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Arts and Traditions |
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| The Sailing Vessels of Arados | |||||||||||||||
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Three Km. from Tartous city on the Mediterranean sea is located
the only island in Syria, "Arwad" or "Arados" which was an independent kingdom in the days
of the Canaanites. Arwad is renowned for its maritime and commercial activities. From its shores, the Phoenician'vessels sailed, loaded by the finest goods and spices. |
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The inhabitants of Arwad are still living from manufacturing
sailing vessels and other sea handicrafts like fishnets, fishhooks and shells. Mr. Mohammed Jarisha, a craftsman
from Arwad says: "I inherited the vocation of manufacturing the sailing vessels from my father and as I hold
a degree in plastic art, I was able to customize this profession to suit our actual needs. The raw materials that
we use are wood, threads and cooper. Building a small vessel takes approximately three months while building a
big one can take up to six months. One of my ships has been awarded the golden prize in a related exhibition, lately
in France. Unfortunately, this profession is going to disappear as it implements many funds and efforts with no
marketing for it. No doubt, people who have chosen this profession can hardly nourish themselves! |
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| At a second stage comes the manufacturing of shells. Mrs. Hasna Hussein a craftswoman in Arwad island says: "I work in the shell industry with my mother and sisters since 17 years. Our products are hand made with wood and various types of shells. We produce horns, doors, frames, baskets, flower vases and ashtrays. | |||||||||||||||
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