Dutar
Photo by ijavan.ir

Dutar is a traditional simple long-necked lute that has a dulcet and melodic tone despite its simplicity. The neck which is sometimes decorated with camel bone and precious stones ranges between one to two meters long. Dutar in Persian means two strings; some attribute one string that plays the main melody to female, and another that functions as the accord to male. The majority of Dutar players use their index and thumb fingers for playing.

Kalil Sheikh, Dutar player from Khaf region, Khorasan Razavi, Iran
Photo by Meysam Bazekavat

The images of Dutar in ancient inscriptions prove the antiquity of this instrument that is still popular in contemporary Iran. The crafting and playing Dutar are tied with the culture of many ethnic groups in Iran who play this instrument in a wide range of social and cultural occasions and ceremonies along with ethnic, cultural, epic, and historical lyrics strengthening their identity and cultural pride. Traditionally, the knowledge of crafting and playing the Dutar transmits from master to pupil.

Kalil Sheikh, Dutar player from Khaf region, Khorasan Razavi, Iran
Photo by Meysam Bazekavat

The Traditional Skills of Crafting and Playing Dutar was registered in the list of Intangible World Heritage of UNSECO in 2019.

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Nomads of Bakhtiari, Iran
Photo by Dmitry Chulov / Shutterstock

Bakhtiari people as a noble Iranian tribe are inhabiting in an area of approximately 67 thousand kilometers which includes the northern regions of Zagros Mountain i.e. Qazvin, Hamedan and Kermanshah and continues to southwestern parts of Iran. They are one of the most populated Iranian tribes which are divided into two categories of Haft Lang and Chahar Lang which literally mean seven legs and four legs respectively. Their dialect is Luri- Bakhtiari and they live their lives through husbandry and farming.

Their clothing style is a cultural element representing this tribe. The main cloths of men are a no-rimmed black felt hat and loose shirt and also they wear a sleeveless jacket on it which is called Chogha whose height is up to their knees.

Chogha is the symbol of Bakhtiari clothing which is woven with natural white wool with vertical dark blue or black lines. They also wear a baggy black trousers which is called Tonban.

Their footwear is called Giveh (a kind of soft, comfortable, durable and handwoven-top shoe).

The colorful clothes of Bakhtiari women consist of Lachak (a kind of scarf), Meyna (a veil whose length is about 2 or 3 meters which is worn on their head and covers shoulders and it is tied by clips under the chin) and a long-sleeved shirt which is called Jowa and it covers their body up to the knee, it is worn along with a layered skirt.

Another part of Bakhtiari culture is its traditional music and folklore dance, they have a special music for each event. The music used for mourning ceremonies are known as left music and the music played in happy occasions is called right music. Epic music is also another part of Bakhtiari music which is played during battles and races and all the events have an epic atmosphere, these kinds of songs are called “Sayyadi” songs. Wood playing is a martial game in which the men fight, attack and defend symbolically.

The nutrition system of the Bakhtiari people is traditionally based on meat, bread and fruits and rice is used much less in their diet. They almost eliminate meat from their diet at the time of migration but during the rest of the year, meat is the main base of their foods. The mostly used dairies in their diets are yogurt and curd.

Although since the early decades of current centuries, many groups of the Bakhtiari tribe chose sendentism life style like other Iranian tribes, still some of them are migratory. Like other tribes, Bakhtiari people migrate two times in a year for long time, in autumn and spring and from cold regions to warm regions and vice versa. They spend their winter in the lands of east of Khuzestan and their summer in western parts of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari.

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Mat Weaving, Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by Suphatthra olovedog / Shutterstock

The oldest samples of mat weaving in Iran were used as flooring in Sialk Hills (Isfahan Province), Hajji Firuz Tepe (West Azerbaijan Province) and excavations of Shahr-e Sukhteh (meaning Burnt City in Sistan and Baluchestan Province). The samples received from Shahr-e Sukhteh demonstrate that the mats were used as a cover for the floor of graves.

Mat Weaving, Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by Feroze Edassery / Shutterstock

Mat weaving is a general term in Iran used for a number of handicrafts which are made of weaving the strands of straws; but it is worth mentioning that in a scientific categorization, each of those arts like Bamboo Baafi, Tarkeh Baafi (basket weaving), Cheegh Baafi (curtain weaving) and Kapu Baafi has a separate position in the field of handicrafts.

