Supporting crafts from Palmyra

Supporting diaspora artisans from Palmyra

In 25 June 2020, YETIM SULTAN HAYIR İŞLERİ DERNEĞİ applied for funding from the ALIPH Foundation, within the framework of the 2020-1876 COVID-19 Emergency Grant, to be able to create a small income-generating project for refugee artisans from Palmyra. We chose just eight craftsmen and women who suffer economically, due to the lack of income, and whose crafts are in danger of disappearing. The project was approved in January 2021. Through this project we identified and found some of the most popular craftsmen and craftswomen from Palmyra who had become refugees in Turkey. Initially, we chose to focus on 8 of the most popular crafts in Palmyra:

Canvas embroidery and needlepoint.
Cloth weaving using a handloom.
Shoemaker’s and leather crafts.
Wood burning and leather.
Bead embroidery and weaving.
Painting using sand.
Mosaic decoration.
Plaster crafts for ancient buildings.

Many other handicrafts were practiced in Palmyra, but we have no information about them, and could not locate craftspeople who practiced them.

We worked with those we did select to identify their needs, and were able to support them with equipment and technical tools. We then created a digital market using the project website of the project to promote their products. The most famous of these products are: embroideries, handmade carpets, bags and shoes, and other leather goods, decorative sand bottles, wood pieces, and mosaics.

Meet our artisans and craftspeople

Sawsan Hamada

I hold a Bachelor’s Degree from the Faculty of Sharia, Damascus University and I used to work in Palmyra as a teacher for Islamic education. After I left Palmyra in 2015 with my family, we initially settled in Gaziantep, before heading to Istanbul in 2016, where we still live now. I learned to make mosaics from my husband here in Turkey, and I worked with him as a trainee for 4 years until I started work myself with A3 and A4 pictures, the size of this picture. Making mosaics has been known for hundreds of years in Palmyra – if we want to know this profession simply, we start from the beginning.

The first stage is the stage of choosing the picture or drawing that we want to work on.
Then we put the painting on cardboard, and over the drawing we place a nylon layer, to prevent moisture and adhesive materials from reaching the picture.
Then we put perforated paper down to hold the glue (which is either glue, or water and flour).
Then we start stretching the glue and then we can place the stones according to the colours of the picture.
Lastly, we use this cutter to cut the ends of the stone, in order to get the appropriate piece of stone. Within 3 or 4 days we can make a painting of this size.

I thank the Voice of Palmyrene initiative and those in charge of it, Mr Hasan Ali and Dr Isber Sabrine. I also thank the ALIPH Foundation, which funded this project, the Swedish Research Institute, the Heritage for Peace organization, and the Yetim Sultan Association, for their support to this project.

Hajer Al Shafi

Following my graduation from high school, I worked in Palmyra in handicrafts such as knitting, embroidery, crochet and hand loom. I was lucky as it was a hobby and I have a love for this work more than a job. I learned it from my mother and grandmothers when I was a child. In Turkey, I worked in the same field, but developed these handcrafts to become a source of my livelihood. The one I focused on most is the loom, because the loom is part of the heritage of my city, Palmyra. I hope that can teach it to new generations in this host country the way I learned from my grandmother.

I developed several stitches and several additional movements on the loom, and with the help of my husband, we made a small loom at the beginning and started working on it. When the market needs became larger, we made a larger loom that covered other products, and we introduced new inventions on the loom, such as tree branches and marine rocks.
The most important pieces we started to produce have been bags, posters, toys, and table covers.
This loom is simple and primitive compared to a regular loom. It is made of wood, nails and a horizontal Sadu thread. I produce with this loom, but it is slower than a large loom.
I would like to talk about a new experience, which is this loom, which is inspired by the branches of trees. We will make different shapes and sizes of pictures with natural materials and colours that suit the nature of this loom.
Maybe in the coming days, we will update and develop the profession more.

