Isfahan, The World Creative City for Crafts and Folk Arts, 2015

 

 

The designation as “UNESCO Creative City of crafts and folk art“ comes after Isfahan was named a World Crafts City by the World Crafts Council (WCC).

The network includes seven creative fields, namely, crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts and music. In light of Isfahan’s world-class fame in handicrafts, it secured a berth in the first of the seven fields in question: crafts and folk art.

Since 2004, 116 cities have joined the networks. It is the first time a city from the Islamic Republic of Iran has made it to the list of creative cities.

Diversity, quality and creativity have lent Isfahan a special position in the handicrafts industry both at home and abroad. Isfahan is the only city in the country with an independent handicrafts guild which acts in conjunction with the Municipality and has as many as 8,000 members.

The attention the city pays to folk art is of importance too. The term folk art refers to works of art whose practicality outweighs their aesthetic aspects. This is rooted in the rich old culture of the city. Since ancient times the people of this city have attached importance to art and UNESCO’s focus on the city is meant to sustain this intangible heritage.

A major part of the responsibility to maintain this heritage and ensure its dynamism lies with the city’s Municipality.

Diversity is a feature of a creative city, he said, adding Isfahan has diverse neighborhoods which are home to predominantly Jewish, Christian, Fars and Bakhtiyari communities and this has paved the way for the emergence of artistic creativity in society.

Considered as a hub for crafts and folk art, Isfahan is the third biggest city in Iran, with 1.5 million inhabitants. Its creative sector comprises the country’s most specialized craftpeople in 167 different disciplines, including carpet weaving, metalwork, woodwork, ceramics, painting and inlay works of various kinds. According to Isfahan Territorial Planning, at least 9,000 craft and folk art workshops and enterprises contribute to the Isfahan economy, the majority of which are located in the historical Naqsh-e Jahan Square, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and dedicated to the sector.

While the Naqsh-e Jahan Square remains the major centre for showcasing high-grade works through permanent exhibitions, other events give both a local and international focus to the city’s dynamism in the field of crafts and folk art, such as the International Cultural Heritage Festival, which attracts the annual participation of 26 countries worldwide. The highlight of this event is the workshop dedicated to female artisans, emphasizing Isfahan’s commitment to valuing female artworks to perpetuate traditional know-how.

As Isfahan primarily considers crafts and folk art as key levers to foster social reintegration and cohesion, employment growth, and the preservation of vanishing traditions and knowledge, the Municipality’s programmes reflect these objectives by working in close collaboration with creators. A wide range of training workshops and financial support mechanisms have been developed, notably in the framework of the Handicrafts Cooperative Societies, gathering both public and private entrepreneurs to formulate innovative projects and policies to enhance the status of creators and the contribution of crafts and folk art for sustainable urban development.

 

Tabriz, The World City for Carpet Weaving, 2015

 

 

The ancient city of Tabriz in northwestern province of East Azerbaijan was officially accredited with the title ‘World Carpet City’ by the World Crafts Council (WCC).

The art of rug and carpet making is passed on through generations and is considered as the valued heirloom. The designs of Tabriz rugs are taken from the works of ancient oriental poets which depicts images of falconry and ferocious lions and scenes of battles and pictures of mosques and palaces. All Tabriz carpets and rugs are made with fine soft wool and a dense knot range of 120 to 850 knots per square inch with a foundation made of cotton and wool piles. The most unique feature of these rugs is the color variations when light fall from different angles. The true mark of these rugs from Tabriz is the signature of the master weavers on the ceremonial border which is considered as the ultimate in formality and sophistication.
Tabriz rugs come in different sizes and majority of the range varies from 4x6 feet to 8x10 feet. The materials used for the pile is mostly wool or silk or a combination of both. The most commonly found material in fine rugs are the blend of kurk wool and silk and in the finest of the rugs you will find pure silk instead of cotton. Gold threads of 18 to 24 karat are sometimes used for sophisticated rugs as the foundation. The master weavers of Tabriz are very open to new ideas and they have incorporated designs and patterns from other weavers. Today, rugs from Tabriz have more designs and shapes than any other Persian rugs worldwide. The color combination and pattern used in the rugs from Tabriz is what makes it superior than any other rugs from Persia. Oriental rugs should be purchased after understanding the origin and the procedure on how it is made, the materials used and the knots per square inch. The pattern and design should be chosen after taking these in to consideration so that once it is adorned on your wall or on the floor gives your surroundings an oriental feeling. Tabriz rugs with its oriental design and color and made from the finest wool and silk makes it the ideal choice for your homes.

