Fujairah, the craft capital of the UAE

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TIMELESS CRAFT ... Pottery is one of the oldest and most important crafts of the UAE and Emiratis still use clay pots for storage purpose or decoration.

Fast forward to modern times and pottery is still alive and popular. Joseph Thomas is a master craftsman who started Al Fakher Pottery Works 34 years ago; the shop and pottery is located on route E88 towards Fujairah.

By Text and photos by Neeraj Murali

Published: Sat 27 Aug 2016, 12:00 PM

Last updated: Sat 27 Aug 2016, 2:42 PM

Pottery is one of the UAE's oldest and most important crafts. It is not only a form of artistic expression but also appreciated for its utilitarian function. In early times, people living in the region's dry climate used clay pots for storing food, water, crops, medicines and even as burial tombs for children.
Fast forward to modern times and pottery is still alive and popular. Joseph Thomas is a master craftsman who started Al Fakher Pottery Works 34 years ago; the shop and pottery is located on route E88 towards Fujairah. Its employees typically stay with the company for seven or eight years and all of them hail from Kerala state in India, but have vast experience working all across India.
Al Fakher provides many of the pieces found in the local markets on the UAE's east coast as well as in shops throughout the country. Differences in designs and materials show the various styles found across the UAE and the many trade networks that the country has been a part of since ancient times.
An average of 100 pots are made on a given day. Each clay article is of a different shape, size and style. The largest pots are made in three separate pieces that are then molded together; the process can take a full day. After cutting out designs on the surface of the pottery item, they are stocked up in a cylindrical oven for cooking (baking). It takes as little as 10 minutes for craftsman to slice and etch elaborate designs with flower petals, moons and stars into a small pot.
The clay itself is sourced from Pakistan. Leftover clay is reused to make other articles. Smaller pots sell for Dh50, while larger pieces range from Dh500 to Dh1,000. Most of the Emiratis like to use these clay pots for storage or decorative purposes.
The company used to have an outlet in Thoban, a few kilometers down the road across the Fujairah border, which was later closed and a factory/shop was started in its place.
neeraj@khaleejtimes.com