Craftsmen at Abu Dhabi's Heritage Village, including Egyptian potter Osama El Adel, use traditional methods to keep the art alive. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
Heritage Village is also home to the Emirates Heritage Club, which hosts workshops for traditional crafts
The village is an immersive time capsule, with an old-world souq, mosque and camp modelled on life in pre-modern UAE
Tourists enjoy the sights at the Heritage Village
Osama El Adel was taught pottery from his father, who worked at the Heritage Village for more than 20 years
He enjoys the the design and sculpting process of pottery and talking to tourists about the traditional methods he uses
El Adel’s family come from the city of Mansoura in Egypt, where his grandfather and father learnt the art of pottery
Younis Al Fallah, from Morocco, was taught by his father the craft of making daggers, or khanjar as they are known in the region, from the age of 10
Arabic daggers are seen across most of the region, in varying sizes and designs
While they were once used for hunting and fighting, today they are used as decorative objects and for traditional ceremonies
From his workshop inside Heritage Village, Younis Al Fallah crafts pieces and talks to tourists and visitors
Younis Al Fallah at work
An Italian tourist checks out a khanjar
Mujib Rahman from Bangladesh holds his design of a jalboot fishing boat model at his workshop
Mujib Rahman at work
The jalboot fishing boat model is intricately designed and crafted
A full view of the jalboot fishing boat model
Craftsmen at Abu Dhabi's Heritage Village, including Egyptian potter Osama El Adel, use traditional methods to keep the art alive. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
Heritage Village is also home to the Emirates Heritage Club, which hosts workshops for traditional crafts
The village is an immersive time capsule, with an old-world souq, mosque and camp modelled on life in pre-modern UAE
Tourists enjoy the sights at the Heritage Village
Osama El Adel was taught pottery from his father, who worked at the Heritage Village for more than 20 years
He enjoys the the design and sculpting process of pottery and talking to tourists about the traditional methods he uses
El Adel’s family come from the city of Mansoura in Egypt, where his grandfather and father learnt the art of pottery
Younis Al Fallah, from Morocco, was taught by his father the craft of making daggers, or khanjar as they are known in the region, from the age of 10
Arabic daggers are seen across most of the region, in varying sizes and designs
While they were once used for hunting and fighting, today they are used as decorative objects and for traditional ceremonies
From his workshop inside Heritage Village, Younis Al Fallah crafts pieces and talks to tourists and visitors
Younis Al Fallah at work
An Italian tourist checks out a khanjar
Mujib Rahman from Bangladesh holds his design of a jalboot fishing boat model at his workshop
Mujib Rahman at work
The jalboot fishing boat model is intricately designed and crafted