 

Mashhad, The World City for Gemstones, 2016 

   

Jewels maintain an age-old history in Iran. In ancient Iran, jewels, in addition to their beauty, were used as magical spells and for removal of scourges. Jewels also signified the social status of individuals and the originality of their families and associates.

There are many gemstone mines in Mashhad, the center of Razavi Khorasan province and its surrounding cities. That is why one of the prospering handicrafts of this province is jewelry made of gemstones also known as “Mekhraj Kari”. Some of the most important gems are aquamarine, Agates, kinds of Quartz, Japer, Turquoise, Garnet and Zeolite amongst which Turquoise and Agate are the most popular. The specialists believe that no two pieces of Turquois are similar and, just like fingerprints, they are unique and do not match to each other. An interesting matter about Turquoise is that until a few decades before, they were used as seals. It is mentioned in a poem by Hafiz: “If, with the color of red cornelian, my tear be, what wonder / for like red cornelian, is the seal of the seal-ring of my eye.” Today the most important stone cutting workshops of Iran are located in Mashhad where tones of Agate and Turquoise stones are cut annually. Mashhad workshops are working by using both traditional and modern methods.

In the process of jewelry making from gemstones, all the steps including designing, manufacturing and other need both experience and skill but the most of making a piece from metal and gemstone is attaching the stone to the base. This part of the craft is called “Mekhraj Kari”, “Morasa’e Kari” or incrustation. Mekhraj Kari is the most important and sensitive part of the jewelry making that includes gemstones. In Mekhraj Kari, the stones are attached by different methods. Some of them are “Reili”, “Ghalamzani”, “Kaseh’e” and “Changi” for small gems and “Nabshi”, “Changi” and “Divareh’e” for large gems. In this craft, to keep the beauty and natural streaks of the gems no glue is used. To attach the gemstones, the base is designed so that it does not damage the gems. A bit of pressure can cause fraction, scratch or breaking of the gems. Mekhraj is applied on pieces of jewelry such as earrings, necklace, rings, brooches and etc. In 2018 Mashhad was registered as the global city of precious and semi-precious stones by the World Council of Handicrafts.

 

Lalejin, The World City for Pottery, 2016

  

 

For a long time, the word pottery has intertwined with the word Lalejin in Iran, the name of an ancient city in the province of Hamadan which is known as the “Global city of pottery” or “the capital of pottery of the world”. The history of making utensils in this city goes back to more than seven thousand years ago and based on the historical documents, this city has been the center of making potteries in all over Middle East during different eras. For the people of Lalejin, pottery is more than a mere craft and profession to earn their income, on the contrary, it has grafted into their livings so much that first and furthermore it should be considered a lifestyle they have protected with all their power during history. One of the hardest historical periods for the Lalejin potters was when these lands were under the brutal attack of the Mogul who both killed many artists of Lalejin and left heavy damages. However, the potters worked very hard to revive the craft which they had learned from their elders.
Today a great number of populations of Lalejin practice pottery in domestic workshops and make kinds of decorative and applicable tools and utensil traditionally. This craft has led to the prosperity of the tourism and economic growth of this city and province. Technically, Lalejin potters make potteries both with and without pottery wheel. The special characteristic of their products are supplying of the materials from local resources of Lalejin and surrounding lands, and making the clay, slurry and pigments traditionally. In addition, potteries of Hamadan include applicable utensils in different sizes and forms and are both unicolor and colorful. The dominant colors are ultramarine, brown, green and yellow famous for their bright shiny glaze. Another product of Lalejin potteries is decorative enamel object that is also a major type of pottery. Enamel painting or over-glaze paintings are two techniques in which after the heating of the glaze, it is painted with colors and is fixed with second heating with lower temperature.

 

 Kalporgan, The World Village for 7000 Year-Old Pottery, 2017

   

  

Kalporagan is an ancient village in the south part of Iran which is registered on World Crafts Council (WCC) list as the first handicraft village in the world.

