Colors and sorrows (Morocco, Fez)

The tanneries of Fez el-Bali , among the oldest in the world, still operate using techniques dating back to the Middle Ages. Goat or sheep skins are first soaked in solutions based on lime, pigeon droppings and water , to remove hair and grease. They are then immersed in baths colored with natural pigments : indigo , poppy , turmeric , henna , or saffron . This extremely physical work is carried out without modern machinery or protection. Despite the smell and difficult conditions, the tanners perpetuate this traditional Moroccan know-how , now listed as part of the region's intangible heritage . This emblematic place attracts visitors, but few know the precision of the gesture or the clan distribution of the basins , transmitted within craft guilds .