There is no money to be made here, the young think, and they turn to more lucrative occupations. There are newcomers, however, as well as genuine potters who have shifted to cutting marble because it is easier and brings in a quick income. At least, that is what they say. He claims that petty criminals and squatters with large families have also descended on the area, giving it a bad reputation. Little by little, the potters' domain has been invaded.
Garbage is produced and burned.
The truth is that once the fakharin are gone, this will become a piece of prime real estate. Even artists from the city want a studio in the area, because they believe the tourists will be impressed when they say that they work in Fustat. They will have little to sacrifice if they are evicted, but the real potters will lose their livelihood and the craft will disappear for ever. It is one of our oldest crafts, going back to the Pharaohs. Then of course there are all the employees of the Ministry of Culture working in Fustat, who have never even tried to learn seriously about the old techniques.