Iran has a wealth of handicrafts to offer to those who love to travel and take back home souvenirs. These artifacts act as a reminder of the places they have been to and the people they have met. So, if you are into collecting those eye-catching products, then you don’t want to miss one of the most authentic handicrafts of Iran.

Kalpourgan is the name of an ancient village with only 300 people, which is located 25 kilometers east of Saravan in Sistan and Balouchistan province in the southern Iran. The name comes from a medicinal herb which specifically grows in this region. However, the village is widely famous because of another interesting point. It is believed that the art of pottery in this village dates back to more than 7000 years ago and this magnificent art has remained intact during the course of history by being inherited generations to generations over thousands of years.

It is the unique expertise of the region’s women to create wonderful artifacts out of dust and mud, using only their hands and not any tools like wheels or pottery-making machines. In fact, the only tool they use is a manganese stone – which they call it Tituk- to draw patterns on potteries which resemble ancient decorations. They produce all types of potteries, ranging from bowls and vessels to cups, and all of them are unique in their own way because of their amazing manufacturing process and magical color and patterns.

Although the region has a history more than 10,000 years, it is the pottery industry that distinguishes Kalpourgan village. According to Jay Gluck and his famous book “A Survey of Persian Handicraft”, Kalpuregan is one of the three main origins of the innovation of pottery along with northern Thailand and Japan. And it is even more interesting to notice that, unlike other parts of Iran, the rich history of pottery making belong to women.

Men are not mainly involved in this process, except for some basic tasks like preparing the clay and each part of the process of producing potteries is handled only by women.

They tend not to use glaze and by drawing geometrical patterns with primitive methods similar to ancient ones on these products, women produce artifacts which seem as ancient as those which have been unearthed in this region, which makes them even more valuable.

The diversity of these handicrafts is also incredible. Women produce a variety of forms and models, such as vessels shaped like animal heads or camels and pomegranate-shaped incense burners- which is used to burn wild rue seeds, locally known as sokaky. Thus, visitors and travelers will have plenty of options to choose their souvenir from.

Kalpouregan Clay Living Museum is located in the heart of the village and can be considered the most famous spot for tourists. In this museum, which was established during Pahlavi dynasty more than 44 years ago, rural women go through the process of pottery making as they sit in this place, enabling the visitors to watch their innovative art and the whole process closely. It would be a great opportunity to become involved in the creative process of pottery which is only accessible in Kalpourgan, the first handicraft village in the world registered on World Crafts Council (WCC) list.

 

Marivan, The World City for Kalash (Giveh), 2017

  

 

Giveh, called “kalash” in Kurdish regions, are comfortable, durable, and affordable. They are widely worn by tribal nomads and in rural and urban districts in the Kurdish regions.

The people of the mountainous regions of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, and Fars provinces, who are very active in spring, summer, and autumn, prefer shoes which are light, comfortable, cool, and at the same time affordable. The hardworking tribal nomads and rural and urban residents still make these shoes. 

The competitive labor market has kept this handicraft industry alive in Kurdistan province, and particularly in the Uramanat region, where these unique shoes have been manufactured for ages.

Giveh is one of the outstanding handicrafts of Iran. They were once widely worn throughout the country. However, the popularity of Giveh shoes is fading fast and drastic measures must be taken to reverse this trend.

One feature of Giveh is that it does not have a left or right foot, both are the same. Another is that kinds of Giveh are determined based on:

1. material used

2. method of production.

Upper of the Giveh is woven either by cotton or silk. The upper is very significant in beauty and shape of this espadrille, therefore, it is very important to choose the right yarn. The smoother and finer yarn, the more beautiful and durable footwear. The sole of Giveh can be divided into four kinds 1. Textile sole 2. Ajideh (a combination of cotton and layers of leather) sole 3. Leather sole 4. Plastic and ready-made sole. To make Giveh, three groups work together.

The first are the ones who weave the upper using yarn and needle. It is usually done by women. Second are the ones who make the sole. And the third are the people who sew the upper and the sole together. Almost all the material used in making Giveh are natural. Kalash is so important for the Kord people that it is only used on special occasions such as weddings. World Crafts Council has chosen Marivan as the international city of Kalash.

