The truth from the market, for the peopleWe ask the market,
and write the answer down with its date
Mukhtar Al Souq is a Syrian digital show produced by Mesh-Mosh مشمش Creative. It goes into the markets, asks sellers and craftspeople, records prices with their date, and shows how to tell real goods from fakes.
What does "ala doz bara" mean in Syrian Arabic?
The meaning of the Syrian market phrase "doz bara" (doz para), its Turkish origin, what a para coin was, and how traders still use "ala doz bara" today.
Episode date: 7 November 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursAleppo laurel soap: price in Syria, and how to tell the real one from a fake
How much does Aleppo laurel (ghar) soap cost in Syria? November 2026 prices from Damascus sellers, in US dollars and Syrian pounds, and how to tell real laurel soap from fakes.
Episode date: 2 November 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursPomegranate molasses: How to spot the real one, and what it costs in Syria
How to tell real pomegranate molasses (dibs rumman) from fake: thickness, taste and smell. Homemade and commercial prices in Damascus, October 2026, in US dollars and Syrian pounds.
Episode date: 26 October 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursWinter clothes: What they cost, and is second-hand still cheaper?
How much is a jacket or a sweater in Syria in October 2026? New and second-hand (bala) winter clothes prices in Damascus, in US dollars and Syrian pounds.
Episode date: 17 October 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursOlives: Their price in Syria, and how to choose them for pickling
How much is a kilo of olives in Syria in October 2026? Damascus seller prices in US dollars and Syrian pounds, the main olive varieties, and how to cure olives at home.
Episode date: 12 October 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursThe new Syrian pound: What it is worth in old pounds, and how the market copes
How much is a new Syrian pound in old pounds? Drop two zeros: 50,000 old pounds equal 500 new pounds. What people in Damascus markets said about the new currency in October 2026.
Episode date: 4 October 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursMacadamia: How much is a kilo in Syria?
How much is a kilo of macadamia nuts in Syria? The August 2026 Damascus price in US dollars and Syrian pounds, what it cost before, and where macadamias come from.
Episode date: 5 August 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursBrazilian gold: What it is, and what it costs in Syria
Is "Brazilian gold" real gold? What the 18, 21 and 14 marks mean, and what a piece cost in Damascus in July 2026 compared with a gram of real gold, in US dollars and Syrian pounds.
Episode date: 13 July 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursZaatar: What it is made of, how it is faked, and what it costs
What is Syrian zaatar made of, where is the thyme grown, what is it cut with, and what did it cost in Damascus in June 2026? In US dollars and Syrian pounds.
Episode date: 15 June 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursAleppo pistachio: Where it grows, and which types are sold
Do Aleppo pistachios really come from Aleppo? Where pistachios grow in Syria, and how Aleppo, Hama, Iranian Qazvini and American pistachios differ, according to Damascus sellers.
Episode date: 17 May 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursRent in Damascus: How much does a house cost per month?
How much is monthly rent in Damascus in April 2026? Rents in US dollars and new Syrian pounds in Mazzraa, Damascus and the countryside, as people in the market described them.
Episode date: 26 April 2026 Mukhtar's Market ToursSaffron: Its price in Syria, natural vs synthetic
How much is a gram of saffron in Syria? April 2026 prices in Damascus for natural and synthetic saffron, in US dollars and Syrian pounds, and where the saffron sold in Syria comes from.
Episode date: 9 April 2026We ask sellers in the market and record every price with its date, in US dollars and new Syrian pounds. How we work
Meet the Mukhtar
The Mukhtar (the market elder) is a fictional character created by the Mesh-Mosh team to host the show. These are scenes from his world. Tap the glowing dots to hear him talk.
