What Is Brass Engraving?

Brass engraving is one of Morocco’s most ancient and celebrated crafts, practiced for centuries in the workshops of Fes medina. Artisans use handheld metal tools to carve intricate geometric patterns, floral motifs, and symbolic designs directly into brass — a skill passed down from father to son across generations. The result is breathtaking: gleaming metal surfaces transformed into works of art that decorate homes, temples, and palaces across the Islamic world.
Today, you get to try it yourself.

What You’ll Do

Your experience begins with a warm welcome and a glass of traditional Moroccan mint tea. Your artisan host will introduce you to the world of brass engraving, its origins in Fes, its cultural meaning, and the tools of the trade.
Then, you’ll get hands-on.
You’ll start by selecting your brass piece, a Khamsa (Hand of Fatima), one of Morocco’s most powerful protective symbols, or an ornate decorative plate featuring classic Moroccan geometric patterns. Your artisan will show you how to position your tools, control your pressure, and follow the lines of your chosen design.
Slowly and with guidance, you’ll begin engraving, tapping, carving, and shaping the brass into something beautiful. You’ll learn how to create depth and texture, how to bring patterns to life, and how every mark you make adds to the story of your piece.
By the end of the session, you’ll hold in your hands a finished brass artwork, entirely made by you, in one of the world’s greatest craft cities.