Gereh Chini: Persian handicraft

Gereh Chini, literally meaning arranging the knots, is one of the traditional decorative handicrafts of Iran.

In the art of Gereh Chini, the Gereh or knot, particularly geometric knots, are attached by locking in each other and create delicate designs. 

The beginning of Gereh Chini has not been dated exactly, but the Seljuk era is known to be the first time this craft was used and Isfahan is its birthplace. 

Some of the best remaining examples of Gereh Chini are Chehel Sotoon (literally Forty Columns), Hasht Behesht (literally Eight Heavens), and historic houses like Alam’s House and Sheikh ol-Islam in Isfahan.

There are also House of Tabatabaei in Kashan, Abbasian, Boroujerdi, Golestan Palace, and other such buildings in Yazd and Tehran.

Today, there are Gereh Chini workshops in Tehran where this craft is still practiced.

More Persian handicrafts:

Haft-Rang tiles

Varni-Bafi

Papier-mache and lacquer work

Kapu weaving of Khuzestan

Pan-Bafi

Kiseh-Bafi

Darayi-Bafi

Aba-Bafi

Khorjin-Bafi

Chigh-Bafi

Sermeh-Douzi

Ihrami weaving

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