Makkah incense burner craft continues as household tradition

SPA

Makkah, January 5, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The craft of making Makkah incense burners remains a traditional handicraft closely associated with households in the Holy Capital, forming part of hospitality culture and everyday home practices, artisans and specialists said.

The craft relies on manual work including selecting wood or metal, shaping the piece, hollowing it to support balanced diffusion of incense smoke, and polishing and finishing, in line with what specialists described as a Hijazi preference for practical simplicity and limited ornamentation.

Handicraft specialists estimated that around 60% to 70% of Makkah families still use incense burners regularly at home, whether for daily use or social occasions, helping keep demand stable throughout the year. They estimated demand rises by around 30% during Ramadan and holiday seasons.

A number of artisans practise the craft in residential neighbourhoods or small workshops. Field sources estimated that dozens of workshops and families operating as a cottage industry in Makkah rely partly on this activity as an additional source of income, with average monthly output of 20 to 50 pieces per workshop, depending on demand and materials used.

The incense burner industry supports a low-cost local economy by requiring limited capital and providing flexible job opportunities, particularly for productive families, the sources said, linking it to programmes supporting handicrafts and family empowerment in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.