Ghalam Zani- The Beauty of Hammer and Nail Metal Engraving

One of the most exquisite Iranian handicrafts and works of Persian art is Ghalam Zani. The craft of Ghalamzani involves hammering and chiseling (Ghalam) intricate, beautiful Persian motifs into a variety of metals, including silver, brass, copper and gold.

The best-documented Iranian artistic form from the Islamic era is considered to be Persian metal engraving. As early as the Safavid (1600 A.D.), Sassanid (700 A.D.) and Seljuk (100 A.D.) kingdoms, historical findings of this Iranian heritage handcraft have been made. This Iranian handicraft has been revived over the past 80 years by Masters Mohammad Taghi Zoufan and Mohammad Oraizi.

Today, you can discover a variety of items and utensils that have been skillfully etched in Iran handicraft shops, notably in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, such as candy boxes, plates, candlesticks, trays, etc.