The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word Palmyra are the feelings of nostalgia and the pain of separation for this city in which we lived, and grew up. My most beautiful memories in Palmyra were the moments in which we built the house, my husband and I, and how we cooperated in building it, even in the finest details. In our house there was a carpet that was considered antique, inherited from several of my grandmothers, and I bought it from my grandmother in order to preserve it. Our joy did not last long. Like all the Palmyrene, we were forced to leave our home and our country in 2015 and flee to Turkey. I could not take my family’s carpet with me when we left Palmyra I am interested in protecting the heritage of my city, Palmyra, and my loom making profession is a continuation of this heritage. I aim to revive this heritage and pass it on to future generations. I thank the Voice of Palmyrene initiative and those in charge of it, Mr Hasan Ali and Dr Isber Sabrine. I also thank the ALIPH Foundation, which funded this project, the Swedish Research Institute, the Heritage for Peace organization, and the Yetim Sultan Association, for their support to this project.

Zainab Muhammad

I have loved drawing since I was a child, and I studied at the Institute for Preparation of Teachers, specializing in drawing. I went on to work in Palmyra as a teacher of drawing. I was interested in drawing by burning on leather and wood, and I participated in many local exhibitions. My family and I left Palmyra in 2015 and lived in Mansoura for a while, but in 2016 we entered Turkey and settled in Iskenderun. I tried to continue my work in this profession, but due to our limited financial means, and my preoccupation with supporting my children. I was not able to do much. Thanks to God, after this support, I was able to buy the materials and necessary tools to continue my work. This is the way I have been taught to do drawing by burning on leather and wood:

First, we choose the piece of wood or leather, for example, this piece of wood.
We wrap it with sandpaper to make it smooth and we can draw on it.
Then we start drawing the topic that we want to burn, either with pencil or using printing paper.
Then we start the burning process with this burning device. I have two types of burning devices. One is high temperature: its head can be changed according to the style of drawing, and the other one with a low temperature head is used to cut the leather.
The burning process on this plate is as follows: We put the burner on a medium caliber and start burning by passing over the drawing lines. Precision and caution must be observed when scrolling so that parts outside the lines do not burn.
We can choose topics related to the Palmyrene heritage such as buildings and artifacts, such as these deities of Palmyra, camels, palms, the desert …

The most important pieces we produce are boxes, plates, pictures, and bags. I thank the Voice of Palmyrene initiative and those in charge of it, Mr Hasan Ali and Dr Isber Sabrine. I also thank the ALIPH Foundation, which funded this project, the Swedish Research Institute, the Heritage for Peace organization, and the Yetim Sultan Association, for their support to this project.

Madiha Al-Abdullah

After I graduated from middle school, I worked in Palmyra in hand embroidery. I left Palmyra with my family in 2012, because my husband and children have become wanted by the regime. At first, we went to the city of Al-Qaryatayn, and when we felt in danger, we decided to go to Jordan. My young children and I went there alone, and from Jordan we travelled to Turkey, where we were reunited with my husband and older son. We have been living in Reyhanli city since 2013. Here in Turkey I continued to work in the hand embroidery and developed this profession which became my sustenance.

In hand embroidery, at the beginning we choose a beautiful drawing that is suitable for embroidery – we can choose drawings related to Palmyra’s heritage, its antiques and nature.
Then we prepare the fabric, needles, threads for embroidery, and we print the drawing on the piece of the fabric.
And then we sew!

The most important pieces we started to produce are bags, pictures, belts, dresses, toys, table covers, but there are others. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear the word Palmyra is our life and our beautiful days, which we spent in this city where we lived and grew up. I hope that returning to Palmyra will be a reality, not just a dream. There is no other place to compare to Palmyra because it is more like a soul to us, although we are happy here in Reyhanli and in Turkey, and we thank the Turkish people who are hosting us. It was the oppression that happened to us that forced us to leave Palmyra, and we all hope to return to it when the oppression ends. My beautiful memories in Palmyra are countless: for example, our memories in our homes with our family and relatives, and our memories in our gardens and the unforgettable oasis. I had furniture in my house that was very valuable. I cared about protecting it like I care for my children and I am very interested in protecting the heritage of Palmyra. You can see that from the pictures of Palmyra that are present in every work I embroider. I have a proposal to open a training center for girls and women here in Reyhanli for traditional handcrafts, and I hope I will have the ability to train in this center. I thank the Voice of Palmyrene initiative and those in charge of it, Mr Hasan Ali and Dr Isber Sabrine. I also thank the ALIPH Foundation, which funded this project, the Swedish Research Institute, the Heritage for Peace organization, and the Yetim Sultan Association, for their support to this project.

