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
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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 some parts of the province people, especially Qashqai tribes, speak Turkish, while in some other parts, the Arabs speak Arabic. Because of the geographical extent of the province, its climate varies in the northern and southern regions. In highlands, the climate is mild; in the valleys and lowlands, it is moderate and warm, while in the southern parts of the province, the winters and summers are moderate and hot, respectively.

Historically, the Persian who formed their own local government under the support of the Medes in Pars (current Fars), became gradually more powerful and eventually Cyrus, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 B.C.), overthrew the Median Empire (678-549 B.C.). Cyrus and his successors formed a vast empire of the time and developed their power using a set of organized and decisive laws. The Achaemenid kings established and chose several cities as their capital such as Takht-e Jamshid or Persepolis, Susa, Babylon, and Ecbatana (Hamedan).

The palaces of the Achaemenid rulers are among the most significant masterpieces of ancient architecture, which their remains are in the ancient city of Parseh. When Babylon and Susa were under siege, Alexander the Macedonian attacked Persepolis, plundering, killing people, and firing the Achaemenid palaces. Years later during the Parthian Empire (247 B.C. – 224 A.D.), Darabgerd, a city in Fars province, was one of the centers of power. As the Parthian Empire declined, Ardashir Babakan rose in revolt, the man who finally founded the Sassanid Empire (224-651 A.D.).

Ya’qūb-i Layth-i Saffārī (Jacob) was the first Emir of the Saffarid Dynasty (861-1003) who seized Fars and chose Shiraz as his capital. Several dynasties including Buyid (934-1062), Seljuk (1037-1194), Salghurids (1148-1282), Mongol (1206-1368), Muzzafarid (1314-1393), Safavid (1501-1736), Afsharid, (1736-1796), and Zand (1751-1794) dominated also over the region. During the governance of Karim Khan Zand (reign: 1751-1779), a magnificent peace and prosperity were established in Fars, while in contrast, the province was damaged and destroyed significantly later due to the wars by Lotf Ali Khan Zand (reign: 1789-1794) and Mohammad Shah Qajar (reign: 1834-1848).

The land of Fars, both during the pre-Islamic and Islamic era, was the center of civilization and culture, containing a great number of historical monuments. Fars was in fact the first center where Persian civilization and culture were developed.

Out of its remained historical monuments and buildings include Persepolis, Pasargad, the historical city of Istakhr, Naqsh-e Rustam, Bishapur, Shapur cave, and the palaces and fire temples of Ardeshir. Importantly, Persepolis, Pasargad, Eram Garden, The Sassanid Archeological Landscape have been registered in UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The collection of Zandieh and Qajar constructs including Arg of Karim Khan, mosque and bathroom of Vakil, Nasir al-Mulk Mosque, and Qavam House as well as the shrine of Ahmad ibn Musa (Shah Cheragh) are among other important tourist attractions in the city of Shiraz.

The most important handicrafts in Fars province include wood carving, carpet weaving, glass blowing (in Meymand city), repoussage, handmade Khorjin (saddle), and Give-Doozi (in the city of Abadeh). Known native foods also include Kufteh Holoo, Kooft Sabzi, Salad Shirazi, Shirin polo (sweet rice), especial Aush for breakfast (Sabzi), Aush Kardeh, and Kalam polo Shirazi (cabbage and rice). When it comes to figures, Mansur al-Hallaj (the Persian mystic and poet) and two valuable Persian poets i.e. Saadi and Hafez are among the past celebrities of Fars province.

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