Popular markets, memory of civilization in "Sharjah Heritage Days"

Sharjah, February 13 / WAM / Sharjah Heritage Days, in its twenty-third session, organized by the Sharjah Heritage Institute under the slogan “The Glow of Authenticity”, yesterday evening, as part of the activities of the Intellectual Axis, hosted a research symposium entitled “Popular Markets” with the participation of an elite group of academics who provided historical and economic readings on the transformations of heritage markets in Egypt, the Gulf and the Balkans.

In his paper, “Khan al-Khalili from a Mamluk market to a tourist attraction,” Dr. Yahya Muhammad Mahmoud reviewed the historical path of this ancient landmark, stressing that it has remained a vital center for the transmission of cultural influences since the fourteenth century AD, explaining that the market maintained its architectural and functional character before it gradually transformed into a global tourist destination that blends the fragrance of history with the spirit of contemporary life.

The researcher discussed the documentary value of the khan in Orientalist paintings, especially the painting by the artist “Hickey,” which documented the details of the market and its historical gate, pointing out that the khan formed an early model of what resembles a “commercial mall” in its modern concept, where local and international goods were concentrated.

He also highlighted the emotional and social dimension of the region, pointing out that the Khan remained a destination for leaders, intellectuals and tourists, stressing that it represents an integrated cultural unit that allows the visitor to experience successive centuries of history in one space that combines shopping, traditional cafes and historical baths.

For his part, Dr. Adrian de Man presented a paper in which he discussed the nature of the trading system in the Gulf during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, pointing to the implementation of the “Cartaz” system, which imposed paid sailing permits in addition to the establishment of customs centers to control the movement of ships. He stressed that understanding this stage requires reading history from the perspective of the daily lives of merchants, pearl divers, and local communities, stressing that heritage is a contemporary reading of the past in a way that serves the present.

For his part, Dr. Masoud Idris, in his paper entitled “Popular Markets in Macedonia between their beginnings and their current situation,” reviewed the emergence of markets in the Balkans, explaining that the Ottoman endowment system contributed to transforming villages into integrated cities since the fifteenth century, pointing out that open and closed markets in the Balkans are still vibrant with traditional crafts such as the manufacture of copper, fabrics, and shoes.

The symposium witnessed interventions that discussed the connotations of historical terms and linked international experiences with local reality, recalling the history of the Al Khan area in Sharjah as a rest stop for travelers in ancient times.

The participants stressed that popular markets were not just places for buying and selling, but rather, throughout the ages, they formed centers of human and cultural interaction and contributed to formulating the cultural identity of the societies of Egypt, the Gulf, and the Balkans, to remain a living witness to the “glow of authenticity” extending over time.

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