Historical Professions in Saudi Arabia
Historical Professions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are the trades and occupations that emerged as part of the traditional ways of life in Saudi Arabia. They vary from one region to another depending on the diversity of local communities and the differences in geographical nature, although some of these professions were common across most regions of Saudi Arabia. In the twenty-first century, they became part of Saudi Arabia’s national heritage.
Historical professions in Makkah Al-Mukarramah Province
Traditional professions in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in the past varied due to the diversity of social and economic environments in the region and the large number of visitors arriving there. Among these professions were Misbaha-making, Siqaya (water supplying), Tawafah (guiding pilgrims), rose distillation, Samanah (grocery trading), cotton carding or upholstery, stonemasonry, baking, Atarah (perfumery), currency exchange, Al-Kutbiyyah (book selling), Musaharati (Ramadan drumming), Al-Khurdagiyyah (secondhand clothes trading), Muzahhid (ascetic goods selling), Hakawatiyah (storytelling), and Munadun (public announcing).
Misbaha-makers are known as Al-Sibhiya, and Makkah Al-Mukarramah became famous for making Misbaha from Yusr, a type of wood brought from the Red Sea coasts. Later, plastic appeared and began to be used in this craft. Water supplying was one of the prominent professions in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, and the person who practiced it was called Al-Saqqa'. He would fetch water from wells and deliver it through neighborhoods, in addition to supplying water to pilgrims, Umrah performers, and visitors to the Grand Mosque. The profession of pilgrim guiding (Tawafah) is also known to be inherited from forefathers and fathers, and not practiced by just anyone, as the mutawwif serves pilgrims coming from outside Saudi Arabia in performing their religious rites.
Taif Governorate became known as a center for rose water production due to the wide-scale cultivation of roses there. As for Samanah, they are sellers of natural ghee made from sheep and cow’s milk. The profession of cotton carding or upholstery (Al-Naddafah or Al-Tanjid) is a traditional craft in which the Naddaf or Munajid prepares cotton, untangles and softens it to stuff mattresses, pillows, and quilts, and then sews them.
Stone masonry is one of the professions historically associated with the mountains of Makkah Al-Mukarramah. The stonemason would produce Al-Nurah, a white powder made by burning limestone and extinguishing it with water, which was used for wall coating. Another historical profession in Makkah Al-Mukarramah was perfumery, with the seller of perfumes, fragrances, and oud known as Attarji.
In the financial context, currency exchange was a known profession during Hajj seasons, as pilgrims and visitors coming to Makkah Al-Mukarramah from around the world needed to exchange their currencies for the local currency, a service provided by the money changer. Al-Kutbiyyah were booksellers, and in the past, they were allocated a place in the Grand Mosque next to Bab Al-Salam to sell books.
Al-Khurdagiyyah were sellers of sewing supplies such as needles, threads, and scissors. It was also customary in Makkah Al-Mukarramah in the past that, when someone was traveling, a Muzahhid would be brought to chant verses wishing them a safe return.
Given the lack of media in the past, some professions emerged to alert residents. The musahharati would roam neighborhoods during Ramadan to inform people of the time for suhoor, chanting calls and supplications in a loud voice. The hakawati would narrate stories and historical epics to café-goers at night in exchange for money. The Munadun would roam the markets of Jeddah Governorate to inform people about the arrival of ships, and their tasks varied in the region, including announcing invitations, weddings, and the start of new months.
Historical professions in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Province
Historical professions in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah Province had a unique style and organization that distinguished them from other regions of Saudi Arabia, as each profession or craft had its own specialists, known as craft guilds (Al-Tawa’if Al-Hirafiyyah). No one could work in a profession without first consulting the sheikh of the group or its leader and proving their experience and skill in the trade. Among these professions were builders, carpenters, blacksmiths, painters, coppersmiths, tinsmiths, basket makers, saddlers, brokers, cooks, dairy producers, and butchers.
Several old professions were linked to mud architecture and skilled crafts. Builders would construct mud and stone houses and prepare them for habitation. Blacksmiths made iron tools and equipment such as scissors, hammers, knives, and coffee roasters. Carpenters worked in various woodworking trades to produce items needed by the community, while painters coated doors, windows, and houses with oil and then with color. Coppersmiths produced copper utensils. Coppersmiths produced copper utensils, while tinsmiths made pitchers, lanterns, old measuring containers, and ladles. Basket makers crafted beds and poultry cages.
