Iran Travel

Like the Persian rug that shows many colours and warmly and creatively arranged shapes, Persian culture is the glue that holds the peoples of Central and Western Asia together. Famous Iranologist Richard Nelson Frye said:

It is emphasized many times that the peoples of Central Asia today, whether they speak an Iranian or Turkish language, have a culture, a religion, a set of social values and traditions that only a language separates.

The culture of Persia therefore developed over many thousands of years. However, historically, the peoples of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan have the same origin, and are connected to each other as only part of the vast whole called the Iranian world. Armenia, Georgia and Dagestan were also within the sphere of influence of Persian culture, and this can be seen by observing the ruins, relics and literary works of this region.

In particular, Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan are the countries that have managed to retain their Persian identity the most, while the others mentioned still show considerable traces of their Iranian past.

History

The historical region that constitutes today's Iran has been the scene of human settlements in a period that can be considered quite early. Although the information about the prehistoric times of Iran is limited, it is known that people in the Old Stone Age inhabited Southern Iran. Modern research shows that since 10,000 years ago, Iran's settled people established cities and villages, and sheep and goats were domesticated and even herds were owned.

The history of Iran (or Persia) spans thousands of years, from the ancient civilizations of the Iranian plateau, the ancient civilization of Jiroft in Kerman province and Shahr-e Sukhteh ("the burnt city") in the province of Sistan-and-Baluchistan, followed by the kingdom of Elam, between the current provinces of Khuzistan and Fars, the civilization of Lorestan and the flowering of the civilization of Marlik in the province of Gilan, and the Mannaeans who originally settled south of Lake Urmia, near the current town of Piranshahr in the West Azerbaijan Province, Medes and Persians who founded the Achaemenid Empire, from the Parthians, the Sassanids to the current Islamic Republic of Iran.

Antique Persian Rug

In the past, the inhabitants of tribes used the Persian carpet to protect themselves from harsh weather conditions such as cold and rain. Today, the purpose of the Persian rug has evolved into a timeless work of art that everyone should have. Over the past centuries, the level of skill and quality of each rug has been improved, new patterns and colors were added at different times in history.

Over the years, Persian rugs became increasingly attractive to Kings and Nobles who considered them a mark of wealth, importance and a family heirloom. Nowadays, in mansions and museums around the world, having a Persian rug is one of the most valuable works of art a person can own. Weavers have used the same age-old techniques of hand weaving over the centuries to ensure the rugs stand the test of time.

The art of making Persian rugs dates back to over 2,500 years ago in what is now known as Iran. The making of these rugs was a well-kept secret that was passed down from father to son, with each generation building on these skills to improve them.

The progression of Persian rug design and art is closely linked to the history of Iran. The rule of the Arab Caliphate (1038-1194 AD), Seljuk, was of great importance for the history of Persian carpets. Seljuk women introduced Turkish knots to add to the Persian rug. The Persian Hamedan rug is still hand-knotted today.

During the Safavid dynasty, Persia reached the pinnacle of its artistic history. Abbas I of Persia encouraged trade to Europe and also transformed the Persian capital of Isfahan into one of the most impressive and beautiful cities in Persian history. New carpet-making workshops were also built, allowing skilled artisans and designers to create new specimens of rare beauty. Most rugs made in this era were silk, with silver and gold threads adding even more embroidery. You can still see two carpets from this period, from the mosque of Ardabil. Many experts believe that these two rugs represent the absolute achievement in rug making. The larger of these two can be seen in the Albert and Victoria Museum in London.

The golden age of Persian rug design ended with the Afghan invasion of 1722. The great city of Isfahan was destroyed. During Afghan rule over Persia, nomads and artisans in the countryside and small villages continued their ancient and traditional activity of carpet weaving.

The practice of hand weaving Persian rugs continues today with Hamedan rugs, Baloch rugs and Suzani rugs, among the finest examples of hand woven Persian rugs. Persian rugs are still today considered a priceless work of art that should be treasured and passed down from generation to generation. The Persian rug contains the rich history and artistry of Persia in one single piece.

The art of Minakari in Iran

Minakari is a traditional Iranian painted enamel. The tradition of making metal objects covered with painted enamel developed in Iran several thousand years ago. The complex ornaments used in Minakari were formed because of the mutual influence of various, including pre-Islamic, artistic traditions of the peoples of the Iranian Highlands. Currently, the centre of the traditional production of enamel products is the city of Isfahan, and Minakari is rightfully considered one of the hallmarks of Iran, along with Khatam and Persian carpets.

Ancient enamelware with Minakari, preserved to this day in museums of different countries, testifies that Iranian master artists used this technique in their work with metal since the time of the Achaemenid dynasties (558-330 BC) and Sassanids (224-651 AD). However, most of the enamelled pottery that has survived to this day dates back to the reign of the Qajar dynasty (1785-1925). At that time, blue-green enamel was also used to decorate earrings, bracelets, caskets, vases and dishes.

