Business & Economy [Archives:2000/44/Business & Economy]
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October 30 2000
Reviving Pottery Handicrafts Mahyoob Al-Kamali
Yemenis, for ages, have been famous for mastering many handicrafts. The most important are pottery, leather industry, carving on wood, garnet, gold, silver industry and embroidery. For centuries, handicrafts have flourished and were handed down from generation to generation. But the substitution of imported goods in the Yemeni markets, after the industrial boom, led to the extinction of some handicrafts. On the other hand, some Yemeni families continued their handicrafts to earn their livelihood. The artisans possess an unenviable artistic sense that allows them to vary their productive skills. They also generate decent incomes. Furthermore, they keep their forefathers past heritage preserved. Pottery: An Old Handicraft This handicraft was about to die during the oil boom in the Gulf states and the Yemenis immigration. The second Gulf War in 1990 forced immigrants to return to Yemen and to find no jobs. As a result, many handicraftsmen preferred reviving the pottery handicraft to secure their livelihood. Consequently, prices of pottery, that appeared in different forms for different purposes, have risen up in markets. Historical sources mention that the Yemenis exported pottery before the year 295 to Egypt, Iraq, Iran, India, China, Ethiopia and Cyprus. Pottery Making The potters say that making pots requires many things. The most important thing is the milky mud that is available as red dust underground and in mountains. To make good pots, first, the specialized handicraftsman chooses the kind of dust, mixes it with water and prepares an amount of clay. Next, an expert handicraftsman makes clay into many shapes of different sizes and for different purposes. He puts them in the sun to dry up before putting them in kilns heated with coal for a certain time to be hardened. After that, he tests the already made pots to see if they are ready for use. However, the time for making a pot differs according to its shape, size, and purpose. At a high temperature pots become very solid and not easily broken. Some pots are decorated with different colors and shapes before they are put in furnaces. Sometimes they are engraved with some patterns or expressive designs and then marketed. Modern products decrease pots sale We visited the pottery market in the Old Sanaa Market and pot merchants told us that import of similar manufactured products decreases the sale of pots. Against the pots used at home for drinking tea, coffee, the cooking pots and the pots for keeping water cold, there are cheap and imported products for the same purposes. However, the merchants say that their sales of pottery increase when tourists purchase historical statues and antiquities in local and foreign currency. They specially purchase potteries decorated with artistic designs, patterns and drawings derived from the Yemeni heritage. A visitor to the pottery market would realize perfectly-made, magnificent handicrafts that reflect the craftsmans ability in putting glamorous artistic touches derived from the old Yemeni heritage. Pottery-sellers find that the spread of gas ovens in the city and countryside has decreased the sale of ovens made of clay that use coal for making bread. This threatens to end this industry. The merchants suggest that the government must work on promoting clay handicrafts by studying the economic benefits and specifying some places for revival of this craft. This will ensure new jobs and minimize unemployment. Potters say that by improving their skills in this industry, specifying priorities for pottery production for the local market and the tourists customers, will help them produce more and develop their professional and social conditions. After a German delegation had discovered an archeological city in Saber region, Lahj, whose people were potters, the government started giving attention to developing pottery, making and marketing pots and statues similar to the ones discovered in Saber. Therefore, there is a need for supporting the National Center for Developing Handicrafts. This center started work in 1988 after being established following an agreement between the government and the United Nations Development Program to revive local handicrafts that were about to be extinct. To conclude, it is important to protect handicrafts specially pottery to contribute to reducing the rate of unemployment in Yemen.
