Palestinian handicrafts

Palestinian handicrafts include embroidery work, pottery-making, soap-making, glass-making, weaving, and olive-wood and Mother of Pearl carvings, among others.

[4] The production of cloth for traditional Palestinian costumes and for export throughout the Arab world was a key industry of the destroyed village of Majdal.

As the quote says: "If Hebron could boast of its glass bracelets, its big he-goat skins, and its fine grapes; if Gaza was still the granary of Palestine; if Lydda was reputed for its oil markets and mat industry; Nablus could point with pride to its soap manufactories.

A number of artists in the city continue to make over a thousand different crafts, such as boxes, picture frames, covers for historical and old books, candle holders, rosaries, urns, vases and Christmas ornaments.

Modern Palestinian pots, bowls, jugs and cups, particularly those produced prior to the establishment of Israel in 1948, are similar in shape, fabric and decoration to their ancient equivalents.

[10] Cooking pots, jugs, mugs and plates that are still hand-made, are fired in an opened, charcoal-fueled kilns/ovens as in ancient times in historic villages like al-Jib (Gibeon), Beitin (Bethel) and Sinjil.

[13] Though the number of soap factories has plummeted from a peak of thirty in the 19th century to only two today, efforts to preserve this important part of Palestinian and Nabulsi cultural heritage continue.

[13][14] Until today, in Nablus, you can find Nabulsi soap beautifully stacked into towers by street vendors, awaiting purchase.