Souk of the dyers, Traditional textile market in Medina, Marrakech, Morocco.
Souk des teinturiers is a textile market in the Medina of Marrakech where artisans dye fabrics in large stone vats using natural pigments. The covered walkways are narrow and low, with workshops on both sides where large containers hold colored liquids in shades of indigo, red, and yellow.
This marketplace originated when Marrakech became a major trading center in medieval times and has continued its role ever since. Textile dyeing was for centuries a key economic activity that supplied the city with finished goods and brought wealth to merchant families.
The artisans here practice methods taught by their parents and grandparents, using natural dyes that reflect the region's plant and mineral resources. These traditions shape how families work together and maintain their role in the community as keepers of a centuries-old craft.
Visitors should come early in the morning when the dye vats are full and artisans are actively working. The area is tight and crowded, so it helps to move slowly and take time to observe the workshops and materials.
One striking feature is the colored fabrics hanging everywhere to dry, creating a roof of fabric and color overhead. These drying cloths form a canopy above the passages and shift in color daily depending on what is being dyed at the time.
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