An elderly Egyptian artisan sits in a narrow alley near Salah Salem Street in Cairo, hand-engraving a large decorative brass tray using a metal chisel and wooden hammer. The tray features elaborate Arabic calligraphy and geometric Islamic patterns, a hallmark of traditional Egyptian copper and brass craft (Naqsh ala El-Nahas). This centuries-old handicraft tradition, once concentrated in Cairo's historic Shari' El-Nahassin (Coppersmiths' Street) in Islamic Cairo, remains one of Egypt's most recognized artisanal heritage skills.