Photo Gallery

The Tuareg women produce richly decorated camel covers - camp Zakkat - Niger

One of the most attractive forms of Peruvian crafts is the decoration of dried gourds. The artist from the «Centro Artesanal de Huancayo» uses a sharp piece to draw scenes from everyday life. - 1969

This elaborate necklace is made by the Guaymí Indians who live in the northwest of Panama. - 1977

This elaborate necklace is made by the Guaymí Indians who live in the northwest of Panama. - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

The Cuna woman is engaged in the manufacture of her clothing, namely the well-known cotton blouse (mola). She works under a tree or at the entrance of her home, sheltered from the sun. The Indian woman likes to cover herself with ornaments. She wears a small golden metal ring on her nose. On her arms and ankles she wears tightly fitted bracelets made of coral beads. While her husband fishes, hunts or works in one of the crop fields he owns on the mainland, the Cuna woman stays at home and performs a multitude of domestic tasks. She plays a considerable role in the society of her clan, which has a matriarchal structure. Thus, the puberty of girls is a very important event and is the pretext for a lively celebration in which all members of the community participate; in contrast, the puberty of boys goes unnoticed. It is also the case that the young husband will live in his wife's home, having to assist his parents-in-law in all circumstances. - 1977

A young Cuna woman shows a colourful and richly decorated mola, the main product of Cuna women's handicrafts. The patterns usually depict people, mythological animals and geometric figures. All the images are symbolic and closely related to the extensive religion of the inhabitants of the San Blas archipelago. The mola is composed of several pieces of fabric carefully sewn together. - 1977

A young Cuna woman shows a colourful and richly decorated mola, the main product of Cuna women's handicrafts. The patterns usually depict people, mythological animals and geometric figures. All the images are symbolic and closely related to the extensive religion of the inhabitants of the San Blas archipelago. The mola is composed of several pieces of fabric carefully sewn together. - 1977

Painting on floats in Sarchi, Costa Rica. This handicraft event, unique to the small Central American republic, is unfortunately slowly disappearing. Indeed, the life of the peasants is currently undergoing a spectacular evolution. The construction and constant improvement of a road network and the mechanisation of agriculture, which in some regions is already well advanced, are all factors likely to bring about radical and definitive changes in the customs and habits of the peasant population. - 1977

Painting on floats in Sarchi, Costa Rica. This handicraft event, unique to the small Central American republic, is unfortunately slowly disappearing. Indeed, the life of the peasants is currently undergoing a spectacular evolution. The construction and constant improvement of a road network and the mechanisation of agriculture, which in some regions is already well advanced, are all factors likely to bring about radical and definitive changes in the customs and habits of the peasant population. - 1977

Painting on floats in Sarchi, Costa Rica. This handicraft event, unique to the small Central American republic, is unfortunately slowly disappearing. Indeed, the life of the peasants is currently undergoing a spectacular evolution. The construction and constant improvement of a road network and the mechanisation of agriculture, which in some regions is already well advanced, are all factors likely to bring about radical and definitive changes in the customs and habits of the peasant population. - 1977

Mestizo woman making hats in her workshop. This craft is quite common among the inhabitants of the village of Monimbo, near Mayasa, Nicaragua. These hats are very popular with both farmers and visiting tourists. (Singer sewing machine) - 1977

Mestizo woman making hats in her workshop. This craft is quite common among the inhabitants of the village of Monimbo, near Mayasa, Nicaragua. These hats are very popular with both farmers and visiting tourists. (Singer sewing machine) - 1977

Market day in Masaya in Nicaragua. A woman has bought two wicker chests. - 1977

The Sahrawi woman makes the "tasufra" from goatskin, decorates it with beautiful patterns and attaches a manual lock made from a leather rope called "sir" to make it easier for the man to open. It is a leather bag with a length of about 1.5 m and a width of 70 cm, which is attached to both sides of the camel. The "tasufra" is used to store food, tea sets and other things that nomads need when travelling. It takes 4 to 6 days to make. Liquids and sharp tools that could damage the camel during the ride are not carried. - Algeria - 1962

The Sahrawi woman makes the "tasufra" from goatskin, decorates it with beautiful patterns and attaches a manual lock made from a leather rope called "sir" to make it easier for the man to open. It is a leather bag with a length of about 1.5 m and a width of 70 cm, which is attached to both sides of the camel. The "tasufra" is used to store food, tea sets and other things that nomads need when travelling. It takes 4 to 6 days to make. Liquids and sharp tools that could damage the camel during the ride are not carried. - Algeria - 1962

The Sahrawi woman makes the "tasufra" from goatskin, decorates it with beautiful patterns and attaches a manual lock made from a leather rope called "sir" to make it easier for the man to open. It is a leather bag with a length of about 1.5 m and a width of 70 cm, which is attached to both sides of the camel. The "tasufra" is used to store food, tea sets and other things that nomads need when travelling. It takes 4 to 6 days to make. Liquids and sharp tools that could damage the camel during the ride are not carried. - Algeria - 1962

