Why is This Village so Important in Iran?

Oshtormel, a village in Tuyserkan county, west-central province of Hamedan, is planned to be named as the national city of Golriz (literally meaning small flowers) woodcarving, provincial tourism chief has said.

Golriz woodcarving, which is known for its patterns’ delicacy, is the main profession of the inhabitants of the village, CHTN quoted Hashem Mazaheri as saying on Monday.

Currently, some 730 woodcarvers are practicing this field of handicrafts in over 520 workshops in the village, the official added.

Various Iranian cities and villages have been named as national hubs of handicrafts.

Malayer, another city located in Hamedan province, has long been a hub for woodcarving and carved-wood furniture as well.

Back in January, Malayer was named a global hub for woodcarving and carved-wood furniture by the World Crafts Council – Asia Pacific Region (WCC-APR).

The ancient city is home to over 4,000 furniture workshops in which more than 8,000 wood masters and some 25,000 crafters are engaged.

Currently, more than 60 percent of the furniture and woodcarving products in Iran are reportedly produced in Malayer and they are sent to various Iranian cities or being exported to Central Asian countries, Persian Gulf littoral states, Turkey, and Iraq amongst some others.

Known in classical times as Ecbatana, Hamedan was one of the ancient world’s greatest cities. Pitifully little remains from antiquity, but significant parts of the city center are given over to excavations, and there’s a scattering of historical curiosities.

Ecbatana was the capital of Media and was subsequently the summer residence of the Achaemenian kings and one of the residences of the Parthian kings. According to ancient Greek writers, the city was founded in about 678 BC by the semi-legendary Deioces, who was the first king of the Medes. The Greek historian Herodotus described the city in the 5th century BC as being surrounded by seven concentric walls.