Fez
Chouaras Tanneries
July 2015
The Chouara Tannery is located in Fes el-Bali, the historic medina of Fez, Morocco. One of three traditional tanneries in the city, Chouara is among the oldest and largest. Its location beside the river reflects the substantial amount of water required for preparing, washing, and dyeing animal hides.
The tannery is organized around a dense network of round and rectangular stone basins used during different stages of leather production. Some contain pale solutions used to clean and soften the hides, while others hold coloring solutions. Viewed from the surrounding buildings, the basins form the distinctive geometric pattern for which the tannery is widely recognized.
Workers were observed carrying, washing, kneading, and moving hides by hand between the vats. After treatment and coloring, the leather was stacked or spread out to dry before being supplied to craftspeople and shops producing bags, footwear, clothing, and other leather goods.
Although many stages rely on inherited skills and manual labor, Chouara has not remained entirely unchanged since the medieval period. Materials, working conditions, environmental controls, and production methods have evolved over time. The tannery remains significant because it continues to function as a place of work rather than solely as a preserved historical site.
