Lebanon’s last tarboosh maker keeps tradition alive

August 12, 2025 / 8:55 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: In a bustling market in Tripoli, north Lebanon, 38-year-old Mohammed al-Shaar quietly continues a family tradition that has lasted over a century. Within his modest workshop, nestled among other market shops, he crafts traditional tarboosh hats—also known as fezzes—preserving a vanishing art form passed down from his grandfather.

Mastering a fading craft

With a thimble on his finger, Shaar cuts, sews, and assembles the iconic conical, flat-topped hats made of felt, carefully adding the signature tassel. Considered Lebanon’s last known tarboosh maker, he learned the craft from his family and further honed his skills in Egypt.

"Our family has been carrying on this craft for 125 years," he said.

From daily wear to cultural symbol

The tarboosh, once a daily fashion staple during the Ottoman era, was a symbol of pride, status, and even subtle courtship. "It used to have great value—part of day-to-day dress," Shaar explained, adding that people now mostly wear it for traditional events or buy it as a souvenir.

Some of his handmade hats feature embroidered floral motifs or Lebanon’s national cedar tree emblem.

The decline in demand

Due to Lebanon’s ongoing crises—including the 2020 Beirut port explosion and recent regional conflicts—tourism has dwindled, and so has Shaar’s customer base.

Before the crisis, he sold around 50 hats per month. Now, he’s down to just four or five, mostly to cultural dance troupes or religious figures.

A one-man operation with a passion

Once employing three assistants, Shaar now works alone, selling each handmade tarboosh for about $30. Despite declining demand, he remains committed.

"I feel like my soul is linked to this craft. I don't want to shut or to stop working," he said, determined to preserve a unique piece of Lebanese cultural heritage.