Artisans who used to make giveh have been forced to take other jobs because of the decline in demand for the shoes. But some people still wear the light cotton shoes.    

Giveh production is still one of the leading handicraft industries in Kermanshah province, especially in the Uramanat region. Production centers of this indigenous industry are located in both rural and urban regions.

The villages of Hajij and Nodusheh in the Uramanat region are the oldest and most important centers for the production of kalash and it is one of the major occupations of the local residents. Givehs are made in blue, red, white, black, and other colors, but the most common color for men’s giveh is white.

 

Sirjan, The World City for Kilim (Shirikipich), 2017

  

 

The ceremony for Sirjan as a World Kilim (Glim) City will be held on Thursday 14 December 2017. The “Shirikipich” kilim (Glim) is one of the best, hand-woven Kilims of the rural and tribal women of Sirjan city in Kerman Province.

Sirjan is considered as one of the centers of Iranian handicrafts. The culmination of these handicrafts is summarized in a kilim called The Shiriki Pich. Kilim is the handmade of women of Sirjan in the rural and tribal areas; the art which due to its characteristics, could transcended global boundaries. It would not be an exaggeration if we call it the most authentic and famous Iranian carpet. It orginated from the village Darestan,  25 kilometers from the center of Sirjan. This Kilim as it is called “Shiriki Pich” has been worldwide certified for more than two years with the approval of the World Crafts Council.

 It is also called Shiriki Pich in the dialect of the nomads because of the cream color wrapped around the thread. 

Some also argue that Shirki Pich or Shiriki Pich is a combination of two words Shirik and pich, each containing a separate argument. The name of the Pich comes from the twisted texture of the Kilim and is a name used in the past to this day. Sometimes the suffix Pich or Pich Baft are used in the nomad’s dialect as Glimpich, Kashkdan Pich, Ghashoghdan Pich. Shirik is originally a Turkish word means “partner” (in Afshar dialect). It is Shirik(Partner) because there have been more than one weaver working on the kilim. However, some believe that the Shirik Pich comes from wrapping the weft into two threads. The texture of the Shirik Pich is different from that of other carpets woven in Iran. The significant feature of this carpet is related to the weft which in other carpets causes the product to form, but in the Shiriki Pich the weft does not play a role in the texture and attaches the strands to each other and strengthens them with the "Che", which leads to the weft being stuck and invisible in “Che”. The patterns of the Kilim are sometimes beyond the geometry and almost semicircular, depending on their particular features and texture. There is usually symmetry in the patterns, but in some cases this harmony obtained from the asymmetric patterns. The design of “Bote Jaghe” with two round flowers is seen in the Shiriki Pich patterns which is important for being marginal.

Shirkipich is the most common technique of carpet weaving in Sirjan region. There is no accurate information on the origin and texture of this technique in Kerman and Sirjan; but it is believed that the using of this technique in the nomad areas of Kerman was associated with the migration and exile of the Turk tribes during the Safavid era to Kerman. Shiriki Pich texture is the way most needles in the Caucasus and Asia Minor are woven. According to historical documents, this type of texture dates back to two thousand years BC.

 

Abadeh, The World City for Wood carving,  2018

  

 

Wood carving is one of the most brilliant handicrafts in Iran, which, like many other kinds of ancient crafts, is a combination of art and patience. Artisans create intricate and valuable crafts out of inexpensive and raw materials. Wood carving involves carving of wood based on precise designs. Each carved piece of wood is a reflection of its creator’s feeling, perception, and opinion. Iranian wood carvers use different kinds of woods available in the country. Using simple tools such as metal chisels, with laudable patience and with the help of Kufic scripts, Arabesques, Cathays , flowers, and birds they manifest Islamic and Iranian values in their works. Important wood carvings in the country can be found in mosques, castles and ancient buildings. Some of the Iranian inlaid works are preserved in museums inside or outside Iran. The usual images are rose leaves and drawings of birds and animals.

Woodcarving is done in three kinds: Engraving, relief work and sculpture. Engraving means carving the wood so that the surface of the design is lower than the wood piece. Relief means carving the wood in a way that the design stands out of the wood piece. Sculpture means there is no smooth surface and the design is worked on the whole wood piece.

