Souk Ech-Chaouachine

Last updated

Souk Ech-Chaouachine is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. Divided into three parts, it is specialized in chachia trading.

Contents

History

Old picture of Souk Ech-Chaouachine. Tunis Souk des Chechias.jpg
Old picture of Souk Ech-Chaouachine.

According to the chronicler Al Wazir Al Sarraj, Mohamed Bey El Mouradi ordered the construction of the souk in 1691–1692, following the great push that Moorish migrant artisans gave to chachia production and trading at the beginning of the 17th century. [1] The chachia artisans, called chaouachis, were mainly of Andalusian origins, [1] and initiated from the start one of the most important artisan guilds in the country. Their profit generating business was practiced exclusively in Tunis, and followed an important production process and artisan hierarchy, headed by an amine, as all other traditional crafts. [1]

Location

Metallic sign indicating the Great Chaouachine Souk swq lshwshy lkbyr.jpg
Metallic sign indicating the Great Chaouachine Souk
Metallic sign indicating the Small Chaouachine Souk Petit Souk des chechias, la medina de Tunis.jpg
Metallic sign indicating the Small Chaouachine Souk

The souk is divided into three parts: Souk El Hafsi on Kasbah Street, Small and Great Chaouachine Souks both located between Sidi Ben Arous Street and Souk El Bey, [2] near Dar El Bey. [1]

Products

As its name indicates, Souk Ech-Chaouachine is specialized in the production and selling of chachia, a boiled wool red colored men's headwear, with blue or black glans to make it more luxurious. [1] Chachia production requires more than two months which includes several steps from crochet all the way to finishing; only the dying and the finishing production steps are executed at the souk.

A chaouachi finishing a chachia. swq lshwshyn.jpg
A chaouachi finishing a chachia.

At the chachia workshops situated within Souk Ech-Chaouachine, artisans and apprentices sit on wooden benches leaning on workshop walls, the master artisans sitting behind a counter to meet customers. [1]

Notes and references

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Médina de Tunis". inp.rnrt.tn (in French). Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  2. "Souk Ach-Chaouachiya". commune-tunis.gov.tn (in French). Retrieved 20 December 2015.

Related Research Articles

Tunis Capital and largest city of Tunisia

Tunis is the capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. As of 2020, it is the fourth-largest city in the Maghreb region and the sixteenth-largest in the Arab world.

Medina of Tunis Old city of Tunis, Tunisia

The Medina of Tunis is the medina quarter of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

Souk El Berka

Souk El Berka is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. The market traders specialize in the jewellery trade.

Souk El Bey

Souk El Bey is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis.

Souk El Bchemkya

Souk El Bchemkya is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. It used to be specialised in selling bechmak.

Souks of Tunis Souqs in Tunis, Tunisia

The souks of Tunis are a set of shops and boutiques located in the medina of Tunis, capital of Tunisia. Most of the souks were built under the Hafsid dynasty in the 13th century and near the Al-Zaytuna Mosque.

Souk El Kmach

Souk El Kmach or the fabrics market is one of the most important souks of the medina of Tunis. It is the place where fabrics and tissues are sold, whether they are made in Tunisia or luxury products especially imported like silk or linen.

Souk El Attarine

Souk El Attarine, or souk of spice traders, is the name by which most spice markets are referred to in Arab countries in the Middle East. Old cities were often divided into segments based on what was sold - meat, spices, fabrics and so on - and attarine, which means spice traders in Arabic, refers to the spice market.

Souq Al Bchamkiya

Souq Al Bchamkiya is a former souk of the medina of Tunis, specialized in bechmak trading.

Souk El Kebabjia

Souk El Kebabjia is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. It is specialized in the trading of traditional clothing accessories. Its craftsmen are specialized in kbaïeb, plural kobba.

Souk El Trouk

Souk El Trouk is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. It is specialized in clothing and embroidery trading.

Madrasa Slimania is a former madrasa and one of the monuments of the Ottoman era in the medina of Tunis.

Souk El Blat

Souk El Blat is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis, specialized in medicinal plants.

El Ahmadi Mosque Mosque in Tunis, Tunisia

El Ahmadi Mosque is a small mosque in the northern suburb of the Medina of Tunis near Bab El Khadra one of its gates.

El Habibi Mosque Mosque in Tunis, Tunisia

La El Habibi Mosque, also known as Bou Dhebena Mosque is a small mosque in the Medina of Tunis.

Souk Es Sekajine

Souk Es Sekajine or Souk Es Sarragine is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. specializing in leather goods, saddles, and horse harnesses.

Madrasa Ech Chamaiya

Madrasa Ech Chamaiya is one of the madrasahs of the Medina of Tunis.

Souk El Blaghgia

Souk El Blaghgia is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis.

Souk El Haddadine

Souk El Haddadine or souk of the smiths is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis.

Souk Sidi Mahrez

Souk Sidi Mahrez is one of the popular souks of the medina of Tunis. It is specialized in selling fabrics.