TEHRAN –An exhibition of woodcarving works opened to the public in a museum in Shiraz, southern Fars province, on Monday. 

There are some 40 artworks, dating from the Safavid era (1501-1736) to the present day, on display at the exhibit, CHTN reported on Wednesday. 

Known as an artistic technique, woodcarving, Monabbat Kari in Persian, is a branch of the wood industry. The Persian Handicraft dates back to a time when humans became acquainted with sharp tools and began cutting wood. There is a long history behind it in Iran and it is a reminder of the past.

According to some, Iranian wood carving dates back to the first time Iranians got to know wood, making the history of wood inseparable from the history of Monabbat Kari.

At present, this art is widespread throughout Iran, especially in cities like Golpayegan, Isfahan, Shiraz, Abadeh, and Malayer.

Iran’s Malayer may be top on the list for those who are interested to visit a woodcarving hub. The west-central Iranian town is named a global hub for woodcarving and carved-wood furniture by the World Crafts Council - Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR).

Located in Hamedan province, the ancient city is home to over 4,000 furniture workshops in which more than 8,000 woodmasters and some 25,000 crafters are engaged.

Although the art had been practiced in Malayer for a long time ago, it is about a half-century that it has gained prosperity in the region.

Currently, more than 60 percent of the furniture and woodcarving products in Iran are reportedly produced in Malayer and they are sent to various Iranian cities or exported to Central Asian countries, Persian Gulf littoral states, Turkey, and Iraq amongst some others.

ABU/AM