What Souvenirs to Bring from Saudi Arabia – Part Four of the Top 15 Ideas for Gift Shopping
Saudi Arabian Dates.
Let’s continue our journey in the world of gift shopping in Saudi Arabia and explore the edible side of it: glorious Saudi dates!
Date palm tree with fruits
Like a maple tree is native to Canada, date palm is symbolic to Saudi Arabia. In the center of the Royal Emblem of Saudi Arabia there is a palm tree above the two crossed swords.
National Emblem of Saudi Arabia with a palm tree
Palm tree can be found on Saudi Arabian banknotes and coins.
Banknote of 10 Saudi Riyal currently in circulation
Banknote of 10 Saudi Riyal not in circulation
Saudi Arabian 100 halala coins, year 1977
Date palms are so important to the Saudi nation that there is a Saudi National Center for Palms and Dates!
Date fruits have long been an invaluable portion of the diet for the people of Saudi Arabia. It is not only a custom to have dates during the Holy month of Ramadan, but also a delightful and delicious fruit to eat.
For a bedouin, the date literary meant survival. It is a food of high nutritional value and can be simply called a power pack of nutrients, despite the small size. When dried it keeps almost forever. Leaves and barks of a dates palm tree were used to make household items: baskets, ropes, mattresses. Even date pits would be used if somebody could not afford real coffee beans. The date pits would be lightly roasted just like regular coffee beans, then crushed and boiled with whatever spice is available.
Saudi Arabian hand-woven bedouin date baskets from the town of Abha located in Asir Province in the southwest corner of the Kingdom. The baskets are made from hand split and hand-dyed date palm leaves woven using the coil method.
Image source: collage from several Ebay items for sale
The Arabs traded dates with the Chinese who brought in silk from Central Asia and took back dates on their return journey via the Silk Route.
One last interesting fact about Saudi dates (I promise): the world’s largest Dates Festival takes place in the city of Qassim, Saudi Arabia and lasts for 90 days. During the festival auctioneers assist buyers from around the world to buy dates off the farmers’ trucks at the best prices.
Farmers’ trucks with dates for sale at auctions at the Dates Festival in Saudi Arabia
Now go ahead and read the next post which explains how to select the best dates for your gift from Saudi Arabia.
