Minakari or Enameling, the glorious Iranian handicraft

Minakari or Enameling, the glorious Iranian Art

Minakari or Enameling is one of the most glorious Iranian handicrafts. It is the art of painting and designing the surface of metals such as gold, silver, and copper by glazing colors and fire in the furnace (Sometimes, it is done upon the glass or ceramics too.) According to the orientalist scholar Arthur Pope, Minakari dates back to 1500 B.C. Its practice on metal appeared during 600-400 B.C.

Minakari is usually done on different utensils, such as vases and plates, picture frames, the doors and windows in holy shrines, pieces of jewelry, and small decorative objects, and combined with Khatam kari, Persian Miniature, Jewelry making, and other kinds of art. Different kinds of paints used in Minakari were taken from plants, minerals, and iron ore. Nowadays, chemical paints are often used. The craftsmen use gold, copper, and tin in combination with different chemical materials to make red, green, and yellow colors respectively.

Mina, meaning heaven in Persian, is a glass-like coating that can be fixed on different kinds of metals by heat. It is available in different colors, such as azure blue, reddish-purple, green, yellow, cyan, yellow, gold, and black. But Isfahan Minakari is usually known by the colors azure blue and turquoise or cyan.

enameling

Iranian Enameling, Iranian handicraft

A good point to recognize the genuine Mina is that there is no white color for Mina! Whenever it is needed, the craftsmen use the glazing under Mina on the crafts or scratch the painted parts with a sharp head instrument to reach the white color of the glazing. It can be useful for tours to Iran who wish to take Persian metalwork as a Iran souvenir to their land.

The designs for Minakari are usually traditional symmetrical patterns like arabesque, flower and bird on a floral background, and historical religious monuments. The more detailed complicated designs, the more expensive the craft would be. It can be washed with lukewarm water and a sponge.

There are two kinds of Minakari: Painted enamel, and Khanebandi (also called Charkhaneh).

Minakari

Persian enameling

The process of Minakari is as follows: First, the metal- nowadays usually copper- is shaped by the craftsman. Then, he covers it with a white glaze. Next, he puts the body into the furnace at a temperature of about 800˚ C, recoats it with a higher quality glaze, and heats it again. This process is usually repeated three to four times. Now, the craftsman can design and paint the metal body. Finally, the craftsman sends the painted metal dish to the furnace to stabilize the color.

The different tools used during this process include a furnace, pliers, a press machine, a very fine brush or pen, and so on.

From among the samples of ancient Iranian Enameling, there are Sassanid plates discovered in Armenia, kept in Islamic Arts Museum, Berlin. One of the oldest samples of Minakari is a pair of earrings, discovered in Nahavand, dating back to 800-700 B.C. An Achaemenid gold armband ornamented with Minakari is exhibited in Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Minakari reached its peak at the time of the Seljuk period. Enameled brass dishes were common at that time and were exported to other neighboring countries too. During the Mongols period, Persian Minakari witnessed great changes, and the Arabic inscriptions turned into pictures of the garment and appearance of the Persian courtiers. At the time of Safavids, arabesque designs were added to the designs, and the red color was used more than ever. The prevalent designs were the royal banquets, hunting, and horse riding on the silver.

Iranian handicraft

Persian Enameled utensil

At the time of Qajar, the art of Minakari declined. It was used mainly on the Hubble bubbles, as it was popular in the Qajar kings’ court. After the Qajar period, this forgotten art was revived again. At present, Isfahan is the center of Minakari in Iran. Most of the craftsmen do Minakari on gold the same style as the Qajar period. The most famous Isfahani master in enameling is Shokrollah Sani’zadeh who revived this invaluable art after World War I.

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Shazdeh Garden a green oasis lying in the heart of the desert

Shazdeh Garden, Iran (Photos, Water source, Info)

Shazdeh Garden, this green oasis, lies deep in the heart of the desert. Located near Mahan in the province of Kerman, Bagh-e-Shazdeh or Shazdeh Garden (Prince Garden) is one of the historical Persian gardens with a rectangular plan constructed during the Qajar dynasty in the late 1900s. Similar to other great Persian gardens such as Eram Garden in Shiraz, Dowlatabad Garden in Yazd, and Fin Garden in Kashan it is also inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List. If you’re interested in Persian Gardens, make sure you pay them a visit during your travel to Iran.

