Souvenir of Kerman

Kerman Carpet

Kerman carpet is a garden of colorful flowers whose fragrance is comforting for those who love arts. Kerman carpet is more than 400 years old and there is an old picture of Kerman carpet belonging to the time of the Safavid. A precious Kerman carpet is covering the floor of the US Senate. It was woven 100 years ago by one of the city’s artists called Abolqasem Karbasi and is about 400 square meters in area. It was shipped to the United States despite many difficulties.

Another famous Kerman carpet is the one which has been taken from Kerman to the United States by an Armenian called “Toum Kolijan” and which is spread under the big Freedom Bell.  

Major figures like Mohammad Arjmand Kermani, who is known as carpet king of the world, brought about major changes into the industry and his carpets can be still seen at many palaces. A major feature of Kerman carpets is that rhythmic quality of its patterns which are soothing to viewers.

Pateh

Pateh is one of the traditional arts, which is specific to Kerman. Kermani women use colorful threads on a wide piece of cloth to make this scarf, which is then decorated with very beautiful designs, and exhilarate any person loving arts.

Tree, aigrette, pine, peacock, cypress, and armband are major patterns which are used to weave patehs. It is woven in various types and sizes, including a size suitable to be used by brides to put their things in it. Some of them are big enough to be spread at bathrooms, to be prayed on, and in quadrilateral shapes. Weaving scarves, for example, was once prosperous in Iran and they were worn by rulers and the rich and were also exported to neighboring countries. Kerman scarves and shawls were so famous that they were compared with Kashmir shawls in terms of quality.

The people of Kerman also make knives and guns. These industries are mostly found in Rayen. The knife of Rayen is quite famous in the country and there is a legend about a knife, which cut through an iron lock and the ruler ordered the hand of its manufacturer to be cut. Rayen knives are very delicate and efficient. The art, however, is almost obsolete and only few people still pursue that profession.

Making various kinds of fans, covers for water jars, and mats made of palm fronds, carving on copper plates, are other handicrafts of Kerman province and artifacts produced by Kermani’s craftsman can be taken as souvenirs.