BAGHDAD, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Antique shop owner Ayad al-Ibrahimi did not sell any of his antiques for several days, as the antiques market struggles to survive due to security and economic situation in the country.
Despite the stagnation of business, the antiques shops in Souq al-Mdallal, or al-Mdallal market, in downtown Baghdad exhibit treasures of museum quality.
Just like Baghdad, a city of mosques with turquoise tiled domes, but also with streets cut by barbed wires and blast walls, the shops exhibits tell story of the city's recent dark days and its more glorious past.
"The story of Baghdad is here, in al-Mdallal market. You can have a look, every single antique tells the story of Baghdad's life," Ibrahimi, a 50-year-old father of four, told Xinhua at his antique shop.
In his shop, old swords and trays are decorated with inscriptions, and some plates engraved with images of former Iraqi leaders like Saddam Hussein and Iraq's last king.
"There is a sort of recession as a result of unstable economic and security situation. Sometimes we don't see even a browser for days," Ibrahimi said.
He said in the past decades the antiques dealers used to buy most precious things from people in Baghdad, who would like to sell some of his family's antiques.
However, during the 13 years of UN severe economic sanctions slapped on Iraq for invading Kuwait in 1990, many people were obliged to sell their precious antiques to make their living.
"Many families were forced to sell every precious antique that he had bought or inherited from their ancestors. They sold them very cheap because of the economic deterioration," he said.
"The unique al-Mdallal market is one of Baghdad's old markets and bazaars that have a vast variety of lovely oriented objects, but it is neglected by Baghdad Mayoralty which is doing nothing to maintain it," Ibrahimi said.
Another shop owner, Abdul Kareem Majeed, 60, who sells silver antiques, old wooden sofas and rare artworks, told Xinhua that the customers of this market are usually educated people such as artists and collectors of antiques.
Majeed himself collected his shop's antiques from ancient dignitary families, some of which sold their own antiques before they migrated because of 13 years of UN sanctions and chaos, violence and sectarian strife that engulfed the country after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
"Most of these antiques are from ancient families in Baghdad, Mosul and Basra, some of these antiques aged between 40 years to 200 years," Majeed said.
"Some people came to buy back what they sold years ago, but no way to find them and they mostly look for similar items," he said.
Bombings, violent acts and blocking of streets, the buildings of Khan al-Mdallal were badly harmed, like many old areas in Baghdad.
"I see no role for the cultural and heritage institutions in reviving these beautiful and traditional places. We need serious stand from the government and cultural institutions to save the cultural heritage," Majeed said.
Adel Shawkat, a customer looking for unique antiques in the market, told Xinhua that the antiques here are considered at the lowest prices comparing with similar shops in other areas in Baghdad like Karrada and Mansour, and also the lowest in similar markets in the Middle East region.
Shawkat said that the most popular items in the market depend mainly on the desire of the buyer. In general, people prefer "silverware with historical inscriptions, watches and pictures bearing the images of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, which are widely wanted among foreign visitors."
Khan al-Mdallal market is located in Maidan area in the old part of downtown Baghdad. It is a group of small shops at a narrow alley, where visitors can listen to famous Iraqi singers singing.
The Khan was built first in 1890 A.D. during the Ottoman era as a hotel for merchants and government employees by the ancient dignitary family of al-Mdallal.
