Herat copper industry almost extinct, warn craftsmen

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Coppersmiths in western Herat say the ancient industry is almost extinct as people are no longer interested in purchasing their products amid lack of government’s support.
They say copper industry, which is an ancient industry of Afghanistan, has been forgotten.
Ahmad Mohammadi, a coppersmith who inherited this profession from his father, said currently the copper industry was not in good condition. “As the time passes, the industry faces stagnation because no one supports it.”
He said if the government supported coppersmiths and provided them with raw materials, they could achieve good results for Afghanistan through their art.
Besides Mohammadi, some other coppersmiths also complain that this industry has not been supported during the past few years and the copper industry in Herat province has stagnated.
Abdul Latif, another man who sells copper products, confirmed his sales had drastically decreased. He said if the copper industry was not supported, the remaining coppersmiths would wind down their works soon.
He said in the past there were more than 60 shops that supplied copper products for sales in Herat province, but now only four or five such shops remained.
He said artisans who made copper dishware once had a good business in Herat and there was no house that did not use their products, but now all house had glass products and only a few restaurants used copper dishware.
Experts in culture affairs consider copper products as a part of the culture and historic identity of Herat province and say industries like clay work, coppersmith, blacksmith and glass production have long been neglected and right now they face stagnation.
Muslim Marwi, an expert of historic and cultural issues, said the government must support these industries and such arts should be taught as a subject in textbooks up to university level.
Mawlana Naeemul Haq Haqqani, the provincial Information and Culture Department head, said the government supported all industries including copper industry, which he called one of the historic industries of Herat province and stressed that he would spare no effort in reviving this industry.
He said it was the government’s and the nation’s duty to preserve and develop the copper industry because its growth would attract foreign visitors, especially to Herat province.
Exact history of the coppersmith profession in Afghanistan is not clear, but culture experts and writers believe it dates back to Timurid and Ghaznavid periods.