The Syrian government encourages the handcrafts, which offers them facilities, workshops and several incentives. These handcrafts have a worldwide reputation. We very rarely find a novel that describes a fancy house that does not mention damask tables clothe.
A very elegant design and fine workmanship characterize them. The following lines describe some of these handcrafts but is not by any means a comprehensive one.
Textiles: Brocades top the list of all Syrian textile products. It is made of natural silk with gold and/or silver thread, on looms worked by hand. The silk comes from the Homs region. The designs are called damask, Aghabani, Dima, Cashmere, etc. Incredibly tough, brocade is wrinkle proof. No matter how you fold or twist it. It is an ideal material for luxury ties and haute couture dress. Less dense materials, silks and cottons woven by machine are embroidered with arabesques in gold and silver thread. Beautiful reversible tablecloths are made in this way. Cotton stoles are also decorated with designs in gold.
Wood: Marquetry (boxes, chessboards, backgammons and furniture) are almost as fine as damascened work. Ebony, thuya, lemon wood, rosewood, pearl shell and ivory are all used.
Less fine woodwork is painted in bright colors in geometric or floral patterns. Chests, cupboards, bed and wooden wall decorations are treated in this way.
Carpets: are not particularly Syrian products; but, there are craftsmen in Aleppo who specializes in rugs, usually on a red background with symbolic geometric patterns.
Metals: Damascus - as the name indicates - is a very ancient Syrian craft. Steel, for weapons, and cooper, for trays, are finely chased and inlaid with gold and silver wire. The same technique is applied to ivory. Gold and silver jewellery, often decorated with turquoise, is less authentically Syrian.
Aleppo in turn has some of the most beautiful \fine silver works including trays, boxes, jewelry boxes, etc…
Buying jewelry in either Damascus is very advisable since the craftsmanship is very fine and the quality is high and guaranteed. Prices are extremely reasonable.
The Syrian government keeps very close watch over the declared quality of gold, diamonds and other metals.
Basketry: There is a wide range of baskets, mats, trays and seats - all at reasonable prices.
Fired wares: Pottery and earthenware come in all kinds of styles and forms. There is a great variety of blown glassware, however Vases, flasks, lamps…. come in blues, greens, gold and flame colours. Stained glass windows too are coming back into fashion.
Stone: Several artists have rediscovered mosaic, while others perpetuate the typically Islamic art of geometric decoration on plaster and stucco.
Art Galleries: Syrian painters are some of the Arab's most famous. They participate in exhibitions all over the world. Their work is the traditional water and oil portrait and land scape, modern art, or the increasingly popular oil and water color calligraphy paintings. Tourists can find their work in art galleries spread in Damascus and Aleppo or through direct contact.
Simple domestic utensils:
Spoons, cake or butter-moulds, turned in the souks on primitive lathes, make cheap and attractive souvenirs.