Arab handicraft and its history can be seen in Damascus

To stroll through the souks (streets) of old Arab cities as Damascus, Baghdad, Cairo and Beirut and watch craftsmen producing attractive hand-made works of art is to enjoy the sight of industries from the bygone ages.

In these ancient Arab cities, since the dawn of history, generation after generation has inherited these skills. From the epochs of Ebla and Ugarit in Syria, the markets of the Middle East have been supplied with the beautiful handiwork of these talented artisans.

Historians have indicated that from these eras of early civilizations, the Arab capitals were the center of artistic attraction. Even after the defeat of the Arabs, the artistic skill which fashioned such metal products did not die out, but continued in Toledo until our present time. Further South in Granada, Arab artists, especially the Syrians, established a mosaic industry. Today, their descendants still produce artistic inlaid goods, in some instances employing Arabic script for decoration.

The influence of Arab artists in central Asia has been only slightly different. When the Mongols occupied Damascus, more than once they carried off many of the best master tradesmen of Syria. For instance, when Tamerlane destroyed Damascus, he brought back Damascene artisans, who decorated the majestic medieval buildings of Bukhara and Samarkand.

At our present time, in these Arab cities of Damascus, Aleppo, Beirut, Cairo and Baghdad, Arab craftsmen continue the traditions begun by their illustrious ancestors. Despite modern industries which have undermined much of the world's handicrafts, they have, to some extent, held the machine at bay. Their products are in demand and as popular as were in past centuries.

In these very ancient Arab cities, workmen and their products are easy to find. For instance in Damascus there is Souk al-Hamadiyah -- the street called Straight -- and the maze of connecting avenues are the places to explore. There amid the connecting back alley-ways, artisans and their apprentices continue their ancient crafts. Like their fathers and grandfathers before them, they might work at inlaying tables and jewelry boxes. Others pound silver into brass and copper utensils, while not far away men and women weave carpets and brocades.

With goods on the walls lining the street, merchants stand in their doorways and invite passers-by to enter. This can bee seen clearly in al-Hamadiyah where young merchants usually say "Itfadali" (please come in). These merchants' tables are masterpieces of art. Exquisitely decorated with bone, ivory, or -- in the last few decades -- plastic, they are sought after today as they were in previous ages. Complementing the inlaid wood products are the brass and copper utensils.

The Middle East has been renowned for its fine hand-manufactured products. Since the seventh century, when the influence of Islam stretched from the borders of China to the heart of France, Syrian artisans took their crafts to the far corners of these Muslim lands.

Those who settled in Arab Spain made that country famous for its handiwork. Toledo became renowned for its Damascenes brass, copper, silver and steel products. The swords of Toledo were celebrated as the famed swords of wall plates, and trays engraved and, at times, inlaid with silver.