This document provides information about metal engraving artwork in Iran. It discusses the history of metalwork in Iran from dynasties like the Sassanid and Safavid. Simple motifs in early Iranian metalwork incorporated floral arrangements and calligraphy. More complex designs combined figurative elements with natural motifs. The document also examines different levels of motif complexity from simple to moderate to complex. It outlines traditional engraving techniques like repousse and describes the tools and materials used in the metal engraving process.

1. PROJECT 1
METAL ENGRAVING
ARTWORK IN
NURUL AQILA
DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED ART & DESIGN
KULLIYYAH OF ARCHITECTURE &
ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN
AAD 2200: CONSERVATION
SEMESTER 2, 2015/2016
AHAMAD KAMAL
LECTURER : ASST. PROF. DR. SHAMZANI
AFFENDY MOHD DIN

2. 1.0 INTRODUCTION
CONTENTS
1.1 METAL ENGRAVING
2.0 CASE STUDY: IRAN
2.1 HISTORY
2.2 CULTURE OF IRAN
3.0 MOTIF CHARACTERIZATION
3.1 SIMPLE MOTIF
3.2 MODERATE MOTIF
3.3 COMPLEX MOTIF
4.0 MATERIALS
5.0 METHODS
6.0 TECHNIQUES
7.0 APPLICATION
8.0 CONSERVATION
9.0 CONCLUSION
10.0 REFERENCES
1
2
4
3
5
19-22
2.2 METALWORK
6-9
14-17
10-13
18
30
27-28
23-26
29
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The use of metal objects in Islamic society
cooking was carried out in metal basins and pans; the houses
would have metal fittings on doors and windows; the hands
of guests were washed in metal ewers; the literate would
have metal pen cases and inkwells.
had important and widespread use:
The impressions that gained from the collections
of Islamic metalwork are that most items are
made of brass or bronze,
decorated with copper, silver, and gold, and that gold and
silver vessels as such are very few.
1
2
1
Figure 1. Ewer with a Feline-Shaped
Handle, Iran, 500–1000 A.D
Source: Metmuseum, 2009

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The Iran also known as
Persia or Republic of Iran
is a country in Western
Asia.
It is bordered to the northwest by
Armenia, the de facto Nagorno-
Karabakh, and Azerbaijan.
1 2
2
Comprising a land area of
1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi), it is
the second-largest country in the
Middle East and the 18th-largest in
the world. With 78.4 million
inhabitants, Iran is the world's 17th-
most-populous country.
Figure 3. Location of Iran on map.
Source: Iran Traveling Center, 2007
Figure 2. Flag of Iran
Source: Iran Traveling Center, 2007

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The culture of Iran is one of the oldest in the
Middle East.
Iran's culture has manifested itself in several
facets throughout the history of Iran as well as the
Caucasus, Central Asia, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia.
1
2
Iranian works of art show a great variety in
style, in different regions and periods. The main
connections between these works are
iconographic motifs.
Combination is another major element in the art of Iran,
specifically the depictions of composite human and animal
figures, which also refer to the mythology of Iran.
3
Iranian art encompasses many
disciplines, including architecture,
painting, weaving, pottery,
calligraphy, metalworking, and
stonemasonry.
Figure 4.
Safavid-era
painting.
Source: Iran
Culture, 2011
Figure 5.
Antique
Persian
Mashad Rug
Source: Iran
Culture, 2011
3

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Iran Engraving is defined as the art of carving
delicate designs on metal and this art has
always been done in the Iranian method and its
designs have also been traditional ones.
1
Isfahan is the main center for engraving.3
Timeline
• Sassanid (700AD)
• The Seljuk – (100 AD)
• The Safavid (1600 AD)
• Late Ostad Mohammad
Oraizi and the Late Ostad
Mohammad Taghi Zufan
during the past eighty years.
(1936-Present)
The historical discoveries belonging to the ancient
times as the Sassanid, the Seljuk and the Safavid
dynasties indicate a few of the outstanding
metal work periods.
4
Iran engraving is done on different metals such
as copper, brass, silver, gold and also some
alloys.
2

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In ancient times the surviving monuments of Persian art are notable for a
tradition concentrating on the human figure (mostly male, and
often royal) and animals.
Persian art continued to place larger emphasis on figures than Islamic art from other areas,
though for religious reasons now generally avoiding large examples, especially in metal
work.
The motifs that can be found in persian art include floral patterns,
geometrics, arabesques, mythical creatures, rosettes, paisley
patterns, palmettes, medallions, border and marginal decorations,
scrolls, curves, and hunting scenes.
These motifs exemplify the Iranian artist's traditional devotion to symmetry, harmonious
pattern, and purity of line and form.
1
2

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Simple motif in Iran can be seen
where the motifs are designed
with floral arrangement along
with Islamic calligraphy.
The floral motif was usually
designed with repetition
arrangement while the
calligraphy usually placed at
the specific place on the
product.
1
2
Figure 6. Engraved Brass
Platter, 1940, Iran
Source: Mevlevi, 2015
Figure 7. Persian Ornate
Copper Tray Plaque
Source: Mevlevi, 2015
Figure 8. Copper Bowl,
Safavid, 17th Century, Iran
Source: AncientPoint, 2009

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Ornate Hand
Hammered Engraved
Brass Tray:
This tray is hand embossed
with a profusion of
wonderful Middle Eastern
motifs, with a large central
field of floral motifs, along
with ornate Arabic
calligraphy in the borders.
Engraved "Love From East".
Figure 9. Engraved "Love
from East" can be seen in the
borders.
Source: Mevlevi, 2015
Figure 10. Large Central Field of Floral Motifs.
Source: Mevlevi, 2015

