The Old Market in the city of Taiz, southwest Yemen, is known for its historical character as a market for selling weapons, handicrafts, traditional and heritage products, and rare agricultural products for centuries. This market contains treasures dating back to World War I, and researchers trace the origins of the market back to before the arrival of the Ayyubid Sultan Turan Shah, the brother of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi, to Yemen in 569 AH.
The Old Market is located in Taiz, on the road that connects the two old city gates (Bab Musa and the Great Gate or Al-bab Al-Kabeer). In this market, there are different types of textiles, imported fabrics, silver jewelry, jalabiyas, daggers, swords, pottery, spices, perfumes, and shops selling antique weapons.
Yemeni citizen Abdullah Al-Arifi says that Taiz is one of the ancient cities and had two markets, the Old Market and the Shanini Market, and these two markets are known as the oldest in this city. He continued, saying that old agricultural tools that farmers used to use in the past, as well as weapons and all their requirements, were sold there in the past, and some old weapons are still being sold in this market.
Cities have popular memories that are kept by old places that were and still are an important part of their daily lives, represented in the old markets with all their details. Taiz city, located in the southwest of Yemen, is one of the most important Yemeni cities whose old neighborhoods with their ancient popular markets bear witness to the depth of its ancient history.
The market is located inside what is known as the “Old City” in Taiz, which Yemenis consider the cultural capital of the country, due to its containing some archaeological landmarks in addition to its housing a number of old markets.
Basam Al-Fadhli, one of the weapons sellers in the old market, said that old weapons represent a heritage stock that the Yemeni citizen used to have in his home, such as silver and weapons that were used in holidays and occasions, and no house was without these things and they are inherited by generations until they reached our present day. He added that there are weapons in this market that were used in World War I and also World War II, including Italian, French, German, and others.
The “Old Market” combines within its walls many diverse shops such as pottery shops, grains, herbs, and the famous Yemeni fish known as “Al Wuzaf”, in addition to shops selling fabrics and traditional farming tools.
It is considered the oldest market in the Yemeni city of Taiz, and some consider it an archaeological market because of its specialization in trading everything that is old. People from all over the country and abroad come to it to acquire some necessities that are no longer used by few in the present era.
The maker of traditional Yemeni jambiyas, Hussein Nasser, says that this market is ancient and historic, and that its age is more than 700 years. There are ancient artifacts inside this market, as well as popular and traditional clothing. This market used to be called Republic Street.
Uncle Hussein has been working in this market for over 50 years, specializing in making the traditional Yemeni jambiyas. During its peak, the “old market” used to be the primary source of supplying the city’s residents with their basic and luxury needs. It was originally a weekly market held on Mondays and Thursdays about four centuries ago before returning to its current status as a market specializing in traditional popular items after the Yemeni revolution in 1962.
The Shanini market offers various types of local handicrafts that have become threatened with extinction, such as traditional land plowing equipment that relies on livestock and requires local leather ropes, bull saddles, and “Fadama,” which is a bridle made from palm tree bark. It also offers sickles, forks, chisels, hammers, locally-made clay pots for preparing popular dishes, as well as clay stoves and dishes for making “Lahoh” plates and mats made from straw, baskets, and brooms, and “Halaqa.” The market also features various types of peppers, garlic, and onions, dried legumes in different shapes and colors, spices, and other commodities.