Just a stone’s throw from Najjarine Square lies the last Damascening workshop in Fez…
The Maalem (Master Artisan) in the photo is already very old, and it is likely that after him, no one will carry on what remains a major art form in Arab culture.
Traveler, if you pause here, take a moment—one that will soon exist only in memory—to admire this man and the mastery of his craft, passed down from his father, who himself inherited it from the fathers before him. The long lineage of Damascening Masters is fading, but the legacy of their Duty and Passion will transcend time.
If you wish to take home a piece of his soul, please ask him for his price and do not bargain. There are still those who believe the value of a smile far exceeds that of money… May God grant them long life!