Leather and silk handicrafts

It is considered the most famous handicrafts  of Ghadames since old times and from which the city  gained one of its ancient names which is (the city of leathers). Anciently the leathers of Ghadames were  considered among the best tanned leather of the time and nothing surpass them in quality and they were  though to be as  they are silk clothing) as had said  by Yakout Alhamawi. The leathers were used in making different types of shoes  which was so famous and known as the Ghadamesi shoe  (locally the Ghadamesi Bulgha) and the most important are

Sandal which is a shoe with long neck with various colors red (Nalouti) the black (Gharyani) and different types such as  Bbodina (Fassatwi) and Bu-Gamra.

Tarkass: which is an ordinary shoe with various types among them Altumag (for children), Nasf Amara  , Amara,  Tamarzakit and Tarihit for adults.

Almasd (slipper) which is worn under the ordinary shoe and many consider as an early phase for the use of actual socks.

Women’s shoes which are beautiful shoes with their various ornaments and all are made of red leather and the most important are: Tawut – Algasaa – Tasharzamt – Toulfsa – Trehit.

Albalga – Altalik which are with the same names of the previous shoes but its open in the front.

 There are other leather products and activities such for example

Sulfa ( cash keeper)

Jabira (suitcase)

 Mazmani ( embroidered cushion)

men and women’s belt

Harouz (necklace)

Binding of copies of the Holy Koran  and chairs and couches

Handcrafts based on palm trees:

The inhabitants fabricate many types of crafts grounded on the products of palm trees like plates, basket and palm leaf fan etc…:-

Plates are fabricated in  four types which are:

       Covering plates used in covering food utensils etc and attain 19 different names according to use, ornamentation, and size

.    Conservation plates used for conservation and storage of various materials like alimentary grains etc and they are manufactured in 9 differenttypes.

.    Measuring plates: used to weigh dates, flour and grains etc and they came in  three types. Plates  craft in general is women profession  who master the plate’s ornament, color and shape where they are produced in various sizes and beautiful drawings and ornaments.

.    There is a plate  type called Takliwa which is a bowl: they came in different sizes includes sugar  bowls others where consumption materials are conserved, others used by the children for collecting  dates and other types for embellishment.

Fans are also made of palm leaves and tinted with various colors and there are fans made of colored clothes and threads and used for social ceremonies. Other palm trees  crafts were made by men such as ropes, traps (used by children to hunt birds), children games, scuttle and basket.

 Wool crafts:

                Sidi Maabad (Tounine) village is well-known by these crafts and among the most significant wool crafts are the pillows,- ground sheets, carpets and blankets, talfafene (handkerchief-like) used for rolling up henna,  Amadil (mid size towel-like) for covering various objectives.

Edge-tools maker and Gold silver smithing:

                The most important pieces that were made are head amulets,  various rings, necklace, anklet,  jars,  crowns, locks  etc…

Fabrication of pottery:

                It is one of the crafts that practiced in the past and the potteries products have simple and distinguished ornaments and among these products: water  jars,  flour kneads jars,  candles,  dishes  

Iron crafts:

The most important iron crafts are: axes, scythe,  latches,  and also the repair of copper pots.

Traditional crafts of the Touaregs of Ghadames:

It takes a long time to full account the traditional crafts of the Touaregs in various regions and countries but the Touaregs resident in Ghadames make light tools for self-sufficiency like wool fabrics, the embellishment of female dresses fabricated by women, knotting made of bones and shells and also the blue tincture of clothes.