The copper dalal craft in Deir Ezzor embodies expertise passed down by the Mazaeel family for over a century, combining manual skill, cultural value, and economic production, while facing challenges related to transferring knowledge to new generations.
Copper Dalals and the Secrets of Traditional Craftsmanship
Dr. Manaf Al-Rifai, a lecturer at the Euphrates University, stated that the production of these dalals is linked to the artisan Mazaeel bin Al-Hajj Muhammad Al-Salih Al-Najm, known as Mazaeel Al-Nahhas, whose products gained fame within Syria and abroad. Mazaeel dalals are distinguished by being made from a single piece that includes the body of the dalah and its spout, unlike the dalals of Mosul, Istanbul, and Aleppo, which are made from two pieces.
The craft requires specialized tools such as anvils, hammers, brushes, chisels, and punches, using red copper. Al-Rifai points out that manufacturing involves repeated processes of joining and heating over fire up to forty times, until the copper acquires the necessary flexibility for shaping, followed by stages of waisting, shaping, crushing, and polishing the dalah.
From Deir Ezzor to the Louvre Museum
Mazaeel's sons, Youssef and Ismail, inherited the craft. Youssef lived for over 100 years, and Ismail worked in the trade for more than 85 years. Ali bin Ismail continued to carry the legacy, leaving teaching to devote himself to the craft, which he practiced for more than thirty years in the Al-Hamidiyah Souq in Deir Ezzor.
Mazaeel dalals transcended local boundaries, as the Louvre Museum in France displayed a set of them comprising six different sizes, including the large Kamkam. Artisan Al-Hussein Ali Mazaeel, who practices the trade in Damascus, confirms that the name Mazaeel is associated with mastery of the craft, and that the family is keen on preserving the methods of shaping and engraving the copper.
The Craft Between Authenticity and Development
Al-Hussein Mazaeel believes that development does not mean abandoning inherited methods, but rather benefiting from modern means while preserving the manual method, and improving display and marketing techniques. He points out that mastering the craft requires a long time depending on hand precision and patience, posing a challenge for young people seeking quick employment opportunities.
For his part, Dr. Bashar Narsh, Director of Public Relations and Media at the General Union of Artisans, emphasized that preserving traditional crafts means safeguarding their identity and ensuring their development. He noted that the Union's new directions include restructuring artisan associations and establishing a training office, as well as working to update the regulations governing artisanal work issued in 1969.
Narsh added the importance of artisans participating in exhibitions and qualifying them for electronic marketing, and creating specialized artisan zones within tourist routes. The experience of Mazaeel dalals places a shared responsibility on artisans and relevant authorities to preserve the uniqueness of the craft and provide conditions that allow it to continue as a productive enterprise.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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