Ancient Iranian art of marquetry

Marquetry, or Moaraq in Persian, is one of the most stunning Iranian fine arts.

Marquetry is a form of handicrafts and art in which colorful pieces of wood are cut and arranged next to each other on a wooden or polyester background.

A variety of woods are used to make marquetry, from seventy to eighty species, with a variety of colors, and sometimes camel bone, seashells, copper, brass, silver, gold, and ivory are incorporated to create a very beautiful material.

It was believed that marquetry was practiced in Iran for a long time. Wood pieces were cut and attached to the handle using tree gum to make the comb’s handle.

A wooden comb found in "Shahr-e Sukhteh" or Burnt City in south of Iran proves the craft dates back thousands of years.

Nowadays marquetry is practiced in many cities and provinces of the country. Here is a collection of photos from the artworks.

MG/MG