Cairo – Ancient Egyptians are known for their art of carving into walls, stones, marbles and rocks, which is shown by murals in temples and archeological sites across the Arab country. It seems that this talent the Egyptians have inherited for over 7,000 years BC is not about to end any time soon.
Egyptian artist Adel Mahmoud creates sculptures out of date palm rigs that are discarded in cleanings and the annual pruning that prepares the tree for production. These wastes were previously burned in bulk, thus polluting the environment. The New Valley governorate where Mahmoud was raised is Egypt’s largest date producer, and so it’s the largest producer of date palm wastes.
In an interview with ANBA, Mahmoud (pictured) said he started carving in date palm leaves 25 years ago in his governorate, which is located in the desert on the border with Libya, an area known for housing date palms, as the plant is resistant to high temperatures and water scarcity.
The artisan said his idea came from seeing so many date palm wastes in the region he lived and his desire to use those huge amounts of wastes in some way.
He explained he started carving landscapes and natural shapes that expressed the environment and life in desert in the New Valley governorate. He faced many problems as he was creating the artworks, which he managed to solve with a great deal of effort and thought. Mahmoud is concerned about preserving the quality and solidity of the end product for the longest time possible, ensuring that it’s safe for health and the environment.
The artisan said it usually takes six months to prepare the materials until they are ready to be carved in. The input is scattered on the sand for drying, then fumigated, and only then it’s ready to be worked on without being affected by weather changes across the different seasons of the year. The Egyptian said that a well-conservated product can remain unchanged for over 20 years. He said the pieces gain in beauty over time.
According to Mahmoud, the artworks are popular with Egyptians and have been sold in craftsmanship exhibitions where he reaches potential clients. Participating in shows was one of the factors that have led Mahmoud to carve Egypt’s most famous tourist sites like the Giza pyramid complex and Luxor Temple, as well as other famous monuments in the country.
The popularity with foreign tourists and trade fair visitors sparked his interest in exporting his artworks. But the high price of marketing and participating in shows overseas is an obstacle for his artworks to leave Egypt.
Translated by Georgette Merkhan & Guilherme Miranda