In practice, there was the profession of Al-Sarraj, referring to those who prepared lanterns and lamps (Atariq and Fawanees) every night to light the passageways and covered walkways inside the city. Brokers (Al-Dallalun) mediated and facilitated transactions between buyers and sellers in auction markets. Cooks were divided into two categories: one group prepared feasts for special occasions, and another was responsible for arranging the venue, welcoming guests, and preparing traditional dishes and local foods. Dairy producers (Al-Labbana) made dairy products such as yogurt and cream and sold fresh milk, while Al-Jazzara was the name given to meat sellers.
Historical professions in Riyadh Province
In the past, people in Riyadh worked in a number of crafts and industries, including jewelry making, blacksmithing, weaving, palm frond crafting, and leatherwork. The jeweler crafted gold, silver, and copper items, decorating them with engravings and patterns by carving on them. The blacksmith made weapons, iron keys, swords, and horseshoes. As for the production of traditional Bedouin tents (Buyut Al-Sha‘r), household rugs, and cloaks (Mishlah), this was the specialty of those skilled in weaving, using threads prepared from sheep’s wool, goat hair, and camel hair.
In addition, women worked in crafting palm fronds, making from them date baskets, round food trays (Sufrah), hand fans, and various plates. The leatherworker made different types of footwear, water bags (Qirbah), small bags used for storing milk (Siqa’), and small leather containers (‘Ikkah) for storing ghee.
Historical professions in Qassim Province
Among the old professions in Qassim Province was Tannour making, which is the craft of producing clay ovens, as well as butchery, which involved slaughtering camels, cutting them up, and distributing the meat to those who requested it. Other professions included trade, farming, construction, and spinning.
Historical Professions in the Eastern Province
Several professions were known in the Eastern Province, such as farming, date molasses production, Tasjin (palm trunk construction), mat making, textile weaving, herding, dairy product production, al-sadu weaving, and pottery making.
Farming was a well-known profession in the Eastern Province, especially in Al-Ahsa Governorate, due to the fertile land and the abundance of springs and wells, with palm cultivation being one of its main crops. The person who extracted date molasses was known as Al-Saddak.
The profession of Tasjin involved taking palm trunks, cutting them, and then using them to roof houses or build bridges. A person working in this profession was called Al-Musajjin. Mat making used palm fronds to produce small mats for use in homes and mosques, and these mats were also used to spread grains on for drying.
Textiles were woven on a manual loom, which the weaver used to produce men’s and women’s clothing and cloaks (Abayas). Some residents of the region also worked in producing dairy products such as natural ghee and dried yogurt, locally known as Al-Mudeer or Al-Aqt.
In Al-Sadu weaving, wool and camel hair were woven to produce items such as Bedouin tents (Buyut Al-Sha‘r), regular tents, and bags. In pottery making, the craftsman used kneaded clay, shaping it to produce pottery items, pitchers, and water containers.
Historical professions in the southern region
In Aseer Province, residents practiced several professions, including making pottery and stone tools used for cooking, drinking, cooling, and grinding grains. Some worked in beekeeping, which made honey abundant in the region. Dyeing, tailoring, barbering, and cupping were also known professions.
In Jazan Province, sesame pressing to extract sesame oil was a popular profession, as was making traditional sweets from ingredients available in the local environment, such as flour, dates, sugar, oil, starch, saffron, cardamom, rose water, and sesame. This craft has been passed down through generations to the present day. Traditional Jazan sweets include Al-Mashabbak, Al-Halqoum, and sesame sweets. The region was also known for manufacturing farming tools and equipment, as well as wooden boats.
In Al-Bahah Province, stones were taken from the mountains to build houses, a process called Al-Taqli‘, carried out by a worker known as Al-Muqalli‘. Old crafts in the region also included making items from palm fronds, such as plates, brooms, and mats. There were also families specialized in gunpowder making.
Najran Province included craftsmen skilled in leather, silver, wool, wood, stone, and pottery industries.
Historical professions in the Northern Province
In Tabuk Region, handicrafts emerged as in other regions of Saudi Arabia, such as perfumery, barbering and cupping, Agal (headband) making, construction, trade, leatherwork, brokerage, and ghee selling.
In Hail Province, the camel driving profession (Al-Jamalah) was known, in which the camel driver transported people’s goods and merchandise from one place to another, in addition to making copper Dallahs (Arabic coffee pots) used for serving Arabic coffee.
In the Northern Borders Province and Al-Jawf Province, metal craftsmen produced items such as pots, trays, tongs, sandals, daggers, horseshoes, and horse bridles, in addition to textile and woodworking industries.