Woodcarving has inspired artists to carve other materials such as ivory and bone. However, the variety of wood form and colour has made it a unique branch of art.

To confirm the history of carving in Abadeh, one can refer to the text of some travelogues, references and articles written about arts and crafts of Iran including Masterpieces of Iranian Art written by Arthur Pop, The Traditional Crafts of Persia written by Hans E. Wulff, and An Overview of Iran Handicrafts written by M. Hasanbeigi. Works in the Iranian and world museums such as the Museum of Anthropology of the Golestan Palace, the Louvre Museum of Paris and the Victoria and Albert Museum of London also confirm it. The crafts produced today in the county also represent the continuation of previous traditions. Considering the fact that Abadeh wood carving has been native to Fars Province and its longstanding reputation, in addition to the cultural and artistic aspect of preservation and continuation of the traditions of this field, one can promote economic activity in this field by building employment platforms. By creating a secure margin of moral and material support for professional and amateur activists, a new perspective on the social fabric of the community can be drawn so that the young people of the region, based on their inheritance and tradition, take steps to maintain and enhance this traditional art.

 

 Khorashad, The World Village for Traditional Towel Weaving (Toebafi), 2018

  

 

Khorashad is a small Village at east of Iran, South-Khorasan Province. It is situated in Nasr Abad Valley and the unique name which means “The place of Sunrise” in Pahlavi language, is derived from the unique scenery. Originates back even before Islam, this place is a rare example of a village that people migrate to, instead of leaving it. Khorashad's noticeable features are breeding of many successful and elite individuals in scientific, cultural and economic areas, which are much greater than the capacity of a village with 1000 people. The region has been introduced as an elite village in Iran.

People of this village produced handicrafts goods including weaving and production of traditional cloth (fabric) from generation to generation along with farming, and livestock husbandry since many years ago. This field of handicrafts has a long history in the village, and has played an important role in self-sufficiency of the people of this region. Traditional cloth weaving (Tobafi) is the skill of producing a variety of traditional cotton or silk cloth (fabric). Today, weaving of traditional towels in the village is done with traditional two or four-piece devices and simple tools like the past.The cloth productions of the village is unique in terms of linen or silk, with the least similarity in the country, and are not comparable with semi or fully industrial woven samples in other provinces in terms of their natural beauty, quality and durability.

Tow-Bafi is the skill of producing a variety of traditional cotton or silk cloth (fabric). Today, the weaving of traditional towels in the village is done with traditional devices and simple tools like the past. Final product is unique in terms of linen or silk. The raw materials include silk, cotton, wool and viscose yarn (processed cotton and stick wood). Since 2004, training has been done formally in collaboration with “Cultural Heritage, Crafts and Tourism Organization”. Since 2011, by codification of professional and technical standard, trainees have also been certified by technical and professional Organization. Currently, there are over 300 active members in the women’ cooperative and 206 members in Vazin cooperative of Khorasabad.

With a production of at least 1200 square meters per day, this product is the bestselling handicrafts production of the province after carpet and rug.

 

Meybod, The World City for Zilu, 2018

  

 

Meybod is a city and capital of Meybod County, Yazd Province, Iran. Meybod is a major desert city in Yazd Province, Iran. It is an ancient city and its history goes back to the pre-Islamic era. Some believe the city was founded by Meybodar, a Sassanid commander, who named the city after himself. On the other hand, some historians say that the city was founded by Keyumars, who was the First Man in Avestan accounts and the first of the Pishdadi Kings in Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.

The oldest Zilu, belonging to almost 800 years ago, is being kept in Zilu Museum of Meybod. Also there are three different kinds of Zilu being produced in the city which vary in their material and colors. On the verge of being forgotten, the art of Zilu weaving, this handwoven art belonging mainly to desert areas, revived in Meybod some years ago and now more than 1,000 ziloo weavers engaged in 200 workshops in Meybod. 

The coins minted in Meybod at the time of Pouran Dokht of the Sassanid Dynasty are indeed manifestations of the magnificent history of older civilizations.

By the 10th century CE, Meybod had become a notable settlement. It was mentioned by geographers and appeared on maps as a part of Fars Province. The major growth and expansion of the city took place in the 14th century, during the reigns of the Moẓaffarids, particularly under Saraf-al-Din Moẓaffar and his son Mobarez-al-Din Moḥammad, who expanded the city’s fortification and infrastructure, including new gates.