Raghda Jumaa

I learned hand embroidery in 1990 with a charity in Palmyra and I continued to learn for about two years. I worked in this profession until 2015, when my family and I left Palmyra and settled here in Istanbul, but I had no opportunity to work as an embroiderer until I received support from this project.

In hand embroidery, at the beginning we choose the beautiful drawing that is suitable for embroidery, either a hand drawing or a printed picture – and then we start embroidering.
For example, this drawing relates to the heritage of Palmyra and it represents a scene of daily life in Palmyra in the past. A man pulls water from a well and fills a jar for the women who were carrying water home. The other drawing represents the Triumphal arch, one of our monuments in Palmyra, which was destroyed in 2015.

The most important pieces we started to produce are pictures, pillowcases, bedspreads, bed sheets, table covers, but there are others. I thank the Voice of Palmyrene initiative and those in charge of it, Mr Hasan Ali and Dr Isber Sabrine. I also thank the ALIPH Foundation, which funded this project, the Swedish Research Institute, the Heritage for Peace organization, and the Yetim Sultan Association, for their support to this project.

Ziyad Muhammad al-Ahmad

After I graduated from middle school, I learned the art of painting with sand in Palmyra. However, in 2015, my family and I left Palmyra and headed to Turkey, where we lived in Reyhanli for several months before moving to Izmir, where we are still living today. I had no opportunity in Turkey to work in the profession of painting with sands until I received support from this project.

I sand bottles about Palmyrene heritage – I draw the desert, the camel and the palm tree.
The tools that I use are simple – just this bottle, a spike for drawing, and a funnel. And, of course, sand in several colours.
The process is done as you see here, and in the end, we have this product.

Waddah Awad Al Skafi

After I graduated from middle school, I worked in Palmyra, where my profession was making leather shoes and bags. Like so many others, I left with Palmyra with my family in 2015. We settled in Raqqa for a while, and then moved to Idlib until we were able to enter Turkey, where we settled in Reyhanli. I could no longer work in my profession here in Turkey until received support from this project. I would like to share the process with you. In making shoes and leather bags:

First, we bring the leather, which must be either natural smooth or chamois leather.
Then we cut the surface of the shoe and then cut the insole.
Then we add pieces of sponge to the sole to make the insole thicker, which is the bottom of the shoe. It is called Hegazy.
Then we glue the leather liner and stitch it using a machine.
Then, ordinarily we would tighten it on a mould, using the insole so that we may know the size. We do not currently have moulds, but I will make them later.
Then we complete the assembly of the pieces with buttons, and stitching by machine.
Finally, we whet the shoes to smooth the parts and rotate them accurately after cutting to give us the final shape of the shoe.

The products that we make are: men’s, women’s and children’s sandals, purses, handbags, Roman sandals, and sandals with a buckle. My shop in Palmyra was on the market street – this shop was my grandfather’s, and then father’s, and I continued with this profession. I hope to continue supporting this project and supporting other projects for traditional handicrafts, in order to teach future generations about this profession so that it does not die out. When I hear the word Palmyra, it brings to mind feelings of longing and nostalgia for those days that we lived in our city in which we were brought up. I cannot compare any city to my city, Palmyra, nor can I prefer any other country. My best memories in Palmyra were the time I spent in my shop in the street of the southern market. I used to collect a lot of mementos related to beautiful moments that I spent, but, unfortunately, I could not bring any of these things out. I am very interested in protecting the cultural and popular heritage in Palmyra and I advise everyone that, if we return to our country, we must all be aware of our heritage and we must protect and preserve it. I thank the Voice of Palmyrene initiative and those in charge of it, Mr Hasan Ali and Dr Isber Sabrine. I also thank the ALIPH Foundation, which funded this project, the Swedish Research Institute, the Heritage for Peace organization, and the Yetim Sultan Association, for their support to this project.