Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Visitors to the Iraqi-Egyptian exhibition in central Kirkuk are pausing at a modest stand where Jasim al-Hashemi, a 61-year-old craftsman from Karbala in southern Iraq, is showcasing hand-carved wooden and stone pieces he has produced over more than four decades.

Al-Hashemi told Shafaq News that he joined the exhibition not only to sell his work but to help preserve an artistic tradition he worries may fade.

Traveling nearly 500 kilometers to reach Kirkuk, he called the distance a small obstacle compared with his commitment to the craft. At his table, he guides visitors through each piece, pointing out the wood type, the depth of the carving, and the tools involved.

“Wood carving has deep roots in Mesopotamian civilizations, where artisans shaped doors, chests, and furniture with symbolic patterns. In Iraq today, the craft remains present in homes, gifts, and popular art displayed at festivals and exhibitions.”

Al-Hashemi works with jujube, sidr, and walnut woods, valued for their strength and ability to hold fine detail. Each item, he said, can require hours or even days of careful carving. His stand features small wooden pendants and keychains, along with larger plaques for homes and offices that blend traditional methods with modern design.

Carving stone is another skill of his, a skill he describes as more demanding due to the precision required. Some stones come from the mountains around Karbala, while others are collected from various provinces. He begins by sketching the design on paper and then on the stone before carving with sharp tools and small chisels.

“The craft faces increasing challenges, including the rising cost of materials and growing reliance on industrial products,” Al-Hashemi pointed out, stressing that he will continue to work despite these pressures, “machine-made items cannot replace the character of handmade pieces.”

He hopes the craft will evolve into a teaching program for children and young people, especially in cities with long-standing artistic traditions. Encouraging new learners, he said, would help ensure the survival of the profession.

Read more: Iraqi crafts vanish under weight of foreign imports