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Situated between two historical buildings in Darb al-Ahmar district of Islamic Cairo, the small covered Khaiyamiya Street is fading away with time. The narrow street, which dates from the 13th century, takes its name from the main activity practiced there: khaiyamiya, or the art of tentmaking.
The small shops lined on both sides of the street display knotty cloth mosaics, Islamic motifs, pharaonic patterns and occasional modern designs. But the joy of color is not reflected in the mood of the craftsmen who are struggling to make ends meet as their centuries-old craft fall victim to Egypt’s 21st-century revolution followed by a decline in tourism revenues.