Green Garden in Dry Desert

What is very remarkable about Shazdeh Garden is that it is located in the heart of the desert, where nothing exists but dry plains. However, the entrance of the garden welcomes tourists to the earthly paradise. Putting a step inside this mesmerizing landscape, one can see the pools streaming along the yard, the trees offering shade to the pathway, and the flowers spreading perfume everywhere. The façade of an old pavilion appears from behind the fountains, leading visitors toward a magnificent structure.

Persian Garden

A great sample of Persian gardens, located in the heart of the desert

Shazdeh Garden Features

The perfect plan of this garden, the architecture of the pavilion, and its interior design and decorations all reflect the Iranians ‘elaborate art, culture, and lifestyle. There are two stories in the structure of Shazdeh Garden. A thatched brick wall surrounds the mezzanine’s eight watchtowers. On the southwest side of the garden, a pavilion stands at the end and the highest point. Many structures line the path between the pavilion and the entrance to the garden. There are five fountains in the pool in front of the pavilion, where the water can rise to eight meters.

Shazdeh Garden Greenery

In order to supply water, the Qanat technique is applied. Since there is a natural slope in the garden, gravity helped the Iranian engineers water the plants. Therefore, water enters the yard on the upper side, and the stream runs through the terrace-shaped pools of the garden to irrigate trees and flowers. That is why Shazdeh Garden enjoys a variety of trees with different functions; the windbreak trees like pine and cypress, shade trees like poplar or wild elm, and fruit trees like peach or plum. Separated from its surrounding desert by high walls, the garden offers visitors an oasis of comfort. As a great sample of Persian gardens, Shazdeh Garden hosts many tourists who travel to Iran, especially in spring and summer. Therefore, tourists will have the chance to explore the specific features of Shazdeh Garden and enjoy its peaceful atmosphere.

Shazdeh Garden

A view of Shazdeh Garden in Kerman province, Iran

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Persian Carpet is the Narrator of Iranian Art and Cultures

Persian Carpet History & Types: All You Need To Know

Iran has a universal reputation in carpet weaving. Persian carpet or Iranian rug, a heavy textile for decoration or home use, is one of the main features of Iranian culture and art as well as one of the leading exports. Woven in various types by nomads and workshops, it is the narrator of  Iranian arts and cultures, traditions, people, and lifestyles. Persian handmade carpets are well-known for their longevity, lavish textures, strong colors, and elaborate designs. They are characterized by natural dyes, traditional tribal patterns, as well as modern designs, but old techniques. The cities that are famous for their carpets include Isfahan, Nain, Kashan, Tabriz, Mashad, Kerman, and Qom.

In 2010, traditional skills of carpet weaving in Fars and Kashan were inscribed on the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Carpets of Kashan are made by Persian weaving style (known as asymmetrical knotting), so the backside of the carpet is evenly knotted. Carpets of Fars, woven by Iran nomads on the horizontal frame placed on the ground, and without any design.

The oldest known carpet in the world showing the long history of the art of carpet weaving is over two thousand years old Pazyric carpet, excavated in 1949. Whether it belongs to the Achaemenid craftsmen or the place where it was found, is still subject to controversy. Although Persian carpets were mentioned in historical writings before Christ, there are no surviving carpets from the Achaemenian and Parthian periods.

Persian Carpet; Narrator of Iranian Art and Culture

Persian Carpet

The exact time that Persians started to weave pile carpets is not known, but Persian carpets in the Sassanid period were used as covering for the floors in Persia, Anatolia, and Byzance. On the contrary, flat weaving was known during that era according to the history books and the textiles preserved in western museums and eastern monasteries, and burial sites. It is guessed that Baharestan Carpet in Ctesiphon was made in this way; a Sassanid hand-woven carpet using silk, gold, and silver threads, decorated with precious stones.

After Islam, magnificent Persian carpets, especially the silk ones, have been mentioned and adored by historians and writers from different lands at various times. As Islam prohibited using human motifs, carpet designs changed to floral and geometric patterns. It was the beginning of a new era of Persian carpet weaving.

During different eras, Persian carpets have experienced changes in style and design and Iranian weavers have combined new ideas with their old styles. In miniatures that remained from the Timurid period, carpets show colorful geometrical shapes and designs derived from Kufic calligraphy. No carpet woven before 1500 A.D. has survived.