Mat Weaving, Bamboo Baafi – Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by APIMGSTUDIO / Shutterstock

Bamboo Baafi: it is the art of weaving all the objects made of bamboo wood.

Mat Weaving, Tarkeh Baafi – Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by Niloufar Eydizade

Tarkeh Baafi: it is the art of weaving products like basket with the narrow strands of the trees which has different names in different regions depending on the type of used strands.

Mat Weaving, Cheegh Baafi – Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by Evlakhov Valeriy / Shutterstock

Cheegh Baafi: it is a curtain made of straws and thin stems of the trees used in the walls of nomads’ tents.

Mat Weaving, Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by Elena Tolmach / Shutterstock

Kapu Baafi: the central fresh stems of palm trees are woven around date palm leaves and are decorated with colorful yarns which lead to the formation of sphere-like objects that may have lids too.

The mat products can be classified into different groups depending on their usages: flooring, building materials, curtain and parasol, different dishes, tablecloth, hat, and eventually accommodation.

It is interesting to know that in some regions of Iran, mat is used in building the accommodations. The two most frequent kinds of these accommodations are called Kapar and Mozif.

Mat Weaving, Kapar – Iranian Handicrafts
Photo by Pe3k / Shutterstock

Kapar: it is a temporary shelter which is mostly observed in Balouchestan region, it has a hemispheric shape and is made of strands and leaves of date palm. Its other name is Loog.

Mozif: it is an inn mostly common among the Arabs of South of Iran especially in Khuzestan province. It is a rectangular room for serving the guests and also a place for gatherings of the men who want to be out of home space. Architecturally, it is a crescent house which is completely made of straws and the floor is covered with carpet.

Today, mat has a wide range of applications in the daily lives with its various designs, shapes and colors for decorating houses, furniture, bags, shoes, cloths, curtains and etc.

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Turkman Nomad, Iran

Photo by Ahmad Agh

The Turkmens of Iran are from Turkic ethnic group native to Central Asia who inhabit in northeast of the country. They speak the Turkmen language and they are mostly Sunni Muslims. It is believed that by the advent of Islam in Iran, the Turkmens were the first group who converted to Islam and when they were asked to introduce themselves, they said we are “Turk Man” of “Turk Iman” (the words “Man” and “Iman” are Arabic words meaning “faith”) and their name gradually changed to “Turkmen”. Till the beginning of the 20th century, they had nomadic life style but later they started living in counties and towns.

They are mostly inhabiting in southeast of Caspian Sea and Turkmen Sahra. Their settlement is mostly in Golestan province, the borderline of the north of Razavi Khorasan province, Torbat-e Jawm and North Khorasan province. The most important cities of Iran wherein the Turkmen are inhabiting in are Bandar Turkaman, Gonbad-e Kavus, Kalaleh, Aqqala, Gomishan and Incheh Borun.

Turkman Nomad, Iran
Photo by Ahmad Agh

With respect to their nomadic life style, the Turkmens are mainly occupied with husbandry and can train horse, sheep and camel professionally. Their habitats are gazebos which are called “Ovi”. They have a wooden skeleton and are surrounded by straws. Setting up the Ovi is a difficult job which is done by women. The oldest women of a family covers the ceiling of the Ovi with a felt.

The handicrafts of the Turkmens are carpet weaving, needlework and making traditional jewelries. The Turkmen carpet, especially double-sided silk carpets, are globally known and each of them has various designs and specific name. Needlework of the Turkmens is a delicate art which is used in decorating the collar, hem of the trousers and the ring which is used by the Turkmen women after getting married, the ring is called “Anna” and is worn under their scarf.

The literature of Turkmens has a long history and has been verbally transferred to the next generations, the most important part of their literature is the “nursery rhymes”. It is pointed out that the Turkmen women come out of the Ovi at nights, gather together and sing songs, this action is called “Laleh-Khani” which is an important part of their literature. It has several kinds and while performing it, the women hit their chin and neck to make it more tragic.

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Khatam
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Khatam is a noble and antique handicraft of Iran which is the art of decorating surfaces of the objects with small triangles made of ceramics. Its various designs consist of regular geometric shapes. These geometric shapes are formed through putting the small triangles next to each other. The triangles are made of various kinds of wood, metal and bone. The more delicate and tinier are the triangles, the more valuable the Khatam would be. In the plan of a Khatam, the smallest geometric unit consists of at least three triangles and the biggest one consists of at most four triangles. The value of Khatam is determined by the attention and care which is paid by the master who prepares it, the elegance which can be perceived only through a sensitive look.

