Fustat Pottery Village
A place you should visit!
The Egyptian town of Al-Fawakhir is located in the ancient Egyptian region of Egypt, more specifically near the city of Fustat, behind the Complex of Religions.
Ancient Egyptians were skilled in pottery thousands of years ago, and possibly even longer. During those historical eras, the craft developed, leaving a rich legacy full of beautiful items. The largest and most ancient archaeological museums in the world are proud of the industry that has grown up around the expansion of space and the passage of time.
The art of shaping clay into masterpieces and jewels that reflect historical events. Also, everything that is important to have, everything that can be used in daily life, including works of art and antiquities, may be found in the village of Fawakhir, some of which can be used for practical purposes.
Also, cooking and drinking equipment such dishes, sultans, and bowls, as well as other artistic creations, which of course vary depending on the type of clay used to make them, there are two different varieties of mud, one that comes from Nile deposits and covers the majority of Upper Egypt and the Delta, and the other that is extremely soft and contains a higher proportion of calcium carbonate that was washed away from limestone plateaus by torrential rains.
The technique itself varies depending on the silt quality, but in general, water and mud are combined in a lined basin called a filtering basin to minimize water leakage. The combination is then moved to a spreading basin after being cleaned of contaminants.
There is a container with a hole in the bottom that lets water leak out, and the mixture is left for a week. The clay is cut into large pieces after it has dried for two weeks in the winter and two months in the summer, and then it is transported to the so-called mud house, which is where the bulk of the raw materials are kept. The royal factory in the first Pharaonic family, or 5300 years ago, used this method.
The art of pottery through multiple phases over the course of the tens of centuries of recorded history, including prosperity and decay, expansion and stability, especially with the rise of glass factories at the start of the New Kingdom era, which started in 1550 BC, but despite that, it found those circumstances challenging, so it started The sun's heat is used by the craftsman to dry the products of his labour, and once fire was discovered, these products were dried by being burned in ovens, which are known by different names throughout Egypt. While in Cairo it is known as "the kiln," the industries of pottery and drawings served as a timeline for the progression of the eras, naturally before the invention of writing and even after the development of the various Egyptian calendars.
The wheel of work began to connect and complete services and utilities such as water, electricity, gas and sewage, in addition to increasing green spaces and other measures that have been taken to put the village of Al-Fawakhir on the tourist map to serve as an open museum for all corners, where the following have been implemented:
1- Connecting utilities such as water, electricity, gas and sewage.
2- Continuous follow-up of the work of the village and the presence of a responsible administration.
3- Continuous communication and holding meetings with craftsmen and those in charge of steamers to listen to their opinions and suggestions.
4- Working on marketing the village's products and creating a state of movement.
5- Focus on natural gas ovens to operate steamers to be environmentally friendly instead of traditional ovens that rely on wood.
6- Painting the facades of the village buildings.
7- Focusing on green spaces within the village of Al-Fawakhir and afforestation.
8 - Design shelves in front of the steamers to serve as a display window for each pride continuously.
9- Transporting steamer products from in front of the village to prevent occupancy and placing them in an orderly manner inside the village along the outer wall to allow them to be displayed continuously in front of the public and visitors to the village.
10- Studying the establishment of restaurants within the village of Al-Fawakhir to serve the pioneers.
11- Working to exploit the presence of Al-Fawakhir village near the Museum of Civilization and put it on the tourist map.
12- Focusing on the existence of suitable prices for citizens to attract them to buy their needs from the village.
13- Holding an exhibition inside the village and working to make it an open museum and an attraction.
14- Eliminating slums located next to the village, such as the belly of a cow.
Shaaban, The Pottery worker, talked about the Pottery Village and the beauty and elegance of colors of the pottery artwork.
Q: When did Al Fawakhir village open, and were there any restorations or changes?
It was opened many years ago, more than 20 years ago, and many changes have occurred.
Q: What changes did the government make?
They erected a wall and provided water and electricity.
Q: Who and what types of people purchase your product?
