Arabesque woodcrafts attract interest at Kirkuk festival

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Egyptian arabesque woodcrafts are drawing visitors at a shopping festival in Kirkuk, where decorative boxes and other handmade pieces are selling for between $10 and $20.

Among the displays are wooden storage boxes in various sizes and pieces decorated with motifs inspired by traditional art, particularly arabesque —one of the best-known decorative styles associated with Arab and Islamic art and still widely used in handicrafts, household items and décor.

Egyptian trader Mahmoud Al-Hijazi, from Giza province, told Shafaq News that demand for the wooden products has been particularly strong, with boxes of different sizes among the most popular items. The current festival has been the most successful of the eight editions held so far in terms of visitor turnout and sales, with customers coming from across Kirkuk’s communities.

Beyond commerce, the festival also offers a cultural space for introducing different traditions and forms of craftsmanship, particularly in Kirkuk, where visitors from the city’s diverse communities come together around the displays.