Zilu weaving dates back to the Pre-Islamic period. To become more familiar with Zilu, you can visit the Zilu Museum at Shah Abbasi Caravanserai, which is dedicated to the hand-woven prayer mats and is the first and the only museum of its kind. Some fine examples date back to the 16th century.

What advantages does ziloo have over other floor coverings?
Ziloo is made of pure cotton and does not cause any allergy. Unlike other floor coverings, there is no electricity charge in ziloo and its static electricity is nil. All these qualities have led to ziloo being dubbed ‘healthy floor covering’.

 

 Qasem Abad, The World Village for Chadorshab, 2019

  

 

Chador shab is kind of homemade handicrafts and has special value and originality because of traditional; this traditional texture like other texture has various kinds and usually weaves in Yazd and Gilan provinces. Chador shab wove by Pachal machine and by hand, but now by Jakard machine. Traditionally made from silk and cotton fabrics, but synthetic materials are now. It has a wide variety of designs, fabrics and Motifs rooted in people’s lives. These mental patterns are transmitted from generation to generation and have arrived to today's weavers. Therefore, this survey carry out in line with recognize of Chador shab, how to weave, Recognition of patterns and design and way of take survey is fieldwork in Qasem Abad and library study.

 

 Malayer, The World City for Couch and Wood Carving, 2019

  

 

Wood carving is a work of art, including engraving and carving on wood. According to historical documents, Monabat is one of the oldest wood-related arts in Iran. Wood carving in Iran relies on a history of more than 1,500 years, and even some scholars have explicitly stated that this art was prevalent in Iran before the Sassanid era, while some scholars have emphasized the presence or use of wood carving art on the magnificent Persepolis monument. The main features in creating a Monabat artwork are patience, precision, skill, and ingenuity of the artist. More than 4,500 small and large workshops are qualified by the office and in this workshops more than 8,200 people directly and about 25,000 people indirectly are employed, of which more than 1,400 People have been insured over the last few years.

For this reason, the registration of the city of Malayer under the name of the Iran’s National City of Woodwork was started in September 2106. And by initiation the case of Malayer and other cities, and after specialized reviews, at 18/4/2017, based on evaluations and judgments and approvals of the Strategic Council for selection of national cities and villages, Malayer has been registered as the Iran’s national city of woodwork, which is a very important event and a great work of the organization, that is in line with branding and supporting of producing and employment and resistance economics.

There is an industrial zone in Malayer called Khoshe, which is the center of couch and woodworking and a large number (about 75) major workshops operating in this zone. (Malayer is the only city that has a specialized zone for couch and woodwork). Every year, about 60 to 70 thousand works are produced, accounting for more than 80 percent of the country's production. Most of them exported to the countries of Central Asia, Persian Gulf, Turkey, Iraq, and Tehran and other cities of the country. The largest couch market is in the 32 meters of Motahari consists of about 200 small and large exhibitions for residents and buyers.

Malayer is registered due to the large amount of investment, shopping and sales in the city, the number of workshops, hand-crafted works without machines, the presence of the couch market and etc.

 

 Shiraz, The World City for Handicrafts, 2019

  

 

Shiraz, which is located in South-west of Iran, has become close-trended with spring blossoms, education, poetry and handicrafts.  Interestingly, Shiraz considered as one of the most important cities in the medieval Islamic world and was the Iranian capital during some period of history.

The city of Shiraz has been the capital of the province of Fārs since the Islamic conquest, succeeding Eṣṭaḵr of the Sasanian period and Persepolis of the Achaemenid days. Renowned for its gardens, and poets, it has also received at times the titles of the Seat of Government (dār-al-molk), the Abode of Knowledge (dār-al-ʿelm), and the Tower of Saints (borj-e awliāʾ). The claim that Shiraz was a Muslim encampment until a cousin or brother of Hajjāj Ibn Yousof developed it into a town in 693.

Handicrafts

Shiraz is one of the most important cities in Iran in the field of handicraft production. The artists of this city, with great talent, create the most engaging works of art as Shiraz souvenirs. Of course, many of these Iranian souvenirs and handicrafts are not specific to Shiraz.

