Trades and Crafts Hall
Trades and crafts developed as a result of man's increasing and continuous quest for a better way of life. This was the case with Bahrain society at the beginning of this century. Pearl diving, fishing, farming and commerce lured a great number of people from neighboring regions, which made Bahrain very cosmopolitan. This busting activity led to the emergence of a great number of
tradesmen and craftsmen in the market places of the major cities, on the shores, and in the villages. Some of the markets (suqs) were named after the trade of the market such as the blacksmiths' suq, the tinsmiths' suq, the goldsmiths' suq, the pearl traders' suq and many more suqs of other trades.
There were other suqs, just outside major cities, where farmers, small tradesmen and craftsmen of the villages gathered to sell their products to townspeople. Such markets took place in open areas and squares and were named after the day on which they opened for business such as the Monday Suq, Wednesday Suq and Thursday Suq.
Tradesmen and craftsmen in the countryside supplied their neighbors and nearby villages with everyday objects such as cloth, baskets, mats, sailcloth and pottery. Using traditional methods and local raw materials, these skilled craftsmen kept pace with the developing needs of the community with articles which were simple, practical, well made and inexpensive.
