TEHRAN – The traditional art of Lardeh-Duzi, which dates back some 500 years ago, is still practiced by the female villagers across the north-central Semnan province, a local tourism official has said.
It is important to note that this art and profession have been passed from mother to daughter, generation after generation, and rural mothers still teach this art free to preserve it, ISNA quoted Hani Rastegaran as saying on Saturday.
As part of its protection, various training courses and several classes are held to promote the art that has been registered on Iran’s national list of intangible cultural heritage, the official added.
A significant contribution to the livelihood of a family is made by the female villagers, by working on the art of Lardeh-Duzi and by selling their handmade products, he noted.
It is an art that is highly revered by the women in the villages of the province, who consider it the cultural heritage of their ancestors, and they pay special attention to it today, he mentioned.
Lardeh-Duzi is a delicate traditional art and a combination of several handicrafts, including needlework, embroidery, Sermeh-Duzi, Siah-Duzi, and appliqué.
In this field of handicrafts, first, the design is drawn on the silk fabric and according to the desired design, different arts are being used. To attach different pieces, copper sequins are used.
The main population centers of Semnan province lie along the ancient Silk Road (and modern-day Imam Reza Expressway), linking Rey (Tehran) with Khorasan (Mashhad). While few visitors spend much time in the area, driving through you can easily seek out several well-preserved caravanserais (notably Dehnamak and Ahowan), cisterns (the Cafe Abenbar in Garmsar is a special treat), and ruined mud citadels (Padeh is lumpy but fascinating). The large, bustling cities of Semnan, Damghan, and Shahrud (Bastam) all have a small selection of historic buildings and Semnan has a fine old covered bazaar.