[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="29450,29448,29449"] Aisha Al-Sagheer Saudi Gazette Pilgrims who come to Makkah to perform Haj never leave without visiting its markets in search of souvenirs and beautiful gifts to take back home – something to cherish the memory of a lifetime journey. When they go back home, they distribute the gifts among family members and friends. Mainly, the gifts include necklaces with precious stones, nice-looking rosaries, silver rings and perfumes. Fayez Hamdan Al-Zahrani is the first rosary shop owner in Makkah. He has extensive experience in rosary business. "In the old days, rosaries played an important role in Makkah's economy as majority of locals used to make and sell rosaries and earn money out of the business," Al-Zahrani said. "Each neighborhood was known for making a certain type of rosary. Al-Sulaimaniyah neighborhood is known for making rosaries whose beads are made of camel bones, sandalwood, olive tree and amber. Al-Misfalah neighborhood is known for making rosaries made out of black coral beads." In fact, over 20 rosary-making units were operating in Makkah 50 years ago. Back then, the best type of rosaries was the one made out of natural coral recovered from the bottom of the sea. Nowadays, most rosaries are made out of synthetic coral because it is easier to use the artificial ones compared to the natural ones, which need different treatments before they can be turned into beads. The emergence of synthetic coral has driven many Makkah-based factories out of business. Only one or two factories still operate today in Makkah. Rosary beads are manufactured through several stages. First, the raw material is bought and cut into beads of different sizes 6ml, 8ml, or 10 ml, Al-Zahrani explained. Beads can be made out of all precious stones, silver, gold, all types of wood, glass and plastic. Then beads are adorned with pure silver or gold and perforated. The final stage is polishing the beads. Why rosaries? A rosary has always been a significant religious symbol for pilgrims. It reminds them of the holy city of Makkah. Pilgrims buy rosaries as gifts for their beloved ones back home. That is why the demand for rosaries is always high during the Haj and Umrah seasons, Al-Zahrani noted. Amin Al-Qulaisi, an expert in precious stones, noted the most important component of a rosary is the stone itself. There are several types of stones, such as natural, organic and industrial. "Rosaries are also imported from, believe it or not, Poland, Turkey and Egypt. Poland is particularly famous for its natural ambers while Turkey and Egypt are known for the high quality of industrial rosaries," Al-Qulaisi said. The best time for rosary sales is during Haj and Ramadan. Men and women like different types of rosaries and their choices are made based on the color and size of a rosary. For example, women prefer rosaries with small and sometimes tiny and colorful beads while men prefer the ones with bigger beads that have masculine colors. "My advice to anyone who wishes to venture into the rosary business is to listen to the tips and pieces of advice from experienced rosary traders. He has first to get acquainted with the types of rosaries and how they are manufactured," he said.
