Arts & Crafts

The City of Shibam	Arts & Crafts
Location & Environment History - Facts & Figures Places of Interest Arts & Crafts Culture Maps	The City of Shibam is rich with a multitude of local arts and crafts. These include an ancient tradition of wood carving; often witnessed in the wonderful detailed ornaments on the wooden doors and windows of the city. However, the local carvers and carpenters still create a myriad of wooden tools, boxes, games, and souvenirs. Weavers of Shibam still carry alive a rich tradition of an ancient practice. Though their main production consists of the traditional men's skirts known as "fouta" they can also make pieces upon request to fit any dimension or size. One can request a local weaver to make special requests such as bedspreads, tablecloth, curtains or bags. In the vicinity of Shibam the local craftsmen still make nice little figurine toys from clay in addition to some basic pottery elements, but their prized production is clay ovens bought throughout the region to make the fresh bread. The women of Shibam as everywhere in Yemen maintain a rich repertoire of the traditional Henna tattoos. This old art is continuously enriched with new models and inventions. Ladies wanting to acquire a special embellishment to their skins can visit a Henna artist woman. The Henna is 100% natural material; the Hadhrami variety is prized for its quality both as skin art material as well as hair dye. The pigment will be retained on the skin for approximately two weeks. In the old days the region was famous for a special tradition of silver jewelry. However, very few people still practice the art. Today most of the pieces on the market are bought from the Bedouins and farmers of the fringe zones of the Hadhramawt valley. Together with a myriad of old wooden ornaments taken from ruined houses, and family estates, these antiques are often exhibited in the antique shops. The visitor must be cautious, some of these elements are considered as national heritage; they will not be permitted to take them out of the country. The visitors are requested to exercise an ethical judgment and not participate in removing these assets from the region. Instead the visitor can encourage the local craftspeople by purchasing their new products and arts.

The City of Shibam is rich with a multitude of local arts and crafts. These include an ancient tradition of wood carving; often witnessed in the wonderful detailed ornaments on the wooden doors and windows of the city. However, the local carvers and carpenters still create a myriad of wooden tools, boxes, games, and souvenirs.

Weavers of Shibam still carry alive a rich tradition of an ancient practice. Though their main production consists of the traditional men's skirts known as "fouta" they can also make pieces upon request to fit any dimension or size. One can request a local weaver to make special requests such as bedspreads, tablecloth, curtains or bags.

In the vicinity of Shibam the local craftsmen still make nice little figurine toys from clay in addition to some basic pottery elements, but their prized production is clay ovens bought throughout the region to make the fresh bread.

The women of Shibam as everywhere in Yemen maintain a rich repertoire of the traditional Henna tattoos. This old art is continuously enriched with new models and inventions. Ladies wanting to acquire a special embellishment to their skins can visit a Henna artist woman. The Henna is 100% natural material; the Hadhrami variety is prized for its quality both as skin art material as well as hair dye. The pigment will be retained on the skin for approximately two weeks.

In the old days the region was famous for a special tradition of silver jewelry. However, very few people still practice the art. Today most of the pieces on the market are bought from the Bedouins and farmers of the fringe zones of the Hadhramawt valley. Together with a myriad of old wooden ornaments taken from ruined houses, and family estates, these antiques are often exhibited in the antique shops. The visitor must be cautious, some of these elements are considered as national heritage; they will not be permitted to take them out of the country. The visitors are requested to exercise an ethical judgment and not participate in removing these assets from the region. Instead the visitor can encourage the local craftspeople by purchasing their new products and arts.

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