A gallery of Persian carpet
If you are a culture lover, an art enthusiast, an admirer of unique handicrafts or someone who needs help getting Persian souvenirs, come in!
The Persians’ love of arts and handicrafts is as deep-rooted as the Persian civilization has been traced. From this strong root, Persian arts and handicrafts have been thriving through different periods and in contact with other civilizations. A variety of precious artefacts that include textiles, jewelry, metal works, pottery, and carpets have been found from different ancient eras. Then, the arrival of Islam in Iran gave Persian art special twists and made it flourish in certain branches. Passed down from generation to generation. Persian artefacts showcase the Iranian’s fascination with geometric patterns, imaginative designs, and motifs from nature, iranontour.com wrote.
Persian handwoven carpets
Admiration for the best-known of the Persian handicrafts, Persian handwoven carpet, has been timeless and borderless. The art of carpet weaving in Iran is probably as ancient as the country’s history. The antiquity, quality, beauty and cultural value make Iranian handmade carpets a sign of wealth, luxury and taste around the world. These exquisite pieces of art are a manifestation of the Iranians’ love for art, for beauty, for nature, and for their homeland.
The Persian carpet is as diverse as the Iranian ethnicities that create them. And this diversity is clearly evident in the variety of carpet patterns, colors, and motifs you’ll find around the country. You can find the finest of these elegant souvenirs from Isfahan and Kashan in the central province of Isfahan, Tabriz in northwestern province of East Azarbaijan, Kerman in the southeastern province of Kerman, Yazd in the central province of Yazd, and Shiraz in the southwestern province of Fars.
Minakari
In Persian, mina means heaven and minakari (enameling) is the art of creating heaven on objects! Since around 1,500 BCE, Persians have created these elegant artworks by tastefully painting on the surface of glass, ceramic, or metals such as gold, silver, and copper. The oldest minakari objects ever found is a pair of earrings that date back to 800-700 BCE.
It is fire that fixes the intricate traditional Iranian patterns on the surface. With a gorgeous mixture of colors that feature azure blue and turquoise, these beauties are probably of the most precious souvenirs you can get in Iran. Sometimes, mina is combined with other Persian handicrafts like khatamkari (ancient Persian technique of inlaying or marquetry), miniature, jewelry, and wooden objects. You can find the finest minakari vases and plates in Isfahan’s Chahar-Bagh Street and Naqsh-e Jahan Square.
Khatamkari
Khatamkari is one of the most elaborate of Persian handicrafts. Thousands of tiny pieces are put together to create the smallest khatam object. Thin rods of wood, gold, silver, brass, aluminum, ivory, bone and twisted wire are glued together in a geometrical shape. Then the branches are cut into thin slices and combined with others on the surface of a wooden or metal object. The oldest Iranian khatam item dates back to Safavid Era (1501-1736 CE). Khatam is mostly used in doors of palaces and religious sites, jewelry boxes, chessboards, and picture frames. You can find the finest khatam souvenirs in Shiraz.
Ghalamzani
Graceful Persian patterns showcase themselves in full elegance on copper, brass, silver, and gold objects. Qalamzani, the art of engraving these charming patterns on metal objects, is one of Iran’s most luxurious handicrafts. Trees, flowers, animals, detailed miniatures and arabesque patterns are the most common motifs on a qalamzani work. This art dates back to 700 CE. Get a precious qalamzani vase, plate or tray from Isfahan’s well-known grand bazaar.
Traditional Persian textiles
Termeh and qalamkar are Iran’s most favorite traditional textiles and the most popular as table covers. Termeh, a handwoven luxury textile, is a specialty of Yazd. This Persian handicraft has a history as old as (or even older than) the Achaemenid Era (700-330 BCE). Persian paisley is the signature pattern of termeh, and weaving this Persian handicraft is a sensitive and time-consuming work. The other favorite Iranian fabric, qalamkar, is actually hand-printed textile. Natural dye is used for printing on the cotton fabric and it is either drawn on by hand or patterned by wooden stamps. You can find the finest qalamkar works in Isfahan.
Persian pottery, ceramic
Persian painted pottery is a manifestation of the antiquity of Persian civilization! With traces in the 7th millennium BCE, it is one of the oldest arts Iranians have mastered. Changing with the cultural and historical developments, Persian pottery and ceramic embraced different patterns, styles, and materials. Inspirations for the patterns were nature, ancestral nomadic tribes, Islamic geometrical patterns, national epics, and other cultures. Half the glory of Golestan Palace in Tehran, the Pink Mosque in Shiraz, Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, and many other architectural masterpieces comes from their charming tilework. You’ll find Persian painted tiles and earthenware in traditional bazaars and the most unique ones in Kalpuregan Clay Living Museum located in a village with the same name in Sistan and Baluchestan Province in southeastern Iran.
Traditional Persian painting, calligraphy
Miniature and taz’hib (manuscripts decorated with gold or silver) are traditional styles of Persian painting known for their intricate details and colorfulness. Though they have roots in ancient Iran, these rich Iranian arts flourished in the Islamic period. Mythological or religious themes raise the artistic value of miniatures. Miniature artists have illustrated many of the classics of Persian literature.
Does Persian calligraphy on Iranian pottery, metalwork, and tilework fascinate you? In Shiraz, and Isfahan, you can find precious pieces of Persian calligraphy, sometimes adorned with traditional Persian painting as well.
Gabbeh, kilim, jajim
Traditional Iranian carpets, including gabbeh, kilim, and jajim are the relics of the country’s antiquity and cultural variety. Gabbeh, a simpler and less intricate type of carpet, is mainly a nomadic art. You can often find a simple animal or plant motif on a gabbeh. Nomadic women make these thick carpets by handspun wool that they have dyed in natural dyes. Jajim, the lintless and thick weaving that can be used on both sides, is a specialty of western and northwestern Iran. You can use jajim as a mat, a table cover, a cushion, etc. What about kilim? This hand-knotted Persian handicraft comes from the nomads and the rural areas of Iran. You can also buy nice kilims from Sirjan, in the southeastern province of Kerman, which is the world city of kilim. The thinner and softer the warps and wefts of the kilim, the better the quality.
Firoozeh kubi
Isfahan prides in its sparkling firoozeh kubi (turquoise inlaying), a mixture of turquoise stones with copper ware and jewelry. For making these valuable pieces, artists stick pieces of turquoise stone, based on their size and color, on the surface of a copper object. Firoozeh kubi is a relatively modern Persian handicraft. Yet the delicacy of the objects and the stones used in them make them as precious as they are. The less space between the turquoise pieces, the higher the quality of the piece. If you get one, avoid cleaning it with strong detergents. A piece of wet cloth can shine up your firoozeh kubi object.
Baluchi soozan duzi
In contrast to the dusty desert and mountains of southeast Iran, the Baluch ethnicity of Iran feature taste, color and life in their iconic art: Soozan duzi. Baluchi soozan duzi is a form of embroidery or needlework Baluch people feature on their clothes and jewelry. On women’s trousers, dresses, and shawls, and on men’s caps, you can see adorable patterns embroidered by hand. To get the finest works of Baluchi embroidery and get to know the adorable Baluchs, you’ll need to visit the towns and villages of Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
Traditional footwear
Galesh, giveh, kalash! Whatever their name and style, these traditional Iranian footwear are cool, comfortable, and adorable replacements for our modern shoes. These Persian handicrafts are mostly made and worn in western province of Kurdestan, especially the city of Marivan. To make these light and durable shoes, Kurdish artists weave silk threads and use leather for the bottom. They are perfect for hot summer days!
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