Corner for making traditional wooden ships at the Al Ashkharah Atmosphere Forum

Al-Ashkharah: The traditional marine shipbuilding corner is one of the most prominent corners of the “Al-Ashkharah Atmosphere Forum”, which is held in the public garden at Al-Ashkharah Niyabat, with the aim of introducing tourists to the stages and types of traditional wooden marine ship-making that the Niyabat has been famous for since ancient times.

As it was one of the most important commercial ports on the coast of the Arabian Sea and constituted a large factory for the manufacture of traditional wooden ships.

Hamad bin Nasser Al-Jaafari, the owner of the profession of manufacturing wooden marine ships at Al-Ashkharah Prosecution, stated that he has practiced this craft for more than 50 years, as he inherited it from the ancestors, indicating that the manufacture of wooden ships goes through several successive stages, starting with determining the required size in terms of length, width and height according to its type, and then followed by a stage Construction in the beach from which you will sail after the ship is completed from the construction process.

The construction of the ship begins with the installation of the (hairab), which is the basic base of the ship, then the outer panels are installed, after that the deck of the ship is installed, and then the  dagl  which is the mast, and after that comes the process of filling the voids by means of certain types of cotton greased with oil or by painting the hull The exterior is covered with oil extracted from fish or other types of sealing materials to extend the life of the ship. Upon completion of the ship’s manufacture, it is lowered to the sea through the participation of a large number of the people of the region.

Al-Jaafari explained that among the most important tools that are used in the manufacture of the traditional wooden ship are the jaddum (axe), hammers, saws, sharpeners, scythes, and other tools, and each tool has a different use.

These ships carried and imported many different goods, including: meat, dried fish, salt, dried lemons, spices, rice, textiles, wood and other goods.

The activities of the Al-Ashkhara Forum will continue until the 24th of this month, organized by the Al Sharqiyah South Governorate in cooperation with a number of government and private agencies.