Tanneries in Fes : the old art of working with leather

Among the alleys of the medina of Fes, one of the oldest in the world and named Fès el Bali, there are the tanneries, an UNESCO heritage, places where the leather is processed and coloured. Tanneries in Fes are centuries old, about one thousand years old and are the oldest in the world. Tanning is an activity born centuries ago and developed in Morocco during the Almohad period. The tanneries are full of many stone tanks next to each other, containing different liquids and dyes. The white tanks are those that contain the mixture to disinfect the skins, while the coloured ones are used to colour them. The process is the same that was used during the Middle Ages. The skin is removed from the animals, then soaked in warm water, bovine urine and salt, and treated with a lime solution to remove hair and fat, and then soaked in tanks of intense colour, and treated with natural substances. The leather is then washed and dried in the sun, and finally cut by the artisans who sew it to create the final products. The dyes are natural and come from plants and flowers such as poppy for red, indigo for blue, mint for green, saffron for yellow, henna for orange or cedar for brown. It is possible to visit the tanneries, one of the most listed tourist attractions in Morocco. The smell on arrival is very strong, and for this reason mint leaves are given at the time of the visit. Visitors are accompanied through the tanneries to see up close this centuries-old process of leather processing, which are often sold processed in the form of bags, sandals belts and more, and to see how the craftsmen work. Tanneries are an example of how traditional crafts are always functional, and can become a tourist attraction that helps to circulate the economy and to give work to many people of the medina, from artisans to guides, to the shops that sell tannery skins in the many streets of Fès el Bali.

Text and photos have been published by Specchio, weekly of La Stampa.