Setting
Zanjan lies on the Tehran–Tabriz corridor at about 1,600 m, with a restored covered bazaar running through the old town.
Why this place matters for craft
Zanjan is named in most surveys as the principal centre for malileh, silver filigree built from drawn and twisted wire, and for hand-forged knives. Both trades are reported to be shrinking as industrial substitutes spread.
Quarters, bazaars and workshops
| Area | What is there |
|---|---|
| Covered bazaar | Filigree and knife workshops with benches visible from the lane in places. |
| Metalworkers' row | Forging and grinding; noisy and working rather than retail. |
What to look for on an object
- Malileh filigree — Visible soldered wire scrolls with tiny joins; cast imitations have uniform, rounded wire with no solder points.
- Forged knife — Hand-ground bevels of slightly uneven width and a fitted, pinned handle.
These notes are for learning to look, not for authentication. No description here certifies an object, its age or its origin.
Practical notes
- Filigree is sold by weight plus workmanship; ask how the price divides.
- Knife export rules vary by destination — check before buying to carry home.
- Workshop addresses, bazaar hours and market days change; confirm locally before travelling.
Season: Late spring to autumn.
Used in these crafts
A metalworking technique in which fine drawn wires of silver or gold, often twisted or beaded, are soldered into openwork lattices and coiled floral forms to build jewellery, vessels and decorative panels.
The chiselling and piercing of steel into plaques, standards (alam), locks and fittings, often with inscriptions or arabesque openwork.
Iranian jewellery ranges from gold and gem-set court ornaments to silver tribal adornment, often combining enamel, turquoise, pearls and coloured stones.
A traditional handmade summer shoe with a cotton-thread woven or crocheted upper and a sole historically made of pressed cotton fabric or leather, produced in a number of Iranian towns known for the craft.
A non-woven wool textile made by matting and pressing raw wool fibres with moisture, heat and friction rather than by weaving, traditionally produced across Iran for floor coverings, cloaks and protective mats.