Many people buy from me (Tourists and consumers for their villas, homes, and businesses).
Q: What made you decide to work in pottery and for how long?
Because I enjoy it and have been working here for over 20 years.
Q: What are the pricing and how do they differ?
The costs are decent but not expensive, and they vary depending on size, shape, and color.
Q: Is it called Al-Fustat Village, and it has a variety of workshops?
Yes, there are 183 workshops, and they work on a variety of projects. Ceramics, marble, and fiber.
How long have you been here?
I have been here for 55 years.
Q: But it was heard that the place was open or renewal last year?
No, it was 14 years ago but the president visited us last year and then he took the decision to renew it.
Q: You mean the place wasn't like this in the past and it evolved now?
Yes.
Q: How did it look before?
It was bad places as it was built of mud, they demolished the place there and moved us here, we got electricity, gas, water and sewage.
I had an area of ​​500 square meters, they gave me 200 square meters, and they built me ​​a place that had two floors for monthly rent.
Q: So you're living here?
Yes, we are living here and our work is here, They took care of the aesthetic form for the sake of the museum, so they developed it for the sake of the museum, because when tourists come, the shape must be beautiful, as we represent the Egyptian civilization, We represent the pottery civilization and its history. We develop pottery and preserve the profession founded by our ancestors.
Q: What made you love pottery? Did you learn it when you were child?
Yes, since I was child.
Q: You loved it and saw yourself in it?
Yes , I didn't go to school in addition to do the thing that I love, I spent my whole life on it, this profession always makes you think that you want to develop yourself and the forms you make, This profession is not easy. They gathered us all and surrounded us with a wall, gates and security.
Q: What is the name of your workshop?
It’s not my workshop I work here this workshop belongs to Ramadan.
I work in manufacturing the piece. In this profession, you should see what people like and make it, teaching this profession takes years and it's not easy. It is all due to the intelligence of the person who learns and ambition if you don't have the ambition you won't learn it.
Shaping and cutting earthenware.
Shaping and cutting earthenware.
Overview of the village artwork.
Overview of the village artwork.
Shaaban, a pottery worker doing his ordinary pottery work.
Shaaban, a pottery worker doing his ordinary pottery work.
After developing the Pottery Village, it is now full of greens, electricity and gas
After developing the Pottery Village, it is now full of greens, electricity and gas
Pottery Village overview located in Fustat, Old Cairo
Pottery Village overview located in Fustat, Old Cairo
Major General Khaled Abdel Aal, Governor of Cairo, confirmed that there is continuous communication with craftsmen and those in charge of factories and workshops in the village of Al-Fawakhir in Old Egypt to listen to their opinions and suggestions for developing the village, marketing products and putting the place on the tourist map. The governor of Cairo added that all utilities such as gas, water and electricity are now being reviewed and the efficiency and readiness of the furnaces to raise their efficiency. The Governor of Cairo stressed that there is great interest from the state in the development of the village of Al-Fawakhir within the framework of implementing the political leadership's strategy on supporting and encouraging handicrafts, pointing out that there is continuous interest in placing the village of Al-Fawakhir in Fustat on the map of tourist attractions in Cairo and programs to stimulate the pottery market at the local and international levels, especially since the craft of pottery is one of the oldest crafts in the world.
Names & IDs:
1- Nardine Sameh Saad 20060832
(Shooting, Interviewing, shorthand and publishing)
2- Ganna Mustafa 20061094
(Gathered the footage, edited it)
3-Engy Mostafa Rehab 20061079
(Infographic Design)
4- Yasmine Ashraf Abdelmonem 20060994
(Shooting and Interviewing)
5-Merna Hesham Sayed 20060816
(Transcription of the Interview)
6- Hams Sherif Abdelhameed 20060957
(Transcription of the Interview)
7- Rokaya Khaled Awad 20060300
(Gathered background Information, Wrote the article)
8-Nadeen Mohamed Mostafa 20060829
(Gathered background information, edited the audio)
9-Rawan Abdelsalam Ali 20060326
(Transcription of the Interview)
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