5 Lebanese Artisanal Inspirations

Lebanese woman from the 1950’s wearing traditional Lebanese Dress. Photo credit: Jean Gulbenk, Photorientalist

There’s a lot to say about Lebanon. It’s a country of incredible resilience, passion, and creativity. After the explosion in Beirut, we must remember what this Middle-Eastern gem brought to the global cultural table. As such, our team prides itself on teaming up with Azm Zaman, a local non-profit in Tripoli, Lebanon in the hopes of keeping the traditional arts alive.

Modern Keffiyeh Sundress made by a Lebanese non-profit Azm Zaman based in Tripoli.

Established in 2000, Azm Zaman, is an art and crafts school. What kind of arts, you ask? Well, it offers nothing short vocational craft-training in both arts and music. These handmade products help strengthen the local artisan community and contribute to Lebanon’s economic development. Headquartered in Tripoli, it is in the heart of cultural action. Our Keffiyeh Sundress is handmade by their team and sold exclusively here on our site. Inspired by them, here are five traditional artisanal inspirations that inspired our Mint + Laurel team:

ASSIA POTTERY - Photo Credit: Lebanon Untravelled

ASSIA POTTERY is, perhaps, one of Lebanon’s oldest inherited handicrafts. Passed on from generation to generation, Assia Pottery dates back to around 5000 BCE. Those keeping it alive today manufacture pottery in their backyards. Clay hands-on handiwork and a little heat in home-made wood-burning ovens – and voila – traditionally made bowls, jars, and platters (the list goes on) are born. With so many uses for the reddish-colored pottery, it’s no wonder why it’s survived the test of time. Learn more at Lebanon Untravelled.

BLOWN GLASS MAKING is Lebanon’s take on artistic recycling in today’s modern world and is a nice nod to traditional craftsmanship. The ancients of Tyre, Sidon, Sarafand, and Tripoli were (and still are) famous for their glass-blowing artistry. These villages make color-tinted glass in all the colors of the rainbow—the result; Ethereally unique pieces, coffee, and teacups, vases, bowls alike.

NAWL WEAVING, an art form that traces back to Phoenician times (a time filled with purple-dyed masterpieces) is deeply interwoven into Lebanese history. In fact, Rural Lebanese Zouk Mikael, nicknamed The Silk Village, weaved their country’s first three national flags. In rural Lebanese villages today, People still use vertical looms to make these geometric and vibrant functional masterpieces. Their traditional Tents, carpets, and tapestries keep this age-old art of the ancients alive.

BASKET WEAVING is another traditional Lebanese art form practiced through the centuries. Rural mountain villagers intricately interlace reeds grown on the riverbanks into fruit and vegetable baskets, and palm tree leaves into fishing baskets and prayer mats. Wicker workers also take their art one step further by turning esparto grass (Halfa) multicolored trays. These woven pieces of history bring a bit of Lebanese artistry into any home.

EMBROIDERY is the diary of a woman's life in Lebanon. Back in the day, girls started preparing their trousseau at the age of ten. This includes wedding veils, dresses, and household necessities. These women of rural Lebanese villages in the Baalbek region even developed a secret coding system to let each other know how they felt. Today, it is a rarity, but embroidery is still so embedded in their lives and continues the traditional Lebanese narrative.