Khatam
Photo by Anna Rogal/ Shutterstock

On the other hand, various woods like ebony, walnut tree, jujube, betel, cypress and pine and other objects like shell, special kind of yarn, glue and solvent are used in making Khatam. Khatam was previously used to decorate the tombs, doors of religious and non-religious buildings, rostrums, rehal of Holy Quran, chairs, tables and other objects like mirrors but today it is mostly used on decorative objects.

Khatam
Photo by Artography / Shutterstock

Some of the Iranian Khatam works remained from various historical eras can be seen in some buildings like Atiq Mosque of Shiraz and doors of Mirror Hall in Golestan Palace in Tehran. There are also some other works which are kept in Iran National Museum.

Khatam
Photo by Aleksandar Todorovic / Shutterstock

Isfahan, Shiraz and Tehran are the most important centers of making and selling Khatam.

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In today’s global community, the Iranian carpet has a worthy position to declare Iran to others. Iranian carpet is a fluffy mat which is woven using silk, cotton, wool and coat according to the traditions and rituals of each region of Iran.

Many of the archeologists believe that the oldest carpet of the world which is called Pazyryk and now is kept in The State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg with the antiquity of about 400 years B.C. is an Iranian carpet woven in Achaemenid Empire (330-550 B.C.). Although there is not any salient sample from Sasanian Empire (224-650 A. D.), based on the proofs it can be said that Iranian carpet was globally valid and famous in this era. In this regard, the most obvious sample is the famous carpet of Baharestan which has been mentioned in different historical sources. Many of the travelers who visited Iran in Islamic period have pointed out to the carpets of different regions of Iran and finally, in Safavid Dynasty (1501-1722 A. D.) the Iranian carpet was promoted from a rural art/ industry to a national activity and turned into a prominent part of Iran economy.

From the Safavid Dynasty onwards, the valuable samples of the Iranian carpet can be observed in different museums of the world, for example the Ardabil carpet which was woven for the tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili, the great ancestor of the Safavid, it is kept in Victoria and Albert Museum in London.  In this period, Kashan dealt with many orders due to goodness and elegance of the carpets which were produced there and manufacture of brocaded carpets woven with gold and silver threads was flourished upon the orders of other countries specially Poland.

In Qajar Dynasty (1794-1925 A. D.) and by the boom of European markets, a lot of carpet-weaving workshops were established in different cities of Iran like Tabriz, Kerman, Mashhad, Kashan and other cities and the Iranian carpets were exported to the Europe. On the whole it must be said that the most prominent centers of carpet weaving in Iran were Isfahan, Tabriz, Ardebil, Qom, Kashan, Nain, Kerman, Yazd, Mashhad and Hamedan from the past. It is worth mentioning that in 2010 the skill of carpet weaving of Fars and Kashan were globally registered as the spiritual heritage by UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Besides, in 2015 Tabriz was known as global city of handmade carpet.

Designs in Iranian Carpets

In addition to its decorative aspect, designs of the Iranian carpets attempt to reflect Iranian identity, beliefs and goals. These designs were divided into 3 general patterns: plant designs, animal designs and human designs from among them, plant designs are the most frequent ones used in Iranian carpets. The most important plant designs in Iranian traditional arts including carpet design are Eslimi (Arabesque) and Khatai (Floral).

Eslimi: Eslimi is derived from the word “Islamic” and points out to the interwoven lines of plants with spiral foliage. Although there are proofs which show the use of eslimi designs before the history, using it developed in Islamic period, especially in Safavid Dynasty. The base of eslimi design is nature, stems and leaves. Eslimi is a design consisting of rotational arcs, stems, ties and branches and has different types.

Khatai: it is basically a design with main and perpetuated form of flower bush, leaf or blossom. In khatai design, fewer broken lines can be observed and are mostly curved, they connect flowers to each other through proportionate tortuosity. As these lines picture the branches of tree, the more they get far from the main body, the narrower they will be. The most important khatai flowers are Shah Abbasi and Botteh.

