Why it belongs in ORBIS
Jerusalem Pottery continues the Karakashian family's Armenian ceramic tradition in Jerusalem. Hagop Karakashian's hand-painted work includes tile murals and name plaques alongside plates and other pottery. The family's history also includes the Old City's multilingual street-name tiles, made by the preceding generation.
Jerusalem Pottery is the Karakashian family's Armenian ceramics workshop. Its history in Jerusalem began in 1919, when Megerditch Karakashian arrived as part of a group invited to work on tiles for the Dome of the Rock. The family subsequently developed a pottery tradition that included both decorative pieces and architectural tile work.
The second generation's work can be seen in the Old City's street-name tiles. Stepan and Berge Karakashian made Arabic and English signs in the 1960s, with Hebrew added later. Hagop Karakashian represents the third generation and continues the family's hand-painted ceramic work.
The current catalogue includes custom tile murals and name plaques. Plates and other household ceramics offer smaller purchases. A mural involves decisions about dimensions and layout that differ from choosing a single plate. For a custom order, discuss the surface and wording as well as the design. The family's historical Via Dolorosa workshop should not be used as an unchecked present-day address, since later reporting describes a relocation within the Old City.