IRAN ART EXHIBITION: ZANJAN STEEL KNIVES AS A HANDICRAFT
Along with other historical and natural attractions of Zanjan province, handicrafts in this province manifest the skill and idea of artists and craftsmen who have displayed the cultural identity of this land and territory in their crafts.
The knives of Zanjan is well known because of its cutting power, sharpness, high quality, durability, plating style and the fine pattern on its handle and lining. The oldest founded knife in Iran dates back to thousand years ago. Because of the geographic situation of Iran, there have been a lot of wars as the old Persian poems and stories are about legendary Persian worrier. The army and worriers should always be ready, they need weapon and equipment to protect the country. Zanjan city was the weaponry capital in Achaemenid area. undefined The best knives and sword had been made in Zanjan and it was the stylish artist who added the beauty to this rough thing. Today making knives is a traditional art and artists make decorative and useful knives like jackknife, latched knife, hunting knife, dessert knife, dagger, sword and kitchen knife. The blade of knives is made of hard steel like Iron or brass. The handle is made of three different part and added to the blade with a special technique, that gives it a monolithic look.
IRAN ART EXHIBITION: The handle is made of wood and decorative one has bone-hand or shell- hand and beautiful designs on it and also on its blade. The cover and scabbard are made by leather and are designed by Persian poems or natural scene or by steel and special carved patterns. The simple knives themselves are subdivided into: 1. Knives with handle from goat or cow horn that have a single blade that is attached to the handle by two nails, and have no spring 2. undefined Switchblades that have many kinds 3. undefined Knives for cutting fruit, which have a single blade, a handle and a spring, and are produced in many sizes. undefined There are also small pocket knives and “Ghalamtarash”, a special kind of knife that is used to cut calligraphy pens.
