Jerusalem Pottery

The Karakashian family of Jerusalem Pottery has been hand-painting their ceramics for over 100 years. Before they began creating their stunning one-of-a-kind pieces that bring life to your home and kitchen, the Karakashians were a significant part of Jerusalem’s history.

The Karakashians brought the now famous Armenian pottery to Jerusalem when they were one of three Armenian families invited by the British to renovate the tiles of the Dome of the Rock back in 1919. Years later, under the Jordanian government, the Karakashians were commissioned to paint the ceramic tile street signs that were to be placed throughout Jerusalem. The tiles were originally painted in Arabic and English, but in 1967 Israel ordered the Karakashians to add and replace all of them with Hebrew. In the city today, you can tell which signs were made before and after 1967 depending on how the languages are painted on the tiles. The Karakashians have left their mark on the city despite the transfer of several occupying powers, standing as a living testament of Jerusalem’s history.

Three generations later, Jerusalem Pottery is now run by third generation chief artist, Hagop Karakashian. He continues his family’s legacy by preserving all of the traditional Armenian pottery methods and motifs, most notably being peacocks, birds, gazelles, trees, fish, and various floral patterns. Each piece carries the rich history of Jerusalem, from Armenia to Palestine, into your home.