Do you think about art when you hear the word “Iraq”? No? Well, probably you are not the only one! But we, Rethinking Refugees, want to share with you information about all aspects of different parts of the world and so we want to write here something about Iraqi art! Let’s learn together!
We want to write about the art of weaving palm fronds, which goes back to the Mesopotamian era. It is important to know it, especially that a wave of cheap imports is causing the disappearance of such traditional crafts.
“Traditional Iraqi wicker items cannot be copied,” says Hamed Ibrahim, who owns a shop with wicker products. “Each region has its own special touch. Products come in different shapes and colours depending on the place of manufacturing”.
“Wicker weaving is as old as civilization in Mesopotamia — today’s Iraq — especially in regions rich with date trees, an important material for basketry, matting and ropes. The dense fibres of the tree trunk are used because they are the strongest part of the leaves, making wicker products sturdy and suitable for a variety of domestic products.” - The Arab Weekly
Iraqi artists are weaving mats and baskets - some of them are used in everyday life but some can be found in houses of people that simply want to have such beautiful objects at home! Look at the pictures - isn’t it amazing? Would you like to have something like this at home? Or maybe you do? Let us know!