Spice Merchant Lifting Brass Lid at Fez Market

Copper-toned light spills across a crowded roadside stall in Fez el-Jdid, illuminating a merchant's hands as they lift the lid from a tarnished brass tin. Wet droplets rest on the curved metal surface, reflecting the warm firelight glowing from beneath the awning. Stacks of colorful spices in burlap sacks and ceramic bowls surround the central tin, their reds and ochres deepened by the damp air. The merchant wears a traditional djellaba, its fabric heavy with moisture. Above, the wet cobblestones glisten, mirroring the overhead canopy. A wooden tray rests beside the tin, holding small glass jars filled with saffron threads. at the edge is one drop of water sliding down the brass rim.