• Shah Abbasi: a design in carpet which was soared in Safavid Dynasty. The main feature of Shah Abbasi flower is the stem drawn at the end of flower and is used as 5, 7 and sometimes 12-petal flower. It is the most perfect type of khatai and its design is retrieved from lily and pomegranate flowers which was common in Iranian arts from the past, a typical example of using this design can be seen in Persepolis which was converted into Shah Abbasi flower through a lot of manipulations.
• Botteh: it is an abstract design and the Iranian believe it is retrieved from cypress tree  as it was a sacred tree in ancient Iran, its natural samples and not decorative ones can be observed in relief designs of Persepolis. Besides, cypress tree is a symbol of endurance and freedom among the Iranian and in this period Botteh design was used decoratively which was similar to the bent cypress and in its evolutionary stages, with respect to the artist’s taste and creativity of each region and cultural history of Iran, it is currently known as paisley.  Some individuals believe that Botteh is created from birds’ feather which was used by the Iranian kings on their hats.

Different Parts of Iranian Carpet Infographic
Infographic by Negar Ganji

Different Parts of Carpet

Selvedge of Carpet: it is the surrounding part of carpet which is usually designed and woven in a wide or narrow way. The selvedges lead to a special organization and beauty which are like a frame. An ordinary selvedge consists of three parts: one main selvedge and two subsidiary selvedges.

• Main Selvedge: the wide selvedge is located between narrow selvedges and forms the collection of carpet selvedges with them. Usually in wide selvedge, the motifs used in carpets are also applied. The pattern and design of this selvedge is commensurate with background of the carpet. In wide selvedge, different designs and inscriptions are used and characteristics of the carpet including name of carpet weaver, name of client, date and place of weaving are registered as well.
• Subsidiary Selvedge: it is located in two sides of main selvedge and is usually decorated with tiny geometric and floral designs.

Lachak: the four corners of the carpet are called lachak and if there is harmony between lachak and toranj with similar designs, the design of carpet is called lachak – toranj.

Toranj: the shape located in the center of carpet is called toranj. They are usually in the form of circle, diamond and oval. They are usually accompanied with sar-toranj which make the carpet more attractive. The dimensions of toranj are different in various carpets and their bigness or smallness depends on type and design of the carpet.

Sar-toranj: it is connected to the central toranj from top and bottom of the carpet. Many of the carpet designers call it “Shamseh” as well.

Katibeh (Inscription): in some carpets, there is a part between toranj and sar-toranj which is called katibeh, name of some individuals who are related to the design of carpet will be designed and registered in katibeh.

Zamineh (Background): different parts of the carpet such as flowers, branches, animals and geometric shapes are woven and registered on a background which specify the main color of the carpet.

Gelim Baaf: in order to preserve the durability of the carpet, its upper and lower parts are woven with chains which are called gelim baaf.

Risheh (Fringe): white threads woven to the width of both sides of the carpet.

Shirazeh (Binder): the longitudinal sides of the carpet which are sewed for more protection of the main part of the carpet.

What was explained above is related to the commonest design of the carpet in Iran i.e. lachak toranj (corner-medallion) but based on the classification of Iran carpet company, the main designs of the Iranian carpets are: designs of ancient works and Islamic buildings, Shah Abbasi, Eslimi, Afshan (overall flower), Eghtebaasy, Bandi, Bottheh, Derakhti (Tree), Turkmen (Bokhara), Shekargah (Hunting), Ghabi, Golfarang, Goldani (Vase), Mahi Dar Ham, Mehrabi (Prayer), Moharamat (Striped), Hendesi (geometric), ili and Talfighi (mingle).

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Bisotun Inscription – Hersin, Kermanshah Province, Iran

Iranian languages are divided into three historical stages: 1. Old Iranian, 2. Middle Iranian, and 3. New Iranian.

Old Iranian

Old Iranian languages that were spoken since Iranians were separated from other people of Aryan or Indo-European race in the second millennium BCE. These languages were dominant in all lands of Ancient Iran until the fall of the Achaemenid Empire in 330 BCE. These languages include Avestan, Sakan, Median, and Old Persian among which only written text from Old Persian and Avestan are still extant.

Middle Iranian

Middle Iranian languages were prevalent since the fall of the Achaemenid Empire in 330 BCE until centuries after Sassanid Empire was overthrown in 651 CE. Some written texts are left from this group of languages divided into Western Middle Iranian and Eastern Middle Iranian.

Western Middle Iranian include Parthian (also known as Pahlawani or Arsacid Pahlavi) and Middle Persian (also known as Pahlavi or Sassanid Pahlavi). Nonetheless, Eastern Middle Iranian languages were prevailed until the 13^th century CE and comprise Bactrian, Khwarazmian, Sogdian, and Saka languages.

