First sight

FIRST SIGHT

METAL CRAFTSMAN AT WORK, FEZ, MOROCCO

By Olivia Snow, Morocco specialist

”During a recent guided tour of Fez, I saw a variety of artisans at work, practicing techniques passed down through the generations. We started in a tannery, where I had an aerial view of leathers being dyed, before moving on to see woodcarvers and weavers working in local wool or palm silk. Down a winding alley, we happened upon this diligent metal craftsman hammering Arabic calligraphy into a decorative plate. The medina is brimming with spots like these: workers displaying their crafts while busily creating more.”