For decades the najr, a mortar used to pound roasted coffee beans, was a familiar part of daily life in Saudi homes and majlis gatherings. Today it has become a cultural emblem of generosity and hospitality, values closely tied to Makkah, whose social life has long revolved around receiving pilgrims and Umrah performers visiting the Grand Mosque.

The najr belongs to a complete set of coffee tools known locally as al-ma'amil: the mihmas pan for roasting the beans, the mubarrad for cooling and cleaning them, the najr for grinding, and the dallah, the pot in which the coffee is brewed and served. In popular memory, the sound of beans being pounded signalled that a guest was arriving or expected.

The tools also showcase local craftsmanship. Made of copper, iron and wood, they vary in form, size and decoration according to each area and the materials available there, so that every piece carries something of the place where it was made.

The dallah is the centrepiece of the set and a long-standing sign of honouring guests. In Makkah, coffee poured from the dallah remains part of an inherited culture of welcome, and the tools can still be seen in heritage majlis halls, cultural occasions and folk-heritage events.

With the spread of modern machines and thermal flasks, everyday use of these implements has declined, and the dallah is now more often seen in museums, exhibitions and national events than at home. Preserving this heritage means documenting not only the tools but the know-how around them, from roasting methods to the etiquette of serving coffee, and passing it on to future generations.