New Iranian languages

New Iranian languages gradually became dominant in various parts of Iran after the Arab conquest. Although some of New Iranian languages were spoken concurrent with some Middle Iranian languages, some structural progresses differentiated them from each other.

Iranian Languages at a Glance
Infographic by Parinaz Ghashghaie

Farsi

Farsi is the most important Iranian language. It has been the official language of the Iranian since Saffarid dynasty (9th century) and has been gradually replaced with other languages of middle Iran and it is common in various regions of the world, from India to Europe and from Aral Sea to Persian Gulf. In 10 th century, Farsi was developed in India and Asia Minor by Ghaznavid and Seljuq Dynasties respectively. Farsi language was also common in Ottoman Empire and some of their kings composed Farsi poems. As the colonialism spread in eastern countries, the importance and dominance of Farsi language was reduced. Today, Dari Perdian is common in Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Iran. Since early 20th century, Farsi language found a separate path in each of these countries. The common Farsi language which is currently in use in Tajikistan, there are many Russian words and it is written with Russian alphabet as well. There are Pashto words in current Farsi language of Afghanistan as well as French words in common Farsi language of Iran.

Other New Iranian languages and dialects

Based on geographical and structural affinities, other New Iranian languages and dialects, which count hundreds, are divided into Western and Eastern New Iranian. Western New Iranian languages and dialects involve:

1. Central Iran dialects (prevalent in Isfahan, Tehran, Hamadan, and Yazd regions)
2. Languages and dialects of the Caspian bank (Gilaki, Mazanderani, and dialects of Semnan region)
3. Languages and dialects of Northwest Iran (Tati, Talysh, and Azerbaijani)
4. Languages and dialects of Southwest Iran (Sivandi, Lurish, and dialects of Fars province)
5. Southeast Iran Languages and dialects (Larestani, Bashagardi, Kumzari)
6. Kurdish
7. Zaza and Gorani
8. Balochi.

Eastern New Iranian Languages and dialects include:

1. Ossetian
2. Pashto
3. Ormuri and Parchi
4. Munji
5. Yaghnobi
6. Languages and dialects of Pamir region.

Local languages are spoken in local media of varied regions but, Farsi is the only educational language in all Iranian schools and universities.

Farsi writing system

Cuneiform was the earliest writing system in Iran. Iranians then used Parthian Pahlavi scripts in the Parthian era and Sassanian Pahlavi scripts during the Sassanid era. After the rise of Islam, Farsi scripts were shaped. Farsi alphabet has the same basis as Arabic alphabet. However, in the Farsi Alphabet four novel letters are added; /ɡ/(گ), /tʃ/ (چ), /p/ (پ), /ʒ/(ژ). Although modern Iranian calligraphy borrows from Kufic Arabic, Iranians have been a major role in the development of Islamic calligraphy. Iranians developed Farsi alphabet based on their language needs. Since the ninth century CE, Pahlavi script was gradually substituted with Persian alphabet because of its usage in court letters. Persian alphabet has 32 scripts.

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Radif Music of Iran (Persia), Persian Setar
Photo by Frank Middendorf / Shutterstock

The first written evidence of Persian music dates back to the Sassanid Period (224-651 CE). Barbad, a court musician of the Sassanid Empire of Persia created the first musical system in the Middle East, known as the Royal Khosravani, dedicated to the king Khosro II. Many of the current melodic figures of the Persian classical music in various tonal spaces (in Persian called Dastgah), have been survived from this period by the oral tradition.

However, many of them have been disappeared in the course of time. Radif comprises seven Dastgahs and five vocal Radifs, each with its specific number of melodies (20-40) called Gousheh. A typical performance of a Dastgahs includes prelude (Pishdaramad), introduction (Daramad), song (Tasnif), rhythmic (Chaharmezrab), dance (Reng) and a chosen number of Goushehs. of note is that Gousheh and Daramad are non-metric, while Tasnif, Pishdaramad, Reng and Chaharmezrab are rhythmic.

A typical performance of a Dastgahs includes prelude (Pishdaramad), introduction (Daramad), song (Tasnif), rhythmic (Chaharmezrab), dance (Reng) and a chosen number of Goushehs.

