TEHRAN –  The art of weaving kilims, which had been fallen into oblivion, is planned to be revived in the village of Shabjareh in the southern province of Kerman, the deputy provincial tourism chief has announced.

A budget of two billion rials ($47,600 at the official exchange rate of 42,000 rials per dollar) is required to bring this art back into production, Kazem Hosseinzadeh said on Saturday.

Bringing this art back to life will create jobs for ten people in this village, the official added.

The big and sprawling Kerman province has been a cultural melting pot since antiquity, blending Persians with subcontinental tribe dwellers. It is home to myriad historical sites and scenic landscapes such as Bazaar-e Sartasari, Jabalieh Dome, Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, Malek Jameh Mosque, and Shahdad Desert to name a few.

Wide-ranging handicrafts 

With 14 entries, Iran ranks first globally for the number of cities and villages registered by the World Crafts Council, as China with seven entries, Chile with four, and India with three ones come next.

The Islamic Republic exported $427 million worth of handicrafts during the first eleven months of the calendar year 1398. Of the figure, some $190 million was earned via suitcase trade (allowed for customs-free and tax-free transfer) through 20 provinces, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts.

Ceramics, pottery vessels, handwoven cloths as well as personal ornamentations with precious and semi-precious gemstones are traditionally exported to Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, the U.S., the UK, and other countries.

ABU/AFM