TEHRAN - Turkmen-style needlework has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Iran and Turkmenistan jointly gained the honor at the 17th session of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which was held in Morocco on Wednesday.

Needlework (Souzan-douzi in Persian) is a very common occupation among females in some regions of the country. It is the art of drawing images on plain fabrics by sewing delicate stitches using a needle and colorful yarns.

Turkmen-style needlework is a decorative applied art used on the national dress of people of all genders and ages in Turkmenistan and Iran.

In both countries, Turkmen-style needlework begins with the preparation of thin silk threads that are intertwined in three layers and twisted into a single thread, then straightened with a large needle.

According to UNESCO, this unique technology gives the thread a shine. For the most common needlework style, a series of loops are created by piercing the fabric with a thin needle and holding the previous loop with the thumb of the other hand. Other needlework styles vary according to the region.

There is no age limit, and young girls traditionally learn needlework from their mothers and grandmothers. In rural areas, the patterns used reveal the territorial identity of the needlewomen. They are also used to symbolize love, friendship, nature, and strength. The needlework is used on wedding clothes, in clothing for funerals and cultural events, and as decorative parts of ordinary clothing, such as scarves, coats, pants, shawls, and accessories.

AM