Narrator: Swat carving is an ancient art
that goes back 2,000 years in modern-day Pakistan.
It can take up to seven wood carvers
and 25 days to complete a large piece.
A small mistake could ruin it all.
The unique Gandhara style features a blend
of Buddhist and Greco-Roman influences.
At one point, this form of wood carving
was a thriving industry in Swat Valley,
a region near the Afghanistan border.
But many artisans, including the Mustaan family,
fled after Taliban forces took control of Swat in 2007.
Now in its third location,
the shop continues to face challenges.
We visited their traditional workshop
to see how it's still standing.
The Mustaans' workshop is called Zarshal.
It sits in Lahore,
about 300 miles away from their original home.
But they still keep many of the same traditions.
Narrator: Abdul Mustaan runs it with his two oldest sons,
Zain ul Abdeen and Ziauddin.
Narrator: Workers start by cutting the wood
into smaller pieces.
They use both electric saws and handsaws.
A small mistake could ruin the planned design.
They sand the wood down, and then they plane it,
making the surface smooth, clean, and flat.
Next comes the most difficult part, carving.
Workers need to sharpen their tools
until they can cut like razor blades.
Narrator: Some craftsmen don't have to plan out a design.
Instead they work freehand, without following a sketch.
It can take up to five years just to learn the basics.
Narrator: Before the finishing touches,
Zarshal sends the carved pieces
to a shop in Islamabad for painting.
Workers assemble and finalize them here
once they return.
They treat the wood with potassium.
This solution gives off a bright red hue
when first applied.
The color will turn brown as it dries,
giving it an antique look.
Then they apply furniture polish.
Finally, they coat each piece with a sealant
before sending it off to customers.
A large item like this dining table
can cost up to 150,000 Pakistani rupees,
or $860.
The intricate and tight patterns
are what set Swat carving apart from others.
Narrator: Gandhara style originates
from the Buddhist civilization
that spread through the region in the third century BC.
Swat Valley, the birthplace of this carving style,
was once a part of it.
To this day, the Buddhist influence
is evident in Swati carvings' grid-like order,
which gives a sense of harmony and balance.
Even as borders and cultures changed
over hundreds of years, the art survived.
Abdul established his first shop
in the Khwazakhela area of Swat Valley in 1996
after he retired from the Pakistani army.
But the Taliban occupied the region in 2007
and shut down many forms of arts and entertainment.
The shop started receiving threats.
Abdul himself was a target.
As a retired soldier,
he was considered an enemy of the Taliban.
Narrator: The Pakistani army drove out the Taliban in 2009.
But Abdul still worries now that the extremist group
has regained control of Afghanistan.
Still, these aren't the only hurdles for the family.
Raw materials are scarce and expensive,
and the pandemic has slowed down business,
forcing some shops to close.
Abdul says most of his customers today are wealthy locals.
And fewer artisans are learning the trade
because sales are scarce and the pay is so low.
Abdul even discouraged his youngest son
from joining the business.
Like some workers in Pakistan,
the employees at Zarshal all live, eat,
and work together at the shop.
That's why it's common for them to work long hours.
Air conditions are risky, too.
Sawdust fills the air.
Despite it all, Ziauddin plans on teaching the skill
to people in the surrounding areas,
so that his love of the craft can continue.