عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Culture

Darah Team Visits Shibam City in Yemen, Discusses Cultural Projects

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
TT
TT

Darah Team Visits Shibam City in Yemen, Discusses Cultural Projects

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

A team from the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) visited Shibam in Yemen as part of a collaborative effort with the Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen (SDRPY).
The visit aims to contribute to the preservation of the rich heritage of this ancient city.
During the visit, the team reviewed documentation methods for traditional arts, architecture, decorations, and crafts.
The team also discussed diverse heritage and cultural projects, covering skills development through training, the creation of a commemorative publication about the city, and the establishment of a library dedicated to history, heritage, and traditional arts, SPA reported.
Moreover, the team visited the Al-Ahgaf Manuscripts Library, examining and studying its requirements to ensure the preservation of the documents and manuscripts it holds.

Most Viewed

 
 
Culture

Greek Potter Keeps Ancient Ways Alive, Wins UNESCO Recognition

A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)
A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Greek Potter Keeps Ancient Ways Alive, Wins UNESCO Recognition

A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)
A drone view of ready handmade pieces in Kouvdis’ family pottery workshop in Agios Stefanos village, near Mandamados on the Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, September 23, 2024. (Reuters)

In his seaside workshop on the Greek island of Lesbos, Nikos Kouvdis uses ancient techniques to create pottery pieces that have recently been honored with inclusion in UNESCO's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Kouvdis, 70, and his family have kept an old technique alive near the once humming pottery hub of Mandamados, just as the slow and careful methods of the past have been largely eclipsed by factory machines.

Their pottery is among the last in the Mediterranean to be produced from clay in local soil, using a traditional kiln with olive pits as fuel, with the pieces painted with natural lime.

"It's an honor for me," Kouvdis said with regard to the UNESCO recognition of his work.

He said a mechanized press can work at 10 times the speed of an individual potter. "There’s no continuity. There’s no space for (our) method to continue."

Still, he continues to produce individual pots on an outcrop of land overlooking the Aegean Sea.

"Above all, it’s a passion - trying to create something that fulfils you," he said.