During the years, Iranian classical music has been combined with other musical genres (e.g., pop). Also, today the societal position of musicians in Iran is much higher than it used to be such that they are now considered artists who present their works in concerts (not just at parties like before), and this art is taught at universities and institutes. To introduce this art internationally and to value its significance, Radif of Iranian music was inscribed UNESCO in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

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Souvenirs, Gaz Isfahan, Iran

Iran has the benefit of enjoying diversity in climate, nature and tourist attractions. The same diversity is witnessed in the souvenirs that the travelers can purchase and enjoy. The main souvenirs of Iran is divided to handicrafts and edibles. The handicrafts of Iran have such variety that one cannot visit a place and not find one or more forms of handicrafts that are specified to that location. The importance of handicrafts among Iranian is so high that sometimes the cities are known with the products they make. For example, Isfahan is known for its Inlaid Work, Engraving, and Printed Fabric. Zanjan is the center of Knife and Tapestry. One can find the best kinds of Pottery and Clay dishes in Hamedan, especially Lelejin. If one is searching for patterned fabric, linen fabric and ceramic, then Yazd is the ideal place to visit. Mat weaving of Mazandaran and Gilan is famous, and the Carpet weaving of Tabriz. The tourists can find the best Aba (robe) in Bushehr, and the best prayer rug and prayer beads are found in Mashhad. The precious stone of turquois is found in Neishabour. The most beautiful and delicate needle works of Iran is the Pateh Dozi of Kerman. Last but definitely not the least is the sea related works of the southern sections of Iran.

Souvenirs, Saffron Mashhad, Iran

As it was mentioned, Iran is also known for its edible products. Gaz of Isfahan, Sohan of Qom, Saffran and barberry of Mashhad, pistachio of Damghan and Rafsanjan, Masqati of Shiraz, Baklava and Qutab of Yazd, and the Nuts of Tabriz are all the edible products of Iran internationally known and purchased. Beside the mentioned products, each city has its own edible souvenir that includes products such as the rosewater of Kashan, Kolompeh and Cumin of Kerman, Cookie of Fouman and Lahijan, Baklava of Qazvin, pastry of Kermanshah, and Date of Bam, Kerman and Southern sections of Iran.

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Iran has an ancient history and is the origin of one of the most important human civilizations. Archaeological findings, some dating back to eight thousand years ago, clearly indicate that the country had been the cradle of culture and art since long ago. Handicrafts are the best manifestations of this fact. Iranian handicrafts include fourteen major branches and more than 300 products; this fact proves that the art-industry of handicrafts has a long history in Iran. Handicrafts embody various aspects of history, nature and cultural continuity and identity of different Iranian tribes.

The main branches of handicrafts in Iran are: traditional textile, woven handicrafts made on looms, traditional clothes, traditional embroideries, traditional prints, architectural manual arts, pottery and ceramic, leather handicrafts, metal handicrafts, sea handicrafts, wooden handicrafts, traditional paper-based handicrafts, stone handicrafts and glass works.

1)   Traditional Textiles

refer to the process of making traditional fabrics. This art includes 26 main branches: silk weaving, blanket weaving, fabric weaving, rug weaving, camel-wool weaving, cloak weaving and Termeh weaving. Termeh is one of the most salient handicrafts which is mainly used as souvenir, it is a very delicate hand-made fabric which is made of wool and silk with traditional designs like Paisley, Toranj and Arabesque.

2)   Woven Handicrafts Made on Looms

these works need a wooden framework or loom to be woven. The looms are either vertical or horizontal. This art includes different majors such as weaving of carpets, rugs and mats. Iranian carpet which is known all over the world is a piece of fluffy mat which is made of silk, cotton, wool and etc. According to the rituals and customs of each region and depending on the raw materials, the design, pattern and weaving style will be different including “Gabbeh”, “Relief Floral Designs” and “Khersak”. It is interesting to know that the skill of carpet weaving in Fars and Kashan was registered as spiritual heritage by UNSECO World Heritage Convention in 2010, also kilim of Shiraki Pich of Sirjan City in Kerman Province has been globally registered by World Crafts Council in 2017 and Tabriz is known as the world city of handmade carpets (2015).

3) Traditional Clothing

the products which cover different parts of body including headbands, footwear, shawls, hats and others; each of them is made according to the traditions and symbols of a region. Traditional footwear is used by nomads and villagers and is made up of cotton, silk or leather depending on weather conditions. Different kinds of footwear include Giveh, Charough and Chamoush. Giveh is a traditional footwear and Giveh of Marivan which is called Kalash in Kurdish (a small town in Kurdistan) was globally registered in 2017.

