Traditional carpet weaving in central Iraq unravels
In the shadow of the Imam Hamza mosque in the region of the ancient kingdom of Babylon, a carpet market that was once bustling is now almost empty. The only visitor to Hamad Al-Soltani’s small shop in the city of Al-Hamza in central Iraq, some 175 km south of Baghdad, is a local tribal chief. […]In the shadow of the Imam Hamza mosque in the region of the ancient kingdom of Babylon, a carpet market that was once bustling is now almost empty.
The only visitor to Hamad Al-Soltani’s small shop in the city of Al-Hamza in central Iraq, some 175 km south of Baghdad, is a local tribal chief.
Over the past few years, Iraq has been flooded with carpets from abroad — but although they may well be much cheaper they are of a far lower quality, he insists.