Comparing Byzantine and Iranian enamels, experts concluded that this craft originated in Iran and only then spread to other countries. For example, six gold rings with enamel dating back to the 13th century BC were found in Cyprus. During excavations in the Iranian province of Hamadan, enamelled gold earrings were found, made in the 7th-8th centuries AD. An ancient gold bracelet with enamel from the Achaemenid period is kept in the British Museum.

During the reign of the Hulaguids, the art of metalworking, and then the Minakari, underwent significant changes. During the Timurid period, iron decoration acquired the most pronounced oriental features. Under the Safavid dynasty, minakari was performed on silver, and the most popular subjects were scenes of feasting, hunting and riding. They also began to depict arabesques and use red everywhere.

After the end of the Qajar era, with the beginning of social revolutions in Iran, the art of Minakari fell into decline. Gold has traditionally been used for Minakari jewelry, as it holds the enamel better and makes it even more lustrous. Silver began to be used later, mainly for such items as caskets, bowls, spoons, etc. Copper, the main metal for most folk crafts, began to be used with the widespread use of Minakari and its reduction in price.

The centre of Minakari production, like many other crafts in Iran, is Isfahan. These products are in great demand due to their artistic value and relatively low cost. At the same time, there are a small number of artisans who create unique products worth up to thousands of dollars.

The art of Khatam in Iran

The Khatam kari is a work of fine and meticulous marquetry, the oldest examples of which date back to the Safavid period: the Khatam was then so appreciated by the court that certain princes learned the technique in the same way as music, painting or calligraphy. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Khatam experienced a decline, before being brought back into fashion during the reign of Reza Shah, during which craft schools were created in Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz. “Khatam” means “incrustation”. The "Khatam-kari" is therefore the "work of inlays". This technique consists of making patterns, most often star shapes, by inlaying fine wooden sticks (ebony, teak, jujube, orange tree, rose tree), brass (for the golden parts), and camel bone (white parts ). Ivory, gold and silver can also be used for collectibles.

Designing embedded articles is a very elaborate process. There are sometimes more than 400 pieces per square inch in an average quality piece of work. In each cubic centimetre of inlaid work, approximately 250 pieces of metal, bone, ivory and different types of wood can be found which are placed side by side, glued in stages, smoothed, oiled and polished. Inlaid items in the Safavid era took on a special meaning as artists created their precious works of art. Woods used include betel, walnut, cypress, and pine. These works include doors and windows, mirror frames, Quran boxes, inlaid boxes, quills and pencil holders, lanterns, and altars.

The ornamentation of the doors of the holy places consists predominantly of inlaid motifs. Samples of these can be seen in the cities of Mashhad, Qom, Shiraz and Ray. In the Safavid era, the art of marquetry flourished in the cities of southern Iran, especially in Isfahan, Shiraz and Kerman, at this time it was so appreciated in the court that some princes learned the technique, just as they did with music. , painting or calligraphy. The ornately inlaid rooms in the Saadabad Palace and Tehran's Marble Palace are among the masterpieces of this art.

Resulting from techniques imported from China and magnified by Persian expertise, this craft has existed for more than 700 years and is still particularly lively in Isfahan and Shiraz.

Territory & Nature

Iran is a vast country with 85% of its territorial area consists of arid and semi-arid regions with pastures, high and low density forests and deserts. In Iran, hundreds of living territories are founded from various ethnic groups with significant cultural, linguistic, traditional diversity and customary nature preservation systems. These peoples include the Arabs, Baluchis, Gilakis, Kurds, Lurs, Persians, Turks and Turkmens.

Three main marine environments bound Iran: the Caspian Sea to the north, the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea to the south. On both coasts, traditional methods of fishing have been practiced for thousands of years, with fishing governed by traditional rights and regulations.

Iran is mostly made up of deserts. For this reason, the inhabitants have learned to adapt to the lack of water throughout history. One of the indigenous techniques for collecting and managing water resources is based on the Qanat, a complex system of tunnels that extracts groundwater from mountain basins.

There are at least three types of forests in Iran: the Hyrcanian or Caspian forests (along the southern coastline of the Caspian Sea) in the north, the oak forests of the Zagros Mountains, and the mangrove forests along the southern coasts. The local communities living in the forests have always had knowledge in the management of the forest and its resources.

Wetlands have always attracted people because they provide enough water for agriculture, fishing, tourism and other services. Many of the living territories in Iran are in and around these wetlands and their resources.

The two mountain ranges of Iran, Zagros and Alborz, have a cold and dry climate that creates unique territories of extraordinary beauty, especially in western and northwestern Iran. Geographical isolation and limited natural resources, including the lack of arable land, have led to the development of intelligent management of land and water resources, based on a specific form of social organization. By using local materials, the Indigenous Peoples of the region have learned to make the best use of the scarce resources available, constructing embankments for gardens and enriching them with good soil for agriculture from other parts of the territory, such as the banks of rivers.