Traditional Industries, Designs & Crafts

Ghadames interior wall decorations: in red over white walls.

Libyan Traditional Sandals, Shoes & Boots:

Libyan traditional boots.

Leather Bags & Wallets:

Tuareg Musical Imzad

This imzad is on display at Ghadames Museum.

This imzad is very similar to the one in the museum (above picture),
and is played by a Tuareg woman during the festival of Ghadames 2009.

The Imzad Project. Image from: www.croqnature.com

 

This project aims to preserve the imzad Tuareg culture by providing training for girls to play the unique musical instrument: Imzad, by promoting the Tuareg oral heritage, and by making more instruments and recordings; and thereby halting the downward trend in the popularity of the culture. This will be achieved via the cultural tourism circuit called the "Imzad Hearers" and the training of guides in the Aïr region.   For more information, please visit the Imzad Hearers website (in French).

The imzad is an ancient   musical instrument made of one string, probably dating back to prehistoric times, and therefore its importance to a Tuareg is often compared to the importance of the soul to the human body. The instrument however is played only by women; with the only element allowed to join in is the voice of a male soloist.

 

 

 

 

Wooden mugs for milking camels.

The Art of Weaving:

The Loom, from Ghadames, for weaving rugs and carpets.

Farming tools: the plough & ploughing and farming accessories.

Metal tools.

Qasr al-Haj, Nafusa, Libya.

Daraj, south-west Libya.

The stone mill (quern)

Stone-mill (Quern), Qasr al-Haj, Nafousa, Libya.

Pestle and mortar made of brass, for grinding seeds and herbs in the kitchen.

Traditional Oil Press

The oil press (for more information, see our Jado Museum)

Traditional Interior House Designs (from Ghadames)

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