Persian Carpet; Narrator of Iranian Art and Culture

 Persian Carpet-Kilim

The Persian carpets in the Safavid era were famous for their elaborate spectacular colors and designs. During this era, court manufactories and large workshops were established and the art of carpet weaving reached its peak. There are no early Safavid carpets survived, but later Safavid carpets still exist. The miniatures during the late 15th century show a considerable change in Persian carpet design and weaving. Simple straight lines turned into more elaborate designs such as more curves, large medallions, figures of flowers and animals, arabesques, and tendrils.

Persian carpets were so skillfully and finely woven in the Safavid era presented to the European countries as gifts, especially the silk ones woven by gold and silver threads. Ardabil Carpet, kept in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, is one of the best examples of the old Persian carpets. Another distinguished carpet in the Safavid era is the Vase technique carpet attributed to Kerman.

In the Afsharid period, Mashad as the capital became the center of carpet weaving and Afsharid designs and motifs were created. These carpets are known for their large size, warm colors, and long life. In the Qajar dynasty, Tabriz was known as the center of the modern weaving style of Persian carpet.

In the late 19th century, synthetic dyes and commercial designs found their way into the old traditional style of carpet weaving.

In 1935, Reza Shah Pahlavi founded the Iran Carpet Company. So, the carpet industry export was brought under government control.

Persian Carpet; Narrator of Iranian Art and Culture

Persian Carpet in Niavaran Palace

Nomadic rugs are different from carpet workplaces in design and way of weaving. The best-known type of Persian rug is called Gabbeh. In the 1980s, Gabbeh- at first woven by nomads- became popular in Europe.

Wool, cotton, and silk are the materials used for weaving the carpets. Traditional dyes are taken from plants and insects, such as Oak acorns, Indigo, and Madder. The looms are divided into horizontal and vertical. Horizontal looms are usually used by the nomads. Persian carpets are usually woven by two different knots: the symmetrical Turkish and the symmetrical Persian. Two famous kinds of flat-woven carpets include Kilim and Jajm.

The Persian carpet is one of the best Iran souvenirs for tours to Iran. There is a vast variety of styles and designs to satisfy all different kinds of tastes.

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Iran handicrafts

Persian Handicrafts, the Best Souvenirs of Iran

Since Iran is one of the oldest civilizations in the world and is home to so many tribes varying in culture, lifestyles, and traditions, it has produced a variety of handicrafts throughout history. Persian art of handicrafts goes beyond textile weaving. It includes Iranian metalworks, woodworks, pottery, Persian miniature, calligraphy, straw-made products, mosaic, and stone. Persian handicrafts, each narrating the stories of the culturally diverse populations in different parts of vast Iran, are among the best souvenirs for tours to Iran. Here we introduce you to some of the most stunning Iranian handicrafts.

Iranian Handicrafts

Iranian weavings are well-known for their antiquity, elegance, durability, and variety. The most famous one is the Persian carpet. It has been used as the covering for floors for thousands of years in Great Persia. Different geometrical shapes, medallions, tendrils, and figures of plants and animals woven with local materials specific to each area, inspired by the natural environment, are reminiscent of Persian gardens, full of flowers and birds. Persian rugs woven by nomads are different in style and design. The most prominent nomad rugs include Gabbeh, Kilim, and Jajim.

Handwoven Fabrics

Iranian fabric named Ghalamkar is made by hand drawing or printing using patterned wooden stamps. Termeh is another Iranian hand-woven cloth, primarily produced in Yazd. Its weaving is very delicate and time-taking. The most famous of the factories producing traditionally woven Termeh is Rezaei Termeh. Another kind of Persian weaving embroidery is Zardozi. The designs are made using gold and silver threads, pearls, and precious stones. Nowadays, copper wires, polished by gold or silver, and silk threads are used as well. It also includes Golduzi (embroidery stitches), Baluchi Suzanduzi (needlework), Seke duzi (shisha embroidery), Rashti Qollabduzi (a special kind of broderie), and Kermani Pateh duzi (a style of Iranian embroidery).

Handicrafts in Iran

Zarbaft Weaving, One of The Traditional Persian Handicrafts

Persian Metalworks

The beginning of Persian metalwork goes back to the Luristan bronzes. Iranian Metalworks include Minakari (Enamel working), Ghalamzani (also Qalamzani or Toreutics), and Firoozeh Koobi, wherein the metal is decorated with colorful coats and carved or hammered. Isfahan is well-known for its enamel artwork. Firoozeh Koobi is another Persian art that is a very popular Iranian handicraft. With the beautiful color of Turquoise used in the metals, they are among the best Iran souvenirs.

