A visit to the tanneries in Marrakech or Fez is not always listed on every tourist's itinerary as most travel books cover in depth the pungent odor that is emitted from the tannery pits, as well as the likelihood of being accosted by a small Moroccan child wanting to show you through the gateway or to accompany you to a nearby leather merchant. One small coin or a chocolate bar is fair exchange for a legendary tale about the gate to the tannery. The pungent odor is soon forgotten, what lingers is the memory of seeing first hand a handcraft unchanged for hundreds of years.
Tanning is the most ancient of the Moroccan crafts, the dyes from saffron, poppies, cinnamon, pomegranates, antimony, indigo, acacia and oak bark still used today as they were hundreds of years ago. Seeing hundreds of skins stretched felle gerben tight to dry in the natural sunlight is a far cry from the industrial process of our western cultures. Witnessing this natural process and taking in the vibrant, beautiful hues of yellows, reds, blues and browns plus the sniffing deeply of the sprigs of mint that are given to the adventurous tourist, soon allows the odor to be bearable, for a short time anyway.
Listening to the legends of the "Tanners Gate", or "Gold Gate" at the Bab Debbagh Tannery in Marrakech is as fascinating at the tanning process itself. It is believed that the tanners were the first to settle in Marrakech; no double the legends have developed and changed over the many years.
Goatskin leather is used for many Moroccan handcrafts, one specialty being Henna Lamps. When purchasing a Henna lamp from Morocco it undoubtedly would be genuine and unique. The artisan makes the lamp by hand tying pieces of dyed goat skin to the metal frame. The frame itself is usually hand beaten iron. The final process is to paint designs onto the lamp with Moroccan Henna.
Atlas Berber tribes are quickly to impress upon you that Moroccan Henna is the best in the world due to the quickness of the dye release. The henna dye in Morocco is as ancient as the Berbers themselves, the henna plant being introduced by the Berbers when they arrived from Yeman and Syria. Henna dye is extracted from the dried leaves and petals.
Moroccan henna lamps come in a range of shapes, sizes and geometric henna patterns, they will enhance your home no matter where you place them, you will be surly pleased.
As co-owner of So Divine, my goal is to provide products at affordable prices to aid your wellbeing and in doing so give you the best customer and sales support! As a Reg Nurse and Aromatherapist, I have studied and practiced relaxation and aromatherapy with children and adults. My world travels have allowed me to gain insights into many natural remedies.
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