Al Ain Palace Museum explores UAE's history and heritage

The Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, TCA Abu Dhabi, has announced the launch of a series of weekly workshops exploring the history and heritage of traditional Emirati handicrafts at Al Ain Palace Museum.

Running from July to October, 2017 as part of Al Ain Palace Museum’s ongoing public programme, the series of workshops explores some of the most well-known and common traditional crafts throughout the region, focusing on significant national heritage elements through a series of events and activities held at the museum.

Activities include a 'Telli' workshop, focusing on a distinctive embroidery skill that was traditionally practiced by women in the UAE. Comprising gold, silver and brightly coloured strings interwoven together, Telli was used to adorn Emirati women’s clothes and varied in types over time.

The series also offers a 'Khoos', palm leaf weaving, workshop, another celebrated traditional craft in the region skilled by women, as well as the 'Sadu' workshop introducing participants to a significant weaving style in the Bedouin culture, that is mainly used in the making of shelters and tents.

Sadu is one of seven elements inscribed as international heritage in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Its technique draws its primary materials from the local environment using camel skin, sheepskin and goat hair, while desert plants and herbs were used in the colouring of those materials.

TCA Abu Dhabi has inscribed Al Ain as the first Emirati site on the World Heritage List, and added 'Al Ayyala', 'Al Sadu', 'Al Taghrooda', 'Al Harbia', 'Al Majlis' and 'Gahwa', Arabic coffee, to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The weekly workshops are open to the public and are held every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 10am – 12pm.