We were guided through an alleyway in the Medina of Fes, into a dark shop and up four flights of narrow uneven stairs to a leather shop. We were handed a sprig of fresh mint and motioned to smell the mint. Nice fragrance. We were led up two more flights of even narrower stairs and that is when the sprig of mint really started to come in handy. There was a foul oder that got stronger as we got closer to the second leather shop. We were in an open air room with the oder wafting in and the sprigs of mint placed directly under our noses. Here we are, at the centuries old tanneries in Fes. Now, the oder mind you is from pigeon droppings mixed with cow urine which is an excellent choice for removing hair and fat from the animal skins.
The circular earthen pits contain dyes made up of natural materials such as tree bark, poppies, mint, indigo and saffron. The skins are soaked in the dye, sometimes in large stacks were the worker will climb in the pits with them and trample on them in the dye. The skins are then dried and fashioned into the lovely items we passed in the two leather shops on the way to the balcony.
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The circular earthen pits contain dyes made up of natural materials such as tree bark, poppies, mint, indigo and saffron. The skins are soaked in the dye, sometimes in large stacks were the worker will climb in the pits with them and trample on them in the dye. The skins are then dried and fashioned into the lovely items we passed in the two leather shops on the way to the balcony.
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