4) Traditional Embroideries

it is the art of decorating simple fabrics with shapes and colourful threads using needles and hooks. There are more than 100 different kinds of embroidery and it is the broadest branch of handicrafts spread across Iran and in each region there are different styles of embroidery. Needlework, patchwork, coin work and brocade works are some of the examples of this art.

5) Traditional Print

it is the art of printing different shapes and designs on cotton, silk and woollen fabrics using a stamp. The two main kinds of traditional print are called “Batik” and “Kalamkari”. The latter is one of the famous souvenirs of Iran.

Iran’s Handicrafts Infographic
Infographic by Negar Ganji

6) Architectural Manual Arts

this is the art of shaping lime, plaster and making muqarnas which can be seen as decorations of the buildings and houses using traditional architectural techniques.

7) Traditional Pottery, Ceramic and Tile

these products are made of clay and then are baked and formed in a furnace. Different kinds of bowls, jugs and vases which are the oldest handmade potteries of human being with the antiquity of 8000 years can be classified in this group. Tiles are mostly used in architecture and decoration of the buildings. Making “Kharmohre” (a kind of ceramic artwork with bright turquoise blue color), pottery and ceramic, perforated tiles, Zarrin Fam (golden) tiles, mosaic tiles, Banna’i tiles, Minai tiles, rainbow tiles, clay mosaic and painting on pottery. The city of Lalejin in Hamedan province as Iran’s capital of pottery and Kalporagan village in Saravan city of Sistan and Baluchistan province as the only living museum of pottery in the world with the antiquity of 7000 years have been registered in the list of world heritage in 2016.

8) Handmade Leather Handicrafts

it is a kind of art in which products made up of animal skin that have been processed and designed with traditional patterns using different techniques. The art includes cover making, traditional leather manufacturing, leather burning and saddle making.

9) Metal Handicrafts

the artist carves different traditional shapes on pieces of metal such as iron, copper, brass, gold and silver. This art consists of 23 majors.  Toreutics, the art of engraving patterns on metal surfaces by the use of various hammers, is considered as another famous souvenir of Iran.

10) Sea Handicrafts

this art is common in Iran’s coastal cities, especially along the Persian Gulf. The artists use sea creatures, sea shells scallop, starfish and fish bones to decorate different picture frames or make jewelleries like necklace and bracelet.

Iranian Handicrafts, Wooden boxes, Khatam, Miniature Paintings, Isfahan, Iran

11) Wooden Handicrafts

the wooden stuff on which shapes and patterns are carved using different tools and equipment. This category also includes works covered with wooden pieces, metal chips and bones. This branch of art is composed of 21 sections such as bamboo weaving, woodturning, embroidering, mosaic, wood carving, Khatam and decorating surfaces with small pieces of geometrical shapes.

12) Traditional Paper-based Handicrafts

it is a collection of artistic works on paper. It is divided into fourteen branches; namely, illuminated manuscript, concrete poetry, plastic painting and miniature. Miniature is a kind of painting patent to Iran and its main characteristic is the lack of dimension and perspective. The artists create depth and dimension using brushes or pencils in a special ways.

13) Stone Handicrafts

different kinds of gems or semi-precious stones such as turquoise, marble, jasper, black and white stones are used in this art. The craftsmen use different tools to carve and shape the stones. Different types of this art include engraving gemstones, carving on stone, turquoise carving and inlay jewelry. The city of Mashhad in east of Iran as the world city of gemstones was globally registered in 2016.

Iranian Handicrafts, Woman Shoes – Vakili Bazaar, Shiraz, Iran

14) Glass works

it is the art of creating shapes by melting silica, mineral oxides and glass pieces. Artists create a cream of this material and then shape it by different methods such as blowing and molding to make decorative or consumable dishes. Aina-Kari (a kind of interior decoration by putting small pieces of mirror together in geometric forms), carving glasses, stained glasses and vitrail are different kinds of this art.

It is worth knowing that from more than 600 instances of handicrafts registered in UNESCO world heritage, 366 of them belong to Iran out of which 196 items are from Isfahan. Hence, due to the variety of historical works in Isfahan (which is among the first 8 cities of the world), its architecture, long history of trading, production continuity, supply and sales of traditional arts and handicrafts, it was registered as the creative city of handicrafts in 2015.

