Aleppo: Dyers and Textile Printers

Date: c. 1840

Sir John Bowring (d. 1872) finds that the art of dyeing in Aleppo was practised masterfully, with the colours remaining bright and lasting. There were about 100 dyeing and printing shops in Aleppo, employing about 1,500 people. The dyeing is principally practised on silk and cotton yarns and is done in a fast and efficient manner. Popular items include handkerchiefs to be tied around the head and veils. See also: Silk Weaver; Cotton Weaver.

Citation: Bowring, John. Report on the Commercial Statistics of Syria (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1840. Reprinted: New York: Arno Press, 1973), p. 84.