Iranian Woodcrafts

Woodworks in Iran comprise Moarragh or Moarraq (an Iranian handicraft made of small pieces of different woods) and wood carving. Khatam kari is another Persian art of marquetry dating back to the Safavid period. The artist decorates the wooden surface of the jewelry boxes, chessboards, desks, and suchlike with different shapes (generally star-shaped) of pieces of wood, bone, metal, and sometimes gold, silver, ivory, and brass. Sometimes it is combined with miniature to make a unique work of art.

handicrafts wood

Persian Handicrafts – A wooden handicraft decorated by the artistic hands of Iranian locals

Decorative Handicrafts

Persian tilework is one of the spectacular Iranian art crafts. In the past, Isfahan and Tabriz were the two main centers of the Iranian mosaic. Golestan Palace in Tehran is another outstanding example of Persian tilework for tours to Iran. The art of Miniature rose in Iran in the 13th century and continues to this day. It is a very detailed, usually tiny painting that requires great skill and proficiency and a thin brush to paint such detailed artwork. The best example of a modern Persian miniature is Frshchian’s. Persian calligraphy is another Persian art that has several styles. Iranian pottery, metalwork, and historic buildings often feature calligraphy. The art of calligraphy reached its peak in the illumination of the Quran, Shahnameh, Divan-e Hafez, and other well-known Iranian literature. Nastaliq is the most popular Persian calligraphy style, known as the “Bride of the calligraphy scripts”.

Best Souvenirs of Iran

Persian art goes beyond the abovementioned and includes stone carvings and mosaics. Turquoise Inlaying on jewelry or materials such as silver, copper, or brass is one of the most distinctive Iranian handicrafts. The turquoises of Mashhad and Nishapur have the most fame with the highest quality. Pottery and ceramics have a long history in Iran. The history of pottery dates back more than 6-7 thousand years ago in Susa, Tepe Sialk in Kashan, Jiroft, and Burnt City. Kalpuregan Museum in Sistan and Baluchestan province is known as the only live ceramic museum; because its working style has passed from generation to generation for over 5 thousand years without any change.

handicrafts in Iran- pottery

Persian Handicrafts – Pottery and ceramics have a long history in Iran.

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Dowlatabad garden is the architectural jewel of Yazd

Dowlatabad Garden, the Architectural Jewel of Yazd

Dowlatabad Garden, the architectural jewel of Yazd, is inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the picturesque Persian gardens. It is constructed over 200 years ago for different functions, and now it hosts many tourists who travel to Iran. Dowlatabad Garden (Dolat Abad Garden) in Yazd; is a beautiful adobe city with many flourished arts and techniques. Many arts and techniques are manifested in this garden, such as woodworking, Qanat, and windcatchers. Historically, Dowlatabad’s great garden was irrigated by Qanat, an ancient method of providing water.

Dowlatabad Garden Features

Like many other Persian gardens, such as Eram Garden or Shazdeh Garden, Dowlatabad also features a pool. Through tall pine trees, the water runs to reach the architecturally perfect mansion. The mansion is built based on an octagonal plan embracing an outstanding wind catcher (Badgir). The wind catcher is a Persian architectural element used to make natural ventilation in buildings located in arid areas. With a height of about 33 meters, the windcatcher of Dowlatabad is the tallest old windcatcher in the world.
The windcatcher of Dowlatabad Garden is the tallest old wind catcher in the world. The interior design of the mansion also has its own distinctive features. The engraved wooden doors of the mansion and the colorful lattice windows of the rooms that pleasantly lead the light inside are eye-catching for many tourists.

Wind catchers-Yazd

Wind catchers pleasantly lead the cool weather inside the building during the hot summer.

Persian Garden Greenery

Dowlatabad Garden is surrounded by many fruit trees such as pomegranates and grapes that give more beauty to the garden. Moreover, small lanterns are around the garden’s pathways to offer visitors a memorable experience. According to the above descriptions, Dowlatabad is one of the sites in Yazd that is worth a visit to take perfect pictures, enjoy its spectacular atmosphere, and contemplate the breathtaking Persian architecture and notions.

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