Setting
Shahreza (historically Qomsheh) lies on the road south from Isfahan towards Shiraz, on the edge of the plateau farmland.
Why this place matters for craft
The town is named in surveys of Iranian ceramics as a production centre for glazed pottery and tile, with kilns serving both building work and domestic ware. Output is largely utilitarian.
Quarters, bazaars and workshops
| Area | What is there |
|---|---|
| Kiln yards | Workshops on the town edge; retail in the centre. |
What to look for on an object
- Glazed tile — Painted tiles show brush overlaps within a single square; mosaic work is cut from separate glazed pieces.
These notes are for learning to look, not for authentication. No description here certifies an object, its age or its origin.
Practical notes
- Usually combined with Isfahan; plan a short stop.
- Workshop addresses, bazaar hours and market days change; confirm locally before travelling.
Season: Spring and autumn.
Used in these crafts
A regional pottery tradition centred on the town of Lalejin near Hamadan, producing thrown and press-moulded glazed and unglazed earthenware, from utilitarian storage vessels to decorative tableware, in a large number of household workshops.
Square polychrome tiles painted with several overglaze colours and fired together, allowing large architectural schemes to be produced faster than cut tile mosaic.
Earthenware decorated with coloured slips under a clear or tinted glaze, including early Islamic Nishapur-type wares and later village production such as Lalejin.
Stonepaste wares painted in cobalt blue under a clear glaze, produced in Iran with strong dialogue with Chinese porcelain, especially in the Timurid and Safavid periods.