Aleppo Soap & the Syrian Civil War

Many people are aware that there is a civil war going on in Syria, but what many people are not aware of is that some of the first soap making in the world originated here.  Aleppo, located in northern Syria, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and its soap is widely considered to be the first soap ever made.  With the intense fighting business has ground to a halt and the future of soap making in this ancient city is uncertain.  

The BBC has shed some light on the consequences this war has had on the Aleppo soap making industry:

One of Nabil Andoura's earliest memories is making soap with his grandmother.

She was from a family of traditional Aleppo soap-makers and she handed down a closely-guarded recipe that hadn't changed for generations - "not for centuries" Andoura says proudly.

Made from mixing oil from laurel (bay) trees with olive oil and soda, Aleppo soap uses no chemicals or other additives.

First introduced to Europe by the Crusaders in the 11th Century, demand for the intensely moisturising, all-natural product has soared internationally in the last 10 years.

But last month, after two years of fighting in Syria, Andoura was forced to flee.  "It was a difficult decision to leave, very difficult. But it was simply too dangerous to stay," he says.

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We can only hope that this conflict has a speedy and peaceful resolution so all involved can rebuild their lives.