The Egyptian art of tent-making

The distinctive style of material produced by Egyptian tent-makers - which now decorates many homes as wall hangings, cushion covers and tablecloths - is part of a long history of Egyptian craftsmanship

More than a hundred years ago, when archaeologist Gaston Maspero excavated a tomb belonging to the 21st Dynasty of Egypt, he found a tent made of leather. It was one of the finest examples from this period of time. But even back then, the art of tent-making was fully developed all over the region.
The Arab nomads, the Persian aristocracy, and invading armies of the Greeks and then the Romans all developed their own tent-making methods and aesthetics.
According to historian Qasem Abdu Qasem, the Coptic ways making tents continued under Islamic rule, although some of the motifs shifted to suit the new brand of spirituality. The Sufis also added their touch, mostly by incorporating the names of the first four Caliphs in the geometric designs still used today.
Mahmoud Naguib is a one of Egypt's most talented tent-makers. He works up to 12 hours a day, cutting, stitching, and sewing with great concentration, like an artist putting the final touches to a painting.
Naguib says that a true artisan cannot leave a piece unfinished once he has started it. Nor can he totally copy the styles of others. He started years ago making hand-made tents, especially the ones used in pavilions, and is now an expert in Islamic, Coptic, and Pharaonic styles.
Ashraf Ali, who has been in the business for over 60 years, says that the current type of decoration goes back to Fatimid times, which explains the Moroccan and Spanish influences. In Egypt, the artisans don't have to follow one style, for they have a large repertoire of motifs at their disposal.
Customers in Ali's shop are usually foreign, as the handmade pieces can be quite expensive. Some pieces, he says, take almost one month to perfect by one of his talented workers.
For less affluent tourists, the shops in Khiyamiya, or the tent-making district just south of Fatimid Cairo, sell printed fabric which is colourful, great for decoration as wall hanging or table cloth, and sells at very reasonable prices.
Ahmad Ashraf, 32, says that he started in the profession when he was eight. There are no schools to teach tent-making, and he learned the craft from his family. His story is common in this area, and some of the shops around are run by families who have been in the business for 100 years or more.
Ashraf says that the motifs most in demand today are the lotus flower, the Islamic style, the Pharaonic, natural scenes, and the Rumi (Turkish) styles. The latter are the hardest to make, because of the intricate nature of the designs. The lotus and Islamic designs, being more predictable, are easier to handle.
Mostafa Mohamed, 27, has been in the trade since the age of fifteen. He says that the first step in making tent designs is to copy the design on tracing paper, sew the tracing paper onto a plain-coloured fabric, and then sew the patches of coloured material on the plain background. The trick is to sew the fabric in a manner that doesn't show the stitches on either side of the surface.
In his shop, customers come for wall hangings, curtains, and table cloths, paying up to LE1,000 per piece.
His wares face competition, however, from both from printed fabric and from the Chinese.
"Some people in China tried to imitate us, but they couldn't because the profession needs a long time and they don't have what it takes to make only one piece," he remarks.
Mohamed says that many young people wish to learn the trade, but not many succeed, as it requires patience and love. He voices the hope that demand for the trade will increase so that it doesn't fade away.
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