In pictures: Syrian potter preserves centuries-old craft

The 85-year-old potter said his family has practised the craft for more than 450 years

Last updated: December 21, 2020 | 12:01

AFP and Compiled by Christian Borbon, Senior Web Editor

2 MIN READ

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Inside a dusty and dark workshop on the banks of the Jaghjagh river in northeast Syria, Misak Antranik Petros uses an ancient pottery wheel to throw different shapes from clay.

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The 85-year-old Syrian potter of Armenian origin said his family has practised the craft for more than 450 years.

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"The profession was passed down from one generation to another like an inheritance," he said. "Now, my son is taking it up."

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His workshop is located inside an ancient mud-brick house near the city of Qamishli, administered by Kurdish authorities who control much of northeastern Syria.

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It is cluttered with pots, tools and classically shaped vases, mostly covered in dust.

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Petros and his two sons spend most of their time in the humid space, heated by an old wood-burning stove.

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"I dont like to clean the clay off my hands because I like the texture," he told AFP from his workshop.

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Petros was only a teenager when he had to take over for his sick father and become the main potter of the family. He has since become a master of the craft, and is keen to pass his skills on.

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"I am happy when I see the door of the workshop open and my son working inside," he said. "This craft deserves to be preserved."

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Syria's nine-year-long war has killed more than 387,000 people and displaced millions from their homes. Petros and his family were largely spared with their home and workshop dodging damage.

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Of Petros's two sons - Anto and Yerevan - the former is likely to follow in his footsteps as a professional potter, especially after receiving training from his father.

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"His hands need to be balanced," Petros said of his son, like a trapeze artist "walking on a tight rope".

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Sitting at the pottery wheel, Anto, 43, moulds a clay vase with expert hands while his father watches. The young man said he is just as enthusiastic about the craft.

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"I can't stop pottery for even two days because my hands miss it," Anto said. "If God blesses me with a child, I will teach them this craft the way my father taught me."

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