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About the Workshop:

Al Jasra Handicrafts Center is organizing a Traditional Chests Workshop. The wood chests or boxes, still used in most Arab Gulf countries as decorative element in many houses, are traditional chests known as Sanadeeg Mubayata, that serve as storage for clothing and personal items. Its appearance is distinguished by nail heads hammered into various decorative fashions. These chests are made out of real wood and are often used to present the bride with her trousseau. Mubayet chests are made of wood and are mostly used to keep and store clothes, gold jewelry and other valuable acquisitions, including money and official documents and papers. They are equipped with sturdy locks to guard against loss or theft of their contents. They are also characterized by their heavy weight that make it impossible to easily relocate them elsewhere. They stand on four wooden cylinder shape pillars which isolate the floor from the bottom of the chest to protect it from humidity of the floor. It is worth noting that these boxes represent the bridegroom’s gift to his bride on their wedding night where his other gifts of clothes, perfumes and gold are kept and which accompany the bride to her matrimonial home.

The wooden storage chest is made of sage or saisam wood, a type of wood characterized by its high resistance to rot for lengthy periods. The wood color tends to be blackish brown.

The craftsman’s skill and precision are reflected in the engravings made in yellow metal film that is studded on all sides of the chest, excluding the back. The bright color of the chest which is coated with sesame oil further amplifies the beauty of the engravings and motifs.

Besides the inbuilt chest that is characterized by excessive decorations and large size, there are other types of chests, such as Al-ghatam box with minimal decorations and motifs. The box comes with a smooth surface and is used to store kitchen utensils, foodstuffs and clothes. There is also Buhubal box which is wrapped in tough ropes and is used in travel. Al-bishtakhta is another small box usually used by boat captains and divers for keeping and sorting pearls by size and quality. It is also used for keeping official documents and papers.

    Workshop details:

• Identifying the types of wood used for manufacturing the Traditional Chests.
• Learning how to chop wood to create the traditional Chests.
• Learning how to mold the traditional chests accessories.

 Workshop outcome:

Making a traditional chest.

 Workshop schedule timing:

 Age: 18 Years & above.

Language:  English & Arabic

• Workshop fees (including all tools)