Observations · Al-Thumairi Market, Riyadh

The Oud Traders

In the old markets, oud isn't sold from shelves but through trust and the open majlis. The merchant sells you knowledge before he sells you fragrance, and a deal is sealed with a word and a glass of tea. Here, the market aisle turns into an impromptu majlis: boxes of precious oud laid out on the ground while the traders talk like neighbors gathered in someone's home.

Photo by Abdulrazak Almezzy