Egypt has many villages which are rich in many arts and crafts, including the
village of Akhmim, which is one of the oldest villages in Upper Egypt, famous for
its hand-weaving crafts over the different ages, It is located north of a group of
the most important Egyptian historical cities such as Dandara, and Qeft, on the
eastern side of the Nile and follows the governorate of Sohag, It has been
distinguished by its high-quality textiles made of linen and wool since the time of
the ancient Egyptian Pharaonic state until now, especially in hand-woven and
hand- embroidered textiles , in which women of this village excelled in creating
themes and artistic elements with aesthetic values inspired by the Egyptian
environment.
Akhmim is the capital of the ninth region of Upper Egypt and was known by the
name of the god “Maine” and was of a great importance in the modern Pharaonic
state. In 1527, it was famous for its high-quality linen textiles and the spread of
horizontal looms and spread of the fabric industry and it was called Akhmim.
The art of embroidery has been known as a craft that has historically spread in
Egypt and was made by craftsmen who used to embroider linen, silk and
cashmere fabrics with gold and silver threads. The art of embroidery has been
linked to religious beliefs, as well as Egyptian customs and traditions. It is still
present in small villages and hamlets and in most of the rural areas with its
distinctive style, tools and threads. The people of Akhmim have practiced the
weaving craft over different ages. The city received a huge fame with its textiles
and embroidery, and it is known that it had retained a special fame in the Coptic
era because of the accuracy and beauty of the embroidery that was carried out by
its people on fabrics known as the Coptic fabrics, which had many Christian
symbols and footage of the lives of saints and martyrs and some subjects of the
Bible. The Egyptian craftsmen were doing this needle and thread by hand to add
more beauty and luxury to fabrics and clothing, and that have been happening
since the ancient Egyptian state and delivered the ancient Egyptians to the finest
artistic levels. The art of embroidery continued in a series of episodes throughout
the different ages passing through the Roman and Greek eras. Then exceled in the
Coptic era and continued in the third and fourth centuries AD then continued in
the era of Islamic Egypt starting from 641 AD where the art of embroidery
appeared as silk threads and silver on linen fabrics.