Khatam

Khatam Kari is one of the finest and most beautiful Iranian handicrafts that is also is considered as Shiraz souvenirs. This valuable art is made up of putting together regular, delicate wood pieces in different colors and shapes.

In order to construct Khatam, artists use various materials such as ivory, bone, wood, and gold. These very beautiful Shiraz souvenirs are laborious and need care and patience. This art has a long history and its peak and flourishing dates back to the Safavid era.

Besides Khatam Kari, etching (Qalam Zani), pottery and Vitreous enamel (Mina Kari) are also Shiraz souvenirs that you can read about them in this article: 

Silver objects and dishes

When you walk in the Shiraz markets, silver objects and dishes attract every tourist attention.

Silver is one of the branches of metalworking, and the Shiraz artists with great taste and accuracy make these objects and you can buy different types of pottery, candies, cups and other containers and containers and objects as Shiraz souvenirs.

Glassblowing

Traditional glassblowing is still popular in many parts of the world. skilled artists make glass from the combination of alkali-silica and melting it in the furnace, forming melted material by hand, by molding or by blowing it in it.

This is a long-standing handicraft in Iran, and you can see glass works from ancient times in museums or buy the new ones as Shiraz souvenirs.

Felt Alabaster

Making Felt Alabaster is one of the toughest works that Shiraz artists make it. Felt is made of camel, goat or sheep hair and is prepared after a hard process.

It is very time-consuming to make felts because these substrates do not have a warp and they are made of wool. These Shiraz souvenirs are one of the priceless works of art that you can buy.

Ceramic dishes and objects

In Estahban in Fars Province, dishes and ceramic objects as Shiraz souvenirs are produced in different qualities and colors. In the past few years, Estahban was selected as a special ceramic pottery site and Estahban Ceramic Pottery was recorded as part of the spiritual heritage of Fars province on the spiritual list of the country.

In Shiraz, you can buy ceramic products as Shiraz souvenirs from different shops.

Wood Carving

Woodcarving is one of the most beautiful handicrafts on the wood. In fact, engraving is the art of carving on wood.

 

 Zanjan, The World City for Fligree, 2019

  

 

The art of Filigree is a very fine decorative art that can't be attributed to Iran and the ages of the past. Filigree is done in Europe and Asia. This art is also one of the branches of the art of working with metal and is considered to be the handicraft of Zanjan. Metals such as gold, silver and copper are used in Filigree.

This art has developed so well in Zanjan that over the past two years, two artists namely Abdulhamid Moharrar and Mohsen Yazdanshenas have won UNESCO titles for their art.

In the filigree industry, the master of the art melts the metal and puts it in a special mold and produces wires of 1 cm in diameter. These wires turn into silver rods with a diameter of one millimeter to be used in filigree.

By inserting these wires in molds that are usually made of boards and waxes and giving them various shapes, silver wires are connected by heat and then different types of dishes are made out of them. Hammering, heating, rolling, and molding are among the tasks performed by a master of the art.

People who are familiar with Iranian craftsmanship know well that Filigree is a noble handicraft in Zanjan. Today, there are about 30 active workshops in Zanjan. The highest quality filigree is produced in Zanjan and it is safe to say the geographical origin of this art is Zanjan.

So far, Zanjan has managed to receive 18 national prizes, and three international titles. The ancient Hakimian house in Zanjan, which is currently being renovated, is set to become the National House of Filigree.

According to the physical observations and the books, its history dates back to the BC during the Achaemenid and Sasanian times. But since the raw material of this industry is gold and silver and it is one of the most expensive metals, unfortunately, there are not many leftovers because they are looted in wars or melt for their value and their uses have been changing.

But according to the writings of great orientalists such as Arthur Apham Pope and Frederick Richard, they have pointed to the fine art of working with precious metals in Zanjan. Filigree is only popular in Zanjan until the Pahlavi era but after that, it was built in Isfahan, Tehran and Khorasan, and it is still ongoing. And some mistakenly think of it as Isfahan handicrafts.

Filigree has also been observed in Spain and Bulgaria.

 

 

 

First floor, No 47, The 5th street, the 2nd phase,Gohardasht-Rajaee Shahr- Karaj, Iran

 

 


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