TEHRAN —Maryam Jalali Dehkordi, the deputy minister for handicrafts, has publicized plans to establish a special handicraft museum dedicated to Muharram mourning rituals.

The Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts plans to launch a museum of handicrafts whose objects mirror the views, intelligence, and tastes of Muharram, Jalali Dehkordi said.

She made the remarks on Saturday during her visit to an exhibition titled “Ashurai Handicrafts”, which is currently underway in Honar Garden of the Abbasabad neighborhood, northern Tehran.

“Here we see how our culture gives so much meaning to [the raw material such as] wood and metal,” she said.

“Our intangible cultural heritage inspires artists to reflect their thoughts, intelligence, and tastes to create handcrafted objects which act as narrators,” she explained.

Ashurai Handicrafts depict Muharram signs and symbols in the forms of marquetry, etching on copper objects, wood burning, woodcarving and sculpture, among other techniques.

Based on available data, the value of Iran’s handicraft exports stood at $400 million during the first ten months of the past Iranian calendar year 1401 (Mar. 21, 2022 – Jan. 20, 2023). Compared with the same period a year earlier, the figure represents some 30 percent growth, Jalali Dehkordi said.

Iranian handicrafts have a high capacity for export, which can be realized through the creation of special holding companies, she said. Iran exported some $320 million worth of handicrafts during the year 1400, the official added.

According to the tourism ministry, Iran has the most cities and towns registered with the World Crafts Council (WCC), followed by China with seven, Chile with four, and India with three designated ones.

Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the United States, and the coastal states of the Persian Gulf are among the countries that traditionally import ceramics, porcelain, hand-woven clothing, personal jewelry, and semi-precious stones from Iran.

AFM