Baghdad's Golden Past: Al-Nahr Street struggles to survive Amid imported competition

Shafaq News/ Baghdad’s Al-Nahr Street, once a hub for gold craftsmanship led by the Sabian community, now suffers from a decline in local craftsmanship, replaced by imported gold.

According to historian Mehdi Al-Badiri, Al-Nahr Street, known historically as “Girls’ Street” (Al-Banat Street), earned its name during the Abbasid era due to its proximity to the Tigris River, where boats ferried visitors across from Karkh to Rusafa. By the 1970s, it had become a flourishing gold market, with nearly 86 shops primarily operated by Sabian craftsmen.

The Sabians, famous for their expertise in this field, dominated the craft for decades. Goldsmith Hilal Muhalhel explained that crafting gold became a hereditary profession for the community, enabling them to perfect techniques passed down through generations. “We mastered the art of engraving intricate patterns on jewelry,” he noted.

However, the golden age of Al-Nahr Street began to fade after 2003, as violence and kidnappings forced many Sabian craftsmen to flee the country, leaving only six in the area today. This situation along with the influx of imported gold has severely impacted the local gold industry, as expressed by trader Ammar Abdul Zahra, “the dominance of imported Gulf and Turkish gold has overshadowed Iraqi craftsmanship.”

Modern gold casting machines from Turkiye and the demand for Gulf designs have shifted Al-Nahr Street’s focus to wholesale gold trading. According to Abdul Zahra, newly constructed complexes now cater to bulk buyers from provinces like Basra, Karbala, and Najaf, with wholesale transactions ranging from 10 to 100 kilograms of gold.

Goldsmiths and traders who remain in Al-Nahr Street hold successive governments accountable for neglecting local artisans. “The lack of support for creative talents has driven skilled craftsmen abroad, taking their expertise with them,” Abdul Zahra stated, with him and others believing that reviving the local gold industry requires support for traditional artisans.