Aleppo: Coppersmiths
Date: c. 1990
Artisans in the coppersmith sūq in Aleppo produced a diverse range of simple, undecorated household utensils for the population living in rural areas. See also: Copper Founder; Inlay Worker.
Citation: Kalter, Johannes, “Urban Handicrafts”, in Kalter, Johannes, Margareta Pavaloi, and Maria Zerrnickel, eds. The Arts and Crafts of Syria: Collection Antoine Touma and Linden-Museum Stuttgart (London and New York: Thames and Hudson, 1992), p. 66.
Date: Before 2002
A photograph published in 2002 was taken in the Sūq of the Coppersmiths, outside of Bab al-Nasr, and shows a copper boilermaker turned merchant. Jean-Claude David describes the relationship between the merchants in souk shops and their customers as a ritualized rapport; nothing of importance is on display, but rather is brought out at the right moment in order to advance negotiations. See also: Copper Beater; Copper Founder; Mortar Maker; Blacksmith; Tinner.
Citation: David, Jean-Claude, Alep (Paris: Flammarion, 2002), p. 235.