TEHRAN – A record-breaking 970 billion rials ($3.4 million) was spent on handicrafts in the west-central Iranian province of Zanjan during the Iranian new year holidays (Noruz), the provincial tourism chief has said. 

It is a record figure for handicraft sales in the province in recent years, which has increased the motivation of artisans and craftsmen in the province, Amir Arjmand said on Saturday, CHTN reported. 

The number of tourists visiting the province during Noruz, compared to the same period two years earlier, has increased by 51 percent, the official added.

Due to this increase in the number of tourists, the demand for handicraft products increased in the province, resulting in almost empty warehouses of the province’s handicraft factories, he explained. 

Handicrafts with the highest sales were hand-made copper dishes, hand-made knives, carpet, kilim, and filigree works, he mentioned. 

Knifemaking is one of the oldest handicrafts practiced for centuries in several Iranian cities, of which the northwestern city of Zanajn is the most famous.

Knives, swords, and daggers were produced and a lot of knife-making workshops were active in these cities. But due to their design, cut, diversity, and durability, Zanjan knives have been the most successful.

Hand-made copper dishes are very popular in the central province of Isfahan and Zanjan. In addition to being useful for human health, these products can also be used as decorative pieces and are considered to be superb works of art. 

Filigree consists of curling, twisting, or plaiting fine, pliable metal threads and soldering them at their points of contact with each other with metal groundwork.

In January 2020, Zanjan was designated as a “world city of filigree” by the World Crafts Council after the WCC assessors visited various craft workshops, stores, exhibits, and bazaars of the city in a two-day itinerary in December 2019.

With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next.

ABU/AFM