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City Theater of Tehran, Iran

Muzafar Al Din Shah’s travel to Europe might have left the already fragile country of Iran in an even worst situation, but it also marks the start of cinema in the country. Ibrahim Khan known as Akasbashi (photographer) was among the first group of people that purchased camera and started working with them. Being fully familiar with working with a camera, he then moved to the cinemographs that by that time have been a popular technology in Europe. In 1900, Ibrahim Khan made the first movie of Iran perhaps as a test of his new camera. From this time on attention to movie making increased and 15 years later the first group of students were sent to Europe to study cinema and the art of movie making.

In 1900, Ibrahim Khan made the first movie of Iran perhaps as a test of his new camera.

Abi & Rabbi is the first Iranian feature film directed by the Ovanes Ohanian, the Armenian-Iranian director who graduated from Moscow. Khan Baba Mo’tazedi did the camerawork of the movie. Whimsical and Brother’s Revenge soon followed the first movie but failed drastically in Box Office because of negative view to the whole industry. Thus far, the movies were all silent until the Indian producers and Iranian director and actors produced Lur Girl. Under the influence of Indian movie, Iranian producers were forced to an unwanted inactivity. This influence started what is today known as commercial cinema which includes movies that are not artistically valuable but very popular among people. Up to 1965-66, this forms of movie were sole products of Iran’s film industry until thinkers such as Farokh Ghafari, Ibrahim Golestan, Ali Hatami, Masoud Kimiaei and Darius Mehrjoie came to picture and their movies took the whole industry to a new level.

Under the influence of Indian movie, Iranian producers were forced to an unwanted inactivity. This influence started what is today known as commercial cinema which includes movies that are not artistically valuable but very popular among people.

Although many might believe that the revolution of 1979 imposed limitation on Iran’s cinema, a claim that is true to an extent, but the new limitation made the directors to change their insight and focus on a more serious cinema that involved social and political matters. Iran’s movie industry proceeded like this for more than thirty years that lead to the creation of movies such as Separation and The Seller by Asghar Farhadi that has won many international awards.

Iran’s Theatre

Iran is a rich country in the art of performance, many of them might not be referred to as theatre, but they are all forms of gaining people’s attention and putting some concept or ideology across. Kouseh Bar Neshin, Siavash Khani, Mogh Koshi, Ghali Shouyan, Tazieh, Pardeh Khani, and Naghali are the most notable examples of early performance done in Iran. The Satire works of Kouseh Bar Neshin, the Tragedy of Siavash’s death in Siavash Khani, the Epic story of Darius’s victory over his enemies in Mogh Koshi, the mourning of martyrdom of Imam Hossein in Tazieh and the Epic tales of Shahnâme in Naghali and Pardeh Khani make the history of theatre in Iran, and are a proof of Iranians interest in this art. It is a source of great joy that the traditional forms of theatre are still performed in Iran, next to the modern forms of act that are based on texts and dramas.

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No country, region or population of any sort is found that is exempt from rites and rituals, which although interesting, might have traces of superstition in them. These rites and rituals stem from the cultural, social, historical, geographical as well as ideological characteristics of the society they belong. Iran is a rich country in terms of rites, each of which is rooted in a different tradition. Some have faded in the course of history, performed only regionally in some parts of Iran such as Sadeh. Some have endured the evolutions of time and are celebrated all over the country like Nowruz and Yalda. Those rituals that have their roots in ancient history of Iran and the national occasions are held based on the Solar Calendar like Yalda, Nowruz, and Sadeh. While those that are related to Islam are performed based on Lunar Calendar like Ashoura and Eid Fitr. On general, Iranian rites are divided into five groups:

1-Ancient, Mystical and Seasonal Rites

Mehregan, Yalda, Nowruz, Sadeh, and Charshanb-e Suri are example of these rites. Iranian old rites were always accompanied by happiness and cheer. The ritual held on the death of Siyavash is the sole mourning one.

2-Religios Rites

Religions of Islam, Jewism, Christianity, and Zoroastrian are close together, each having their own rituals. However, since Shiite Islam is the official religion of the country, the Islamic rituals are highlighted. The most famous of them all being the Mourning of Muharram held for the martyrdom of third Shiite Imam.

3-National Rites

National rites are held on political, social and cultural events. Iranian celebrate 22nd of Bahman, the anniversary of the revolution of Islamic Republic of Iran.

4- Family Rites

Families hold private ceremonies on different occasion such as birthday, marriage and death of a loved one.

5- Regional Rites

Regional and local rites Refers to various rites that are held on the occasion of harvest, the beginning of fishing season and some other occasions that happen in one particular region and is not shared by the whole country.

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