holy month of Ramadan, were between 100 and 130 thousand pounds per kilo, while the prices of medium and luxury sweets such as “Al-Belouria ”,“ Al-Mashkeel ”, “Kool and Shakour ”,“ Aish Al-Bulbul ” and “Baklava ” ranged between 250 and 500 thousand per kilo, which is equivalent to the salary of a Syrian employee in the public sector.
The head of the artisanal association for confectionery industry, Bassam Qalaji, attributed this rise in confectionery prices to the government lifting subsidies on oil derivatives, which led to a direct increase in costs by 150%, pointing out that raising the price of electricity by 5 times will lead to an increase in the price of about 650 products.
Qalaji said in a statement to the local newspaper Al-Watan last month that the largest number of confectionery craftsmen emigrated, and their first destination was Algeria followed by Germany.
In March last year, the head of the artisanal association for the confectionery industry revealed that 70% of the workshops of the confectionery industry were closed due to the economic crisis and the low demand for sweets and refreshments.
A severe blow to the economy
This gradual disappearance of traditional crafts is a painful blow to the Syrian economy, says economist Younis Karim, “For decades these crafts have been the largest incubator of Syrian labor, and their contribution to the economy before 2011 ranged from 40 to 50%. ”
This is what Matanios Habib, a researcher and former Syrian oil minister, said in a research paper entitled “The private sector in Syria ” (2005), when he pointed out that the private industrial sector in Syria tended to invest in crafts for fear of nationalization policies, whether during the era of Syrian-Egyptian unity (1958-1961) or after the revolution of March 8 (1967).
Karim stresses that the crisis of workers in traditional crafts, such as confectioners and others, dates back to before 2011, specifically to the period between 2007 and 2009, when there was “an attempt by the regime to pressure the owners of traditional crafts and crafts by forcing them to pay taxes, and to keep them away from city centers in favor of large investors. ”
Younis Karim believes that the gradual demise of these crafts will have negative effects on the Syrian economy because of their role in "providing job opportunities beyond those provided by large laboratories and their excellence in ease of operation and achievement, and the ability to spread.
Source: The Island

The decline of traditional crafts in Syria is attributed to high costs of production inputs, increased income taxes, low demand, and insufficient profits, with more than half of confectionery craftsmen stopping production and switching to other professions.

The lack of support and unequal competition are major challenges facing Syrian craftsmen, with many being forced to close their workshops and shops or migrate and move their work abroad.

The migration of brokers and traders has reduced export opportunities for traditional crafts, including glassblowing, and the decline of external demand has further exacerbated the decline.

The average monthly salary in Syria is around $20, making heritage products, including glassblowing, a luxury that many Syrians cannot afford.

The head of the Damascus Craftsmen’s Union has reported a high percentage of Damascene craftsmen migrating, especially among young people, which threatens the continuation of traditional crafts like glassblowing.

Economic and social policies, including the change in general economic orientation in 2008, have restricted the owners of traditional crafts, excluded them from support, and taken their places of deployment.

The family and social disintegration suffered by Syrians due to large-scale migration has also contributed to the decline of traditional crafts, which relied on inheritance between generations.

The high prices of raw materials, energy, and other components have made it difficult for craftsmen, including glassblowers, to continue their work, with many selling their products in small quantities to keep the sales movement going.

The prices of food, nuts, and other components have risen significantly, making it challenging for craftsmen to produce and sell their products, including glassblowing.

The gradual disappearance of traditional crafts, including glassblowing, is a severe blow to the Syrian economy, which has relied heavily on these crafts for labor and contribution to the economy.