The Suqs of Sanaa
The Suqs of Sanaa
Changing Functions and Symbolic Centrality
Before it became the capital of a unified Yemen (in 1990), Sana'a was the political and economic hub of the high plateau. Located at the crossroads of seven tribal territories, the city is situated at the center of a regional network of weekly markets. Before the 1960s, its market included about forty specialized suqs. Today, many specialized suqs have disappeared while the number of actual shops has reached two thousand. The market continues to be an important centre for the commercialization of agricultural products and the production of certain crafts. This chapter discusses the pivotal role played by the suqs in the relationship between the city and the countryside, as well as the issue of the market's centrality in the context of Sanaa's actual urban expansion.
Keywords: Sana'a suqs, market centrality, market administration, crafts, janbiyya, consumptions practices, urban expansion
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