Souvenir and handy crafts
Souvenir and handy crafts
Kerman Carpet
Since the seventeenth century, Kerman has been a major center for the production of high-quality carpets. The so-called Vase Carpets of the Safavid period are among the greatest masterpieces of Persian weaving. When Persian rug production moved into high gear in the later nineteenth century, Kerman once again emerged as a producer of the finest carpets in the best Persian tradition.
Kerman carpets of this period, particularly the Lavar type, are known for the fineness of their weave and for their elegantly drawn designs of classical derivation, both in allover and central medallion formats. The palettes of Kerman rugs are extremely varied and it ranges from examples which emphasize ivory, blue, and magenta rug tones to those with a more golden, saffron cast.
Kerman is a city and as well as a province in south central Iran. With its 60,000 inhabitants and surrounding villages, it is one of the major rug producing areas of Iran. Unlike other parts of Persia, Kerman existed with relatively no interference from invasions, mostly due to its provincial isolation. As a result, the arts in Kerman flourished. Antique Kerman rugs are easily recognizable with curvilinear graceful floral designs in a brilliant assortment of colors.
The dyes of Kerman are the most varied and imaginative. The dying process is done while the wool is still in the flock, before spinning, allowing for more uniformity of color. The dyers of Kerman are renowned for their skill in producing light shades of color. Kerman is also noted for its distinctive late 16th century to mid-17th century carpets called ‘vase carpets’. This term refers to a design of all-over stylized flowers and oversized palmettes with vases placed at intervals throughout the field. Kermans are woven in all rug sizes and the foundation is often cotton. To the north of Kerman is the village of Ravar where Laver Kerman rugs are made. These rugs are rarer than Kermans and the name is used as a distinction of quality.
Among all Persian rugs, none may be argued to be more elegant and refined as those produced in the city of Kerman. Kerman rugs often feature traditional Persian reds and blues or variations thereof and are nearly always floral and curvilinear in design. The fineness and quality antique rugs of Kerman weaves in combination with their traditional Persian floral designs make them ideal for those wishing to add grace and grandeur to the formal spaces of their home.
Afshar rug
Afshar is a handwoven rug style produced by the Turkic Afshar tribe.Carpets in the Afshar style are known for their striking and stylized floral geometric designs, sophisticated tribal artistry and a characteristic palette of rust and blue color tones.
Kilim and Jajim
Iran’s most valuable handicraft, which has a worldwide reputation, is hand-woven kilim (short-napped coarse carpet). Persian carpets, due to their beautiful design, texture, and fixed color have their own special privileges, which is unique in the world. Nomadic women weave a simple kind of carpet in their leisure time called jajim (coarse). Jajim is softer and lighter than kilim. Every tourist who comes to Iran,and specially Kerman wishes to purchase a small carpet, jajim or kilim. Everybody knows the reputation of Persian carpet,and Kerman carpet as one of the best and invaluable handicrafts of the world. The carpet of every region has its own texture, design and color.
Pateh
Pateh, or pateh-duzi is a style of Iranian embroidery, in particular from Kerman province in the southeast. It may be linked to local carpet weaving, and many of the embroidered designs recall carpet motifs, such as the toranj (bergamia), sarv (cypress) and the buteh (paisley), but also the sun. Characteristically, the borders of a pateh are filled with floral or paisley designs. Sometimes the arch of a mihrab is depicted at the top.
The embroidery is carried out by women who use richly coloured, woollen threads stitched onto a (mostly) woollen and reddish ground material (ariz or shal), generally a twill weave. The threads for the embroidery are dyed with henna, madder, pomegranate, or walnut husks; whether this is till the case is unknown.
Arizeh Bafi
"ariz" is the name of special thick and wool cloth which is used as the cloth for the base of pateh art. This cloth has been used in the past for coat and overcoat. Today Ariz waving is made less than before and even is used less in pateh.
Shawl waving
Embroidered shawl of Kerman is made using a background material known as shal, a word that became 'shawl' in English. The shawl is often woven using a twill weave and the most common colour of the base fabric is red, a variety of other colors are used. The pattern for the shawl is embroidered on the base fabric, the design for which is pounced over the surface of the fabric using carbon (coal dust) dusted over perforated parchment. The carbon dust outline is further defined by a pen. Some embroiderers developed the technique of following the texture of the twill weave with their embroidery producing a patterned shawl that could easily be mistaken for a more expensive woven shawl.
Kolompeh
Kolompeh looks like a pie with a mixture of minced dates with cardamom powder and other flavoring inside. Dates, wheat flour, walnuts and cooking oil are the main ingredients. Pistachios or sesame powder are often used for decorating kolompeh.
Kolompeh traditionally was backed by women manually in Kerman, using local oils, dates from Kerman date palms, Persian walnuts, local cardamom, sesame, and local wheat flour. Industrially produced Kolompeh has now become one of the main Kerman souvenirs.
Komach sehen
Komach-Sehen is a Kermanian date pie that is especially baked for Norouz (Iranian New Year). The pie is sweet, rich, nutty and perfumed with traditional Kermanian Advieh (a blend of different spices). Komach is made with the high protein wheat sprouts flour and filled with dates, and walnuts. You have the option of ordering your Komach with or without nuts.
Hana
Hana is another souvenir in Kerman is used as color or medicine. Narmashir is one of important place for producing Hana.
Ghoutou
This is made of 40 plants including nigella seed, purslane, coffee, hemp, cotton seed… It is brown in color and is very nutritious. Varieties of ghoutou have pistachios and coconut in their make.
Bereshtou
It is some delicious sweet. First flour fried in cooking oil is mixed with sugar or dates before being cut in rhomboid pieces. If dates are added to flour, it is called dates bereshtou.
Caraway
This is a fragrant plant which is used in composition of many drugs. There are various kinds of caraway like 70th, 90th and Kabkou caraway, with the latter enjoying the highest quality. It is black in color and is harvested on the slopes of Hezar Mountain, which is said to be a growing field for 1,000 types of herbs. It is also used in cooking along with rice and in boiled form.
Date
Archeologists believe that raising date tree in Iran has been started from 4 or 5 thousands year Bc. Date is the most important food for people and is rich in nutrient. Existence of variety of date (forty kinds) in Kerman province that most of them differ from the other kind of date in the country is the sign of the antiquity of this tree in Kerman. Date has been considered as holy plant during history and has been very important in creating human civilization
According to “Sarporsi Siks” an English writer there have been about 1000 pale tree in Bam in 1848 Bc. Rotab date must be kept in refrigerator after packing and the ordinary date after exposing to sun light for several days can be kept in ordinary temperature. Among the most important cultivation regions in Kerman province ,we can consider Bam, Jiroft, Kahnouj, Shahdad and Baft.
Date is sweet, delicious fruits from the tropical oasis, brimming with much-needed minerals and energy to help you stay fit and healthy.
Mozafati date from Iran, where it is mainly grown in Kerman province, and often named “Bam date”, after the city of Bam in that province. It is a dark, soft and sweet date of medium size. It is exceptionally well-suited for fresh consumption, because of its long shelf life. At a temperature of −5 degrees Celsius (23 °F) it can be kept for up to 2 years.
