ADAM: Silverware making is one of the major craft industries in the Sultanate. Citizens in several places, including Adam, are traditionally engaged in the profession. Omani artisans had known this craft for a long time, and they preserved the industry by imparting their skills to the young generation, thus saving it from extinction. Silverware industry in the Sultanate maintains its originality and identity and continues to thrive with the support and care by government institutions which meet the needs of craftsmen in various governorates, in the light of the development witnessed by the crafts sector.
Mohammed bin Abdullah al Shaibani, a craftsman from the Wilayat of Adam, said: “I started working in goldsmithery and silversmithery 40 years ago, assisting my grandfather who had a good income. “The support of government institutions to the silverware industry has brought about many changes in this profession. New equipment and technologies have helped us to save a lot of time and produce different varieties of silverware. “The Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI), which extends great support to us, plays an important role in the development of the sector,” Al Shaibani said.
“I wish to join training programmes to learn new techniques of the craft, and also want to participate in exhibitions inside and outside the Sultanate to gain more knowledge, experience and skill in the field,” he added. “In some silverware we notice that traditional Omani specifications have disappeared. The Omani youth, both male and female, buy modern gold and silverware, without considering its originality or quality. We, in the shop, adhere to the old specifications in a modern and sophisticated manner,” Al Shaibani said.Most of the silverware like rings, daggers and women’s accessories are available at markets in Nizwa, Sur and Muttrah.
However, the major challenge is posed by expatriates in this heritage industry, he says. “The demand for silver articles rises on occasions like marriage and holidays. In Adam, we do all goldsmithery and silversmithery work such as manufacturing, maintenance and cleaning, and we have customers from within and outside the country. There are some sections of society who come to us to buy high quality articles with certain traditional specifications,” Al Shaibani added. Over the past years, the sector has witnessed great development, contributing to the advancement of craftsmanship in all its forms. — ONA
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