Crafts of Iran

Wall Painting

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This stunning geometric tour-de force of Timurid wallpainting is in Torbat Heydarieh, in NE Iran. The eight-pointed star ‘floating’ on the ceiling is covered with interlaced 5, 6 and 8-pointed stars, and there is a perfect 16-pointed star in the small central dome. [C.P.1]

Stone Carving

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Here is a memorial completed, after two years work, by the stone-carving ustad shown in the other photographs. It is simply gorgeous, but normally languishes under a grubby green baize cloth in a small, dark and locked shrine. However, my ustad friend proudly took me on a trip to let me admire it. [C.S.5]

Stone Carving

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This photograph shows exactly how the ustad grips his chisel (screwdriver blade) and hammer. This requires strong and flexible fingers – I got tired and stiff, when I tried for a few hours. [C.S.4]

Stone Carving

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These are the most important tools of the stonemason restorer: the paper design copied or derived from motifs left on the memorial; adhesive tape and carbon paper to help transfer patterns; various hammers; and screwdriver blades for use as chisels. The design has been traced onto the ‘artificial stone’ on the top of the memorial, …

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Stone Carving

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Here, the ustad (master craftsman) is adding more small pieces of the ‘artificial stone’ to smaller defects in the memorial. Unusually, this ustad is a young man – most are much older, and the limited interest from younger apprentices means that many traditional skills are at risk of being lost. [C.S.2]

Stone Carving

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This damaged stone memorial, in Ardabil, is being restored by one of only seven appropriately skilled stone-carvers in Iran. He first makes ‘artificial stone’ (top and corner), using ground up stone similar to the original, plus various stabilisers. [C.S.1]

Muqarnas

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Here is the whole team responsible for restoring themuqarnas (behind them). The ustad (master craftsman, at left) told me that, unusually, he expected the two younger apprentices to continue working with him – more often now, young men do not stick to low paid and arduous craft jobs. [C.M.4]

Muqarnas

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The ustad (master craftsman) shown here part the way up inside the high dome at Sarakhs, is standing in front of some partially-restored (and fairly basic) muqarnas. [C.M.3]

Muqarnas

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This is the Shaykh Luqman Mausoleum in Sarakhs, on the Turkmenistan-Iran border. It was built in 1356, and is now being restored. Getting access to themuqarnas (stalactite vaulting) right up in the top of the dome involved squeezing up between the double shelled walls of the lower part of the building; then an exposed and hair-raising …

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