Souk Ech-Chaouachine
Souk Ech-Chaouachineis one of thesouksof themedina of Tunis.Divided into three parts, it is specialized inchachiatrading.
History
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According to the chronicler Al Wazir Al Sarraj,Mohamed Bey El Mouradiordered the construction of the souk in 1691–1692, following the great push thatMoorishmigrant artisans gave tochachiaproduction and trading at the beginning of the 17th century.[1]The chachia artisans, calledchaouachis,were mainly ofAndalusianorigins,[1]and initiated from the start one of the most important artisanguildsin the country. Their profit generating business was practiced exclusively in Tunis, and followed an important production process and artisan hierarchy, headed by anamine,as all other traditional crafts.[1]
Location
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The souk is divided into three parts: Souk El Hafsi onKasbahStreet, Small and Great Chaouachine Souks both located betweenSidi Ben Arous StreetandSouk El Bey,[2]nearDar El Bey.[1]
Products
[edit]As its name indicates, Souk Ech-Chaouachine is specialized in the production and selling of chachia, a boiled wool red colored men's headwear, with blue or black glans to make it more luxurious.[1]Chachia production requires more than two months which includes several steps from crochet all the way to finishing; only the dying and the finishing production steps are executed at the souk.
At the chachia workshops situated within Souk Ech-Chaouachine, artisans and apprentices sit on wooden benches leaning on workshop walls, the master artisans sitting behind a counter to meet customers.[1]
Notes and references
[edit]- ^abcdef"Médina de Tunis".inp.rnrt.tn(in French).Retrieved17 November2015.
- ^"Souk Ach-Chaouachiya".commune-tunis.gov.tn(in French).Retrieved20 December2015.
External links
[edit]- "Souk Ach-Chaouachiya".commune-tunis.gov.tn(in French).Retrieved20 December2015.
- "Souk Chaouachine".culture.alecso.org(in French).Retrieved20 December2015.
