51吃瓜

Amidst towering skyscrapers and cutting-edge technology, a traditional Bedouin craft continues to hold cultural importance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and across the Arabian Peninsula. Christophe Moulherat, associate professor of art history and archaeology at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and textile expert, has been studying the cultural significance of Al Sadu weaving in the region and how contemporary artisans keep the tradition alive. 

Moulherat and his colleagues, Delphine Syvilay and Lama Tarsissi, who are associate professors at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, lead research efforts to safeguard and recontextualise traditional knowledge systems, ensuring that the legacy of Al Sadu continues to inspire future generations.

“Al Sadu weaving has been central to the Arabian Peninsula for centuries,” Moulherat says. “This is especially true in the UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. It is primarily practised by women to produce tent dividers, rugs, bags, cushions and camel trappings using a warp-faced weaving technique.” 

The Al Sadu weaving process uses simple, portable ground looms, perfectly suited to a life of seasonal migration. The origins of the craft are deeply rooted in a nomadic lifestyle, where woven tents provided shelter and a defined social space for Bedouin families. 

“Al Sadu textiles do not merely have a functional purpose of protecting against desert elements but also serve as visual narratives,” Moulherat says. “They express tribal identity, social status and personal artistry through motifs and colours. They confer status and respect within the community, earmarking individuals – often women – as masters of their craft.”

Historically, Al Sadu weaving has also served as a form of communication, with motifs used to encode messages or news between tribes. Although its practical role may have diminished, it remains a powerful symbol of heritage and identity and is recognised by Unesco as intangible cultural heritage.

“Al Sadu textiles are renowned for their rich symbolic language, conveyed through geometric motifs and stylised symbols,” says Moulherat. “Common patterns include triangles, concentric diamonds and tribal marks.” The meaning of these motifs, along with the colour palette and technical aspects, can vary significantly by tribe and region. Traditionally, Al Sadu skills and motifs were passed down, for example, from mother to daughter, resulting in meanings that can be personal, tribal or even esoteric. 

The materials traditionally used in Al Sadu weaving include goat and camel hair, sheep wool and cotton. Natural dyes were traditionally sourced from local plants, with camel urine sometimes used as a setting agent. 

“The choice of colours and materials used in Al Sadu weaving reflects both environmental availability and tribal preferences,” says Moulherat. “For instance, the Ajman tribe’s use of bright reds and oranges is linked to the local flora and their migratory routes. In recent decades, synthetic dyes and yarns such as nylon and acrylic have become common, especially for decorative elements and to meet market demand for bright colours.”

Contemporary artisans are keeping the tradition of Al Sadu weaving alive despite the significant challenges the craft faces due to modernisation, mechanisation and reduced demand for traditional tents and furnishings. 

“The number of master weavers is declining and much of the symbolic knowledge is at risk of being lost,” says Moulherat. “Even so, the tradition is being revitalised through artisan cooperatives and cultural centres, as well as contemporary reinterpretation. As a dynamic tradition, the context and function of Al Sadu weaving may have shifted over the years, but its role as a living symbol of Bedouin heritage and female creativity continues.”

about Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.