Setting
Lahijan sits among terraced tea plantations on the foothills south-east of Rasht, beside a lake.
Why this place matters for craft
Silk production in Gilan is long recorded, and Lahijan appears in accounts of the sericulture economy; tea, introduced in the early twentieth century, later dominated. Craft output today is small-scale: wood, basketry and textiles.
Quarters, bazaars and workshops
| Area | What is there |
|---|---|
| Town centre and lakeside | Tea retail with some craft stalls; silk items are mostly imported now. |
What to look for on an object
- Silk cloth — Cool handle, uneven natural lustre, and fine irregularities in the yarn; polyester is slippery and perfectly even.
These notes are for learning to look, not for authentication. No description here certifies an object, its age or its origin.
Practical notes
- Combine with Rasht; tea factory visits are the usual draw.
- Workshop addresses, bazaar hours and market days change; confirm locally before travelling.
Season: Late spring to early autumn.
Used in these crafts
A silk weaving technique producing a cut or voided pile on a foundation weave, used in Iran for garments, cushion covers and furnishing panels, with figured Safavid velvets among the most studied survivals.
A figured silk weaving technique in which supplementary wefts, often including gold- or silver-wrapped thread, create pictorial or floral designs on a silk ground.
A northern Iranian needlework tradition associated with Rasht in Gilan, combining wool felt or broadcloth appliqué with chain-stitch embroidery for covers, hangings and saddle cloths.
A relief wood-carving technique in which solid panels, furniture and architectural elements are carved directly with chisels to produce raised or recessed floral, arabesque and geometric ornament, distinct from inlay techniques that build a surface from separate pieces.