Copper engraving has long been an integral part of Damascus' cultural heritage. The craft flourished during the Mamluk and Ottoman periods over the centuries became a hallmark in the city's historic bazaars, particularly the famed Hamidiye Souq.
Enes al-Masri, a copper engraver, told Anadolu that he learned the craft from his father at an early age and has been practicing copper engraving for around 25 years.
Al-Masri said his family previously operated a workshop in Hamidiye Souq before relocating to Bab al-Jabiya, one of the seven historic gates within the ancient walls of Damascus.
In recent years, he has specialized in engraving old artillery shell casings, with each piece taking about a week.
His works feature Damascene jasmine motifs, floral patterns, verses from the Quran, examples of Arabic calligraphy and traditional ornamental designs.
Al-Masri said working on artillery shell casings evokes mixed emotions.
"I feel sadness when working on a shell casing because these were once used to kill children, women and civilians and cause destruction. I try to turn them into works of art so that when people look at them, they can leave those painful memories behind," he said.
"We want people to see beauty and life, not death and destruction, when they look at them," he added.
Emphasizing that the Syrian people stand for peace and coexistence rather than war and destruction, al-Masri said:
"My message is peace. The people of Damascus, and the Syrian people wherever they are, love peace. We hope peace will prevail throughout the world."
He said the works also serve as a way to preserve the memory of war while encouraging people to look to the future with hope.
"Pain is never forgotten. The wounds left by war continue to live in people's hearts. But through our work, we are trying to inspire hope."
He said the artists aim to reshape the image associated with those painful memories.
"We are trying to transform instruments of war into symbols of beauty and hope. In this way, we want to show that people can overcome suffering and build a better future."
Another copper craftsman, 58-year-old Basil Bakbo, who inherited the profession from his grandfather and father, said coppersmithing is one of Syria's oldest traditional crafts.
He said the trade has evolved over the years beyond producing and selling traditional coffee pots, serving vessels and braziers to include collecting, restoring, engraving and reselling antiques.
Bakbo said years of war and economic hardship forced many Syrians to sell household belongings, bringing numerous World War II-era shell casings as well as historical and antique objects into the hands of artisans.
He stressed that the artisans do not see these items as merely commercial products.
"These are silent witnesses to the past. Every piece we are able to preserve is part of a cultural heritage that should be passed on to future generations," he said.
Bakbo added that his workshop also houses Ottoman-era copper artifacts, some of which are more than 250 years old.
Stressing that the goal is not to glorify war but to give its remnants a different meaning, Bakbo said:
"People sometimes ask us what we feel when working with these objects. We do not want to romanticize war or destruction. On the contrary, we are trying to transform an object that represents death and suffering into a symbol of beauty and life. We want to show that hope can emerge from pain."
