TEHRAN -  A permeant sales exhibition of indigenous handicrafts has opened to the public in Rayen, which is home to a Sassanid-era fort of the same name.

The exbibit embraces six stalls dedicated to personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious stones, traditional knives and textile, metalwork, leatherwork amongst some other crafts.

Experts say the history of life in Rayen goes back to the times of the Sasanian dynasty (226-651) and even deeper.

Rayen is famed for its handmade knives and blades which are both practical and decorative…. And it is home to 45 workshops in which some 120 craftspeople practice the art, a local official said.

A top tourist destination, the adobe fortress is still standing tall after tolerating several earthquakes and other natural disasters, which have been flattened similar nearby structures.

Covering an area of about 20,000 square meters, the castle was inhabited until 150 years ago and some experts believe it is at least 1,000 years old.

Narratives say, marble mines, which are scattered near the city, have a worldwide reputation. Such marbles have been used to decorate the holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS) and to build the Taj Mahal.

Agriculturally speaking, Rayen is a rich area in producing various fruits such as pistachios, walnuts, pomegranates, grapes, pears, strawberries, cherries, peaches, and apricots.

Paleontologists believe that Rayen is the undetected treasure that can divulge untold secrets of the past. Rayen requires and deserves more exploration and examination.

Rayen is situated inside the big and sprawling Kerman province, which has long been a cultural melting pot since antiquity, blending Persians with subcontinental tribe dwellers.

AFM