Arabic Thread Craft… a traditional Damascene art inlaid with wood

The traces of the Arabic thread craft have added a captivating touch of beauty and originality to the traditional houses, ancient mosques and churches in Damascus. This craft derives its geometric elements from the traditional arts that use wood in its manufacture, which over time has become an integral part of Damascene architecture.

What is the craft of Arabic thread?

The Arabic thread is an interlock between two types of wood, al-Baladi walnut and a second type, such as oak, where the required geometric shape is drawn, and the pieces of wood are glued to it without mixing it with any colors, only the color of natural wood with some preservatives.

The origin of the Arabic thread craft…

The Arabic thread appeared in the Umayyad era, where craftsmen designed geometric shapes of a straight line, circle and Triangle. It is called “Arabic” because the Arabs were the ones who developed it, wanting to decorate the Umayyad mosques and palaces. They started their designs by placing a single point that would be a diameter in a geometric circle, connected by the lines of the “Arabic thread” to form a geometric harmony between some of them, including hexagon, octagon, and can reach 24 lines.

The first form of Arabic thread was an interlock of the two-sided intertwined pieces. It developed later through the introduction of other artisanal methods and varieties such as the introduction of shell, embossing or engraving to increase its beauty.

At the Al-Sharq Heritage House in the middle of the Midan neighborhood of Damascus, SANA’s correspondent met the Arab thread master, engineer Jihad Al-Dahan, a nickname given to him by the lovers and sheikhs of this craft because Al-Dahan inherited this craft from his parents and grandparents in addition to his study of civil engineering, through which he added a lot to the development of this craft.

Al- Dahan family had many contributions in the field of Arabic thread both locally and abroad. Locally, they contributed to the restoration of the Umayyad Mosque ceiling and the implementation of stained-glass windows over the mihrab, in addition to the restoration of the Hejaz station and the design of mosaic panels in the people’s Palace more than 450 m long, and the Hall of Honor in Sheraton Hotel. Abroad, the engineer Dahan contributed to decorating Arab institutions and palaces in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and others with Arab Damascene thread.

Difficulties and challenges facing the Arabic thread craft ...

Al-Dahan worked hard with the Al-Sharq Heritage House, which was provided by the Al Wafa Development Foundation for craftsmen, to attract the youth and those wishing to learn this craft, but as he explained that the demand for this profession is weak due to the high cost of raw materials, the difficulty of obtaining raw and basic materials, and the tendency of many to modern industries.

 He added: one of the current challenges is also our inability to participate in external exhibitions due to the high cost, so our participation was limited to internal exhibitions implemented by Al-Sharq Heritage House, such as Handicrafts Exhibitions, Bazaars and Flower Exhibition.

Despite the difficulties, Dahan and his colleagues continue to strive to preserve the craft of Arabic thread, believing in its importance in preserving the cultural identity of Damascus and its people, and because it is an essential part of the Syrian handicrafts and heritage, and carries within it a fertile field for creativity and innovation.

Amal Farhat