Iranian artisans pursue centuries-old craft

Domed ceilings are made by local craftspeople using dried branches in the village of Mayan, northeast Iran.

Locally called ‘Arghavan-Bafi’, the craft of making traditional alcoves has been passed down from generation to generation for about 600 years in the tiny village situated near Mashhad, the capital of Khorasan Razavi province.

With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council.

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