THUYA WOOD ARTICLES ON SALE IN ONE OF ESSAOUIRA BAZAARS

Thuya woodcarving has made the fame and the richness of Essaouira for many decenies. It is a tradition Of a unique kind that has been developped and proudly preserved and transmitted from father to son through the centuries. It was born on the same day as the city itself  was founded. When King Mohammed ben Abdallah took the decision of bringing whole families, belonging to different tribes, from the four corners of the country  to settle down in the newly built city of Essaouira. It was in this demographic melting pot that Essaouira handcrafts had grown, to come up to the brilliance and fame they know, today.

The polished thuya gnarl is carved and incrusted with designs of geometric and floral shapes of lemon wood, sea shells, or ebony wood, sometimes set with silver or aluminium wire,

according to the desired value. It is transformed, thanks to the dexterity of the Essaouira craftsmen,    into articles of great value .Tables and secret boxes, cupboards of different shapes.

THUYA WOOD CRAFTSMAN AT WORK

Office furniture and objects of decoration are exhibited in the bazaars that furnish this medina, giving it an aspect of a huge museum.

Artisans from Essaouira have since the nineties begun moving towards new horizons looking for areas where wood is not so expensive as in Essaouira, and where there are are more customers in order top insure a reasonable income and improve their living standard that has been affected by the crises that have often affected the tourism sector.