The Depository · Browse · Middle East
The Depository documents 15 techniques in United Arab Emirates; by risk level: 2 critically endangered, 2 endangered, 5 vulnerable, 4 stable, 1 thriving. Each record opens with a public summary; the full research record is free to view once registered.
The weaving of wool, camel hair, and goat hair on horizontal ground looms by Bedouin women of the United Arab Emirates, inscribed by UNESCO in 2011 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding -- distinct from…
The weaving and construction of the gargour, a dome-shaped fish trap central to traditional Emirati and wider Gulf fisheries, historically intricately woven from locally sourced palm fronds by specialist trap makers before transitioning to…
The weaving and braiding of dried date palm fronds into functional household, agricultural, and maritime objects, one of the United Arab Emirates' original handicrafts, born of necessity in a climate where palm trees historically…
The hand-construction of dhows, traditional single- or double-masted Arab sailing vessels, by shipwrights of the United Arab Emirates working without blueprints, using knowledge and skill transmitted directly from one generation to the…
The specialized breath-hold free-diving technique and associated equipment used by Emirati pearl divers (ghais) to harvest oyster beds from the seabed of the Arabian Gulf, historically the economic foundation of Emirati coastal society…
The bespoke, made-to-order crafting of the khanjar, a short-bladed dagger that was an essential component of traditional Emirati men's attire, genuinely distinct from Saudi Arabia's own janbiyah/khanjar tradition (documented separately in…
A sculptural jewelry-making practice that takes materials tied to Emirati heritage and pushes them into unexpected artistic territory, developed by Emirati jeweler and artist Bin Omair, whose pieces incorporate everything from frankincense…
A contemporary practice transforming Arabic calligraphy into monumental architectural and sculptural form, developed by Emirati painter, calligrapher, photographer, sculptor, and designer Mattar Bin Lahej, whose work has become an integral…
The braiding of decorative embroidery from cotton or silk threads interwoven with fine metallic strands of gold or silver, practiced by Emirati women across the United Arab Emirates and inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the…
The hand- and wheel-forming of red and green clay into pottery, a tradition documented in the United Arab Emirates since the fifth millennium BCE, evidenced by archaeological finds at Julphar and Mleiha in Ras Al Khaimah among other sites,…
The construction of the habban, a traditional bagpipe of the Emirati and wider Arab Gulf musical heritage, formed from a whole goat skin sewn into an airtight bag, with an insufflation pipe fitted into one foreleg opening and a double…
The slow, labor-intensive preparation of harees, a porridge-like dish of wheat and meat, inscribed by UNESCO in 2021 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity through a joint nomination led by the United…
The tanning and working of animal hides into functional goods, among the oldest craft traditions in the UAE, historically rooted directly in the practical needs of desert and coastal life.
The custom tailoring of the kandura, the white ankle-length robe forming the cornerstone of Emirati men's national dress, worn across the social spectrum from worker to sheikh and directly leveling social status through shared attire.
The hand-knotting of a monumental Islamic medallion prayer carpet for the main prayer hall of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, certified by Guinness World Records as the largest hand-knotted carpet in the world.