A basket trader at the Murzuk market sells her wares. - Libya - 1964

The interior of a house in Agadez (Niger). The women are admirably skilled in leather handicrafts, which they decorate with geometric patterns. These leather pieces are assembled into a tasufra, a sack that is hung on the camel's saddle and filled with clothes and various utensils when moving around. – Niger - 1966

Silver and leather working is an important craft. The sword scabbard of a takouba is made here. - Kabara - Mali - 1969

The artisan needs a lot of patience when making straw jewellery. - Timbuktu - Mali - 1969

The Achekwa, a camel bag, is made by the wife of the blacksmith, the Malem - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

The achekwa, a camel bag, is made by the wife of the blacksmith, the malem - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Detail of an achekwa, a camel bag, made by the wife of the blacksmith, the malem - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

Detail of an achekwa, a camel bag made by the wife of the blacksmith, the malem - Zakkat - Aïr - Niger - 2001

A craftswoman weaving a traditional toquilla straw hat (often mistakenly referred to as a ‘Panama hat’). Cuenca in Ecuador is regarded worldwide as the most important centre for the production and export of these famous toquilla straw hats. They are painstakingly hand-woven from the fine fibres of the toquilla palm. Whilst the weaving of the rough forms often takes place in the surrounding villages of the province of Azuay, the hats are washed, bleached, moulded into shape and finished in the workshops and factories in Cuenca itself. The traditional weaving of these straw hats in Ecuador has been officially inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. – 1977

Cuenca in Ecuador is regarded as the global centre for the processing and export of genuine toquilla straw hats. Whilst the fine straw is harvested on the coast and is often woven by hand in rural areas, the hats are finished in Cuenca’s renowned workshops. The hat blanks are cleaned to preserve their characteristic light colour. The protruding straw strands visible in the photograph are carefully trimmed by hand. The hat is shaped into its typical form using either traditional or modern hydraulic presses and heat. Finally, the inner sweatband and the classic black outer band are sewn on. – 1977

A Salasaca man in traditional dress – a black poncho, white trousers and a white shirt – at the loom. The barren soil of the central Ecuadorian province of Tungurahua, around the town of Ambato, has forced the Salasacas, a tribe of around two thousand indigenous people, to pursue a second source of income alongside farming. Their rugs, featuring bird and animal motifs, are famous far and wide. The Otavaleños usually handle the distribution of the textiles. - Book: Picture 26 - Ecuador - 1977

A Salasaca man in traditional dress – a black poncho, white trousers and a white shirt – at the loom. The barren soil of the central Ecuadorian province of Tungurahua, around the town of Ambato, has forced the Salasacas, a tribe of around two thousand indigenous people, to pursue a second source of income alongside farming. Their rugs, featuring bird and animal motifs, are famous far and wide. The Otavaleños usually handle the distribution of the textiles. - Book: Picture 26 - Ecuador - 1977

A Salasaca indigenous man weaving a wide belt, known as a ‘faja’. Traditional patterns include birds, deer, cats and other stylised animals. - Book: Picture 139 - Ecuador - 1976

Lunch at the Sunday market in Cajabamba, Chimborazo Province, Ecuador. - Book: Picture 137 - Ecuador - 1976

Traditional Peruvian carving: The picture shows intricately engraved and fired pumpkins, known as ‘Mates Burilados’. This craft originates from the Peruvian Andes (particularly regions such as Junín) and often depicts scenes from everyday life, historical events or nature. The intricate patterns are carved into the dried pumpkin shell using a burin and are sometimes highlighted with smoke or paint. – Huancayo – Peru – 1969

One of the most attractive forms of Peruvian crafts is the decoration of dried gourds. The artist from the «Centro Artesanal de Huancayo» uses a sharp piece to draw scenes from everyday life. - 1969

A scene from the famous Feria Dominical de Huancayo (Huancayo Sunday Market) in Peru, one of the historically most significant and largest markets in the South American Andes. This weekly market attracts traders and craftspeople from across the Mantaro Valley. The artworks visible in the foreground are dried calabash gourds. Artisans from the nearby villages of Cochas Chico and Cochas Grande use fine chisels (buriles) to carve extremely detailed stories, village chronicles and festive scenes into the shells. The characteristic brown and black contrasts are created using firing techniques. Hand-woven blankets and traditional textiles hang in the background. The women’s clothing – in particular the distinctive white hats with black ribbons and the embroidered waistcoats – is typical of the indigenous people of the Mantaro Valley. – 1969

Detail of a carved and charred gourd from the Huancayo area, Peru, depicting a village festival. Depending on their shape, bottle gourds are cut in half to be used as bowls and plates, or left whole to be used as bottles. - Book: Picture 142 - Peru - 1977

The indigenous potters have never used a potter’s wheel, but they produce very beautiful functional and decorative items, which can be bought at one or other of the local markets in the Cordillera. – Quinua, near Ayacucho. – 1969