Explore the Legacy of Bahrain’s Female Artisans and Their Craft.
Traditional Bahraini women’s clothing is celebrated for its elegance and the skilful embroidery that adorns it. This is largely due to the expertise of women in hand embroidery, especially the kurar technique, which involves intricate, handwoven embellishments on women’s garments. To experience this traditional craft firsthand, visit Kurar House in Muharraq in the north of Bahrain. Here, you can witness skilled kurar artisans at work, creating beautiful, embroidered products, such as bracelets and shawls, that make perfect souvenirs and gifts.
Photos & Videos
What to Expect
How Is Kurar Made?
Kurar House preserves the heritage craft of kurar, a form of embroidery made by hand and collectively. The process involves a team: the qataba, who leads, and three assistants known as dawakheel, working with golden threads called zari. The dawakheel weave and intertwine the threads, which the qataba then secures directly onto the fabric. This process requires hours of careful work, with a single metre of embroidered strip taking up to three hours of continuous labour.
Past Social and Economic Impact
Historically, kurar embroidery had significant social and economic importance. This craft provided a communal space for women, allowing them to spend hours together, swapping tales and nurturing friendships during their regular embroidery meetings. Economically, kurar provided women a way to contribute financially, especially during times when men were away for three to four months on pearl diving expeditions. This women-led craft fostered social bonds and offered a source of income, helping families cope with the challenges of life during the pearl-diving era.
Opened in Muharraq by the Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center, Kurar House aims to preserve and revive this craft by supporting the remaining skilled artisans, training new generations, and promoting their craft.
Explore the Legacy of Bahrain’s Female Artisans and Their Craft.
Traditional Bahraini women’s clothing is celebrated for its elegance and the skilful embroidery that adorns it. This is largely due to the expertise of women in hand embroidery, especially the kurar technique, which involves intricate, handwoven embellishments on women’s garments. To experience this traditional craft firsthand, visit Kurar House in Muharraq in the north of Bahrain. Here, you can witness skilled kurar artisans at work, creating beautiful, embroidered products, such as bracelets and shawls, that make perfect souvenirs and gifts.
Photos & Videos
What to Expect
How Is Kurar Made?
Kurar House preserves the heritage craft of kurar, a form of embroidery made by hand and collectively. The process involves a team: the qataba, who leads, and three assistants known as dawakheel, working with golden threads called zari. The dawakheel weave and intertwine the threads, which the qataba then secures directly onto the fabric. This process requires hours of careful work, with a single metre of embroidered strip taking up to three hours of continuous labour.
Past Social and Economic Impact
Historically, kurar embroidery had significant social and economic importance. This craft provided a communal space for women, allowing them to spend hours together, swapping tales and nurturing friendships during their regular embroidery meetings. Economically, kurar provided women a way to contribute financially, especially during times when men were away for three to four months on pearl diving expeditions. This women-led craft fostered social bonds and offered a source of income, helping families cope with the challenges of life during the pearl-diving era.
Opened in Muharraq by the Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center, Kurar House aims to preserve and revive this craft by supporting the remaining skilled artisans, training new generations, and promoting their craft.
Muharraq
+973 17322549
Phone +973 17322549
Email info@shaikhebrahimcenter.org
Website shaikhebrahimcenter.org/en/house/kurar-house/
Closed Opens Tuesday at 08:00 AM
Monday 08:00 AM - 07:00 PM
Tuesday 08:00 AM - 07:00 PM
Wednesday 08:00 AM - 07:00 PM
Thursday 08:00 AM - 07:00 PM
Friday Closed
Saturday 08:00 AM - 07:00 PM
Sunday 08:00 AM - 07:00 PM
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