Handicrafts in Aseer Region

Handicrafts in Aseer Region are the crafts, professions, and manual industries for which Aseer in the southwestern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is known. They emerged to meet the needs of the region’s inhabitants by utilizing raw materials available in the local natural environment, and these crafts have been passed down through generations as part of the region’s cultural heritage.

Al-Qatt Al-Asiri Craft in Aseer

One of the leading handicrafts in Aseer is Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, a traditional folk art passed down through generations for decorating the interior walls of houses, particularly the homes of the affluent and community leaders in the past. It is based on geometric motifs inspired by the surrounding culture, especially the colors of nature. This art dates back hundreds of years and is traditionally practiced by women. Al-Qatt Al-Asiri was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017.

Asiri Traditional Dress tailoring

Among the traditional handicrafts of Aseer are spinning and garment weaving, particularly the sewing of the Asiri dress worn by Aseeri women on special occasions such as weddings and Eids, by both young and older women. The garment is known locally as Al-Mujannab and Al-Mutawwar. The Asiri dress is distinguished by its black velvet fabric, which is embroidered either by hand or machine with harmoniously colored threads whose lines tend toward luminous golden tones. The embroidery is characterized by balance, fluidity, and precisely drawn geometric patterns that form the bodice and sleeves of the dress. The price of the Asiri dress varies according to the type and quality of the fabric, the level of craftsmanship, the precision of the embroidery, and the amount of beads added. The primary colors of the Asiri dress are black and green; in recent times, red and yellow have also been introduced.

Craft of making Sihaf in Aseer

Among the handicrafts for which Aseer is known is the craft of making sihaf, wooden serving dishes used to present traditional foods. Although sihaf are considered heritage utensils, they continue to enjoy strong demand, particularly among older generations and heritage enthusiasts. The price of a single sahfa typically ranges between SAR400 and SAR600, and may exceed this significantly depending on the type of wood used in its manufacture.

Sihaf are made from the wood of long-lived trees such as Al-Gharb (Salix mucronata, willow) and Al-Atm. The tree is cut into sections, each known as a yazmah, measuring approximately 70–90 cm in height and 35–50 cm in width. These sections are stored in closed warehouses for about one year, protected from air and sunlight, allowing the wood to become solid and lightweight. Afterward, the craftsman determines the diameter, marks the piece, and splits it vertically into two halves. The circular form of the dish is then drawn using a compass on both the inside and outside, excess edges are removed to achieve the circular shape, and the carving stage begins. An axe is used initially, followed by carving, engraving, and hollowing with a qadum (adze), trimming and refining the piece until the final circular form is achieved. This is followed by sanding and the installation of ḥiyal (handles), which are used for carrying and are fixed at two, three, or up to four points depending on the size and diameter of the dish. The sahfa may then be decorated in various ways, including the addition of gold- or silver-colored nails, or fitted with bases according to the customer’s request.

Families often keep sihaf for decades, refusing to part with them and passing them down from one generation to another, as they are considered rare possessions. They are known for being antibacterial and heat-insulating, which makes their use safe and reduces the risk of burns. Maintaining the color of the dish, preserving the flavor of the food served in it, and cleaning it are achieved by coating it with animal or plant-based oils.

Craft of honey production in Aseer

Honey production is one of the inherited crafts in Aseer. Beekeepers benefit from the area’s agricultural environment and the abundance of trees whose blossoms provide nectar for bees, enabling honey production. These include samr, talh, daram, tibaq, sharam, sahha, salam, sidr, duhyan, siyal, athl, arak, arfaj, aliq, madd, sab, and qatbah. Beekeepers also take advantage of the region’s diverse geography—mountainous terrain in the Sarat of Aseer and plains in Tihamah—as well as climatic factors, particularly abundant rainfall. These conditions allow for honey production throughout the year.

Methods of beekeeping and honey production vary. Some beekeepers practice it as a hobby, establishing apiaries in home backyards, rest houses, near residences, or on farms, and they prefer calm bee strains that adapt well to limited spaces and to the flowering plants common in the surrounding area. Others raise bees for commercial purposes, setting up apiaries in public or designated sites to produce honey, beeswax, bee packages, and royal jelly.

In Aseer, there are two beekeepers’ associations. The region also hosts winter and summer honey festivals in several of its cities and governorates, including Abha, Rijal Alma‘, Al-Mujardah, Al-Namas, and Muhayil Asir.

Beekeepers in Aseer are not limited to producing and selling honey; they have also expanded into marketing value-added products derived from honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, and bee venom. Approximately thirty-five value-added honey-based products are produced, including cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and personal care products.

Palm frond weaving in Aseer

The craft of palm frond weaving and palm-based products is widespread in some governorates of Aseer, particularly in areas where date palms are cultivated. This craft relies on palm fronds and leaf stalks, and Aseeri women have traditionally excelled in it. The process involves collecting the fronds and spreading them in the sun to change their color, then gathering them in pieces of cloth after cleaning them of dust. The fronds are also dyed in various colors to create visual variety and aesthetic appeal. Palm frond products are diverse and suited to purposes such as floor coverings and ground mats, in addition to prayer mats distinguished by geometric patterns. Other products made from parts of the palm tree include cradles for infants, baskets, cages, and certain types of ropes.

Other handicrafts in Aseer

Other handicrafts practiced in the Aseer Region include silverwork and handmade crafts; metal casting and the production of jewelry and ornaments; the manufacture of agricultural tools; and the making of weapons such as daggers, swords, and jambiyas. They also include palm products, prayer beads and gemstone crafts, incense making, woodcraft, and traditional construction using stone and mud. In addition, Sadu weaving is practiced, producing items such tents (bayt al-sha‘r), carpets, tent decorations, majlis furnishings, and Sadu chests.

Handicrafts in the region also encompass the production of ghee (samn baladi), as well as the making of bouquets, garlands, and headbands from aromatic plants, such as basil, sweet basil, kewda, wormwood, rue, mint, and wozab Other crafts include pottery, leatherworking, blacksmithing, tanning, and wood carving.