Balian Ceramics is a tranquil space on Nablus Road, one of the busy thoroughfares in occupied East Jerusalem. A group is taking a pottery class to the sound of a running fountain, tiled with glistening elaborate ceramic patterns, while surrounded by intricate handmade mugs, crockery and murals.
From ancient biblical imagery to Islamic geometry, the ceramic patterns carry the diverse history of the civilisations that have passed through Jerusalem. The Balian workshop is run by fourth-generation Armenians and serves as a stronghold of the oldest diaspora community in Jerusalem.
