Saudi craftsman highlights Najdi heritage at Saudi International Handicrafts Week

📷SPA

RIYADH, November 19, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – At the Saudi International Handicrafts Week (Banan), visitors to the traditional crafts section are drawn to a pavilion showcasing the work of Faris Nayef Al-Harma, a craftsman specializing in Najdi incense burners and traditional doors. His work reflects more than two decades of practice, research, and efforts to preserve key elements of Saudi architectural heritage.

Al-Harma said his connection to crafts began as a hobby before developing into a professional path, despite his academic background in political science from King Saud University. Over the years, he has delivered more than 500 instructional hours in collaboration with institutions including the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts and several private organizations, contributing to the training of new practitioners and raising awareness of traditional crafts.

He produces incense burners from copper using traditional methods while adding modern touches that maintain Saudi national identity. His work also extends to the production of Najdi doors using natural colors and methods based on inherited rules and techniques. The craft, once close to disappearing, has seen renewed activity through empowerment programs supported under Saudi Vision 2030.