The "Arab thread" craft is one of the ancient Damascene crafts that embodies the convergence of manual skill with geometric precision, revealing aspects of creativity that distinguished Islamic arts and architecture across ages.
Despite relying on simple materials, this craft has immortalized its presence in many historical landmarks and decorative works that still bear witness to the skill of artisans and the beauty of meticulous design.
An Artistic-Engineering System
Engineer Mohamad Khairy Al-Baroudi, a specialist in Islamic and Damascene architecture, emphasized that the Arab thread craft represents a true embodiment of the convergence of manual skill with precise geometric vision.
He pointed out that this craft goes beyond being merely a decorative technique to form an artistic system based on geometric shapes, circular relationships, repetition, and symmetry, giving it a unique aesthetic and functional value in Islamic heritage.
Lecture in Abu Rummaneh
Al-Baroudi, in a lecture he presented last week at the Arab Cultural Center in Abu Rummaneh, Damascus, highlighted the durability and continuity of this craft despite its reliance on simple materials like wood.
He cited an ancient traditional model preserved in Damascus: the minbar of the Hanbali Mosque, dating back to the year 604 AH, which stands as a living testimony to the resilience of traditional techniques against the test of time.
Development and Documentation
He added that studying this craft allows for a deep understanding of the integrated relationship between material, design, and execution, revealing accumulated knowledge passed down by artisans across ages.
He explained that expertise gradually evolved from pure manual practice to advanced levels of geometric design, noting that a skilled artisan is capable of developing their tools and contributing to training new generations.
Al-Baroudi stressed the importance of integrating heritage into contemporary architectural projects, affirming that true modernity lies in innovating a design language that draws inspiration from the community's history and its cultural environmental specificity.
He noted that promoting Damascene crafts locally and internationally opens broad horizons for young engineers, helping them utilize heritage elements in modern design, thereby enhancing the presence of Syrian identity in the urban space.
It is worth noting that several Damascene crafts are threatened with extinction due to the decline in the number of artisans capable of mastering them, making the technical documentation and transfer of their expertise to new generations a necessity for their preservation.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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