10. Figure 12. Center of the wall plate decorated
with Islamic calligraphy.
Source: Mevlevi, 2015
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Persian Ornate Copper Tray Plaque:
The motif on the tray are focusing on calligraphy
that placed at the center of the tray which its size
is bigger than any other motif as its act as a main
attraction.
Figure 11.
Fine Copper
Persian
Islamic Dish,
1800, Iran
Source:
Mevlevi,
2015

11. Figure 13. The Arabic calligphy is ornate at the upper part of
the bowl.
Source: AncientPoint, 2009
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Antique Persian Safavid Bowl:
This bowl is made from copper and designed with floral motif and Islamic calligraphy. The body
of bowl is beautifully detailed with a floral motif called herati, which is a flower centred within a
diamond surrounded by curved leaves parallel to each side of the diamond and arranged in
repetition order. In the upper part of the bowl is ornate with arabic calligraphy
Figure 8.
Copper Bowl,
Safavid, 17th
Century, Iran
Source:
AncientPoint,
2009

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Figure 14. Iran Tray Brass,
1850-1899, Iran
Source: Ancientpoint, 2012
Figure 15. Islamic Silver Tray
Brass, 1900-1940, Iran
Source: Ancientpoint, 2012
Figure 16. Iranian Metal Box
Source: karaffensammler, 2015
Moderate motif design is where
the product was heavily
decorated. The motifs used are
the motif that used a lot by Persian
such as rosette and herati.
The Arabic calligraphy is ornate
more on the art along with
other floral motif to make the
design more beautiful and can be
representing as an Islamic artwork.
1
2

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Huge Islamic Tray
Brass Persian:
Arabic calligraphy is
decorated in the middle of
the tray in a circle
arrangement and small
calligraphy is ornamented
around the border of the
tray. At the center of the
tray are engraved with
rosette motif.
Figure 17. Small calligraphy
on the border of the
tray, Iran.
Source: Ancientpoint, 2012
Figure 18. Islamic calligraphy at the center of the
tray as the main design
Source: Ancientpoint, 2012

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Islamic Silver Tray
Brass Copper:
Islamic calligraphy
decorated in the middle of
the tray in the form of
flowers accompanies by
Herati motif arrangement
surround it. There is also a
small geometry pattern
which is eight pointed star
engraved around the
border of the tray.
Figure 19. Flower shaped
design in the center with
Islamic calligraphy inside it.
Source: Ancientpoint, 2012
Figure 20. Islamic calligraphy at
the border of the tray.
Source: Ancientpoint, 2012

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Persian Metal Box:
Arabic calligraphy was
ornamented at the top of
the box accompanied by
simple leaves motif. At the
front of the box, Arabic
calligraphy also engraved
in a circle pattern along
with leaves motif that
usually found in other
Persian art.
Figure 21. Front view of the box.
Source: karaffensammler, 2015
Figure 22. Close up view
of the box.
Source: karaffensammler,
2015

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Figure 23. Silver Plated Brass
Dish, Iran
Source: Persian Crafts, 2012
Figure 25. Persian
Brass Lamp
Source: karaffensammler,
2015
Figure 24. Candy Nut Pedestal
Dish Bowl Platter, Iran
Source: Persian Crafts, 2012
Complex motifs in metal artwork
are usually heavily decorated. The
design are usually consists of
figurative elements and natural
elements combined together.
The motif is usually engraving
through by removing some whole
parts of the metal, a netted shape
will be created which is performed
by cutting tools and hammer.
1
2

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Silver Plated Brass
Dish:
Engraved with floral
arrangement that
accompany by figurative
elements which is a human
accompany by a bird as its
main designFigure 26. Also function as
Decorative Dishes.
Source: Engraving Handicrafts, 2014
Figure 27. Figurative elements
engraved on the bowl.
Source: Engraving Handicrafts, 2014

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Candy Nut Pedestal
Dish Bowl Platter:
Figurative element which is a
bird was engraved along
with other natural elements.
At the center of the bowl,
there are gold inlay in a
shape that resembled a
flower motif.
Figure 28. Close view of the dish.
Source: Persian Crafts, 2012
Figure 29. Front view of the dish.
Source: Persian Crafts, 2012

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Persian Brass Qalam
Zani Lamp:
The body of the lamp is
engraved with a heavy
floral element and a
figurative elements which is
a deer and a bird was
engraved at the handle of
the lamp along with herati
motif and Arabic
calligraphy..Figure 30. Close view of the lamp body.
Source: karaffensammler, 2015
Figure 31. Bottom part of the lamp.
Source: karaffensammler, 2015

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Iran metal work is the art of carving superb
designs on various metals such as copper, brass,
silver and gold.
1
2 An assortment of hand engraving tools.
“Engraving was a historically important method of producing images on
paper in artistic printmaking, in mapmaking, and also for commercial
reproductions and illustrations for books and magazines.”
Figure 32. Engraving Tools
Set (Burin)
Source: F.Bill, 2006
In the modern days, people starts to used a
modern hand engraving.
3
Figure 33. Copper Sheet
Source: Yanma, 2014

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Meanwhile, engraving with various plans and methods has been led to
amount of Engraving production whose 6 current methods include:
1
Outstanding Work: In this work, the job is performed on both sides of the
metal making the out stood part on the metal sheet of high appreciation.
2
Half Outstanding or Relief Work:
Half Outstanding or Relief Work: In
this method, the background is
hammered down by an engraving
steel tool and therefore, the plan on
the metal looks outstanding by some
extent.
19
Figure 34.
Ornate Plate
Source: Tareq
Rajab Museum,
2012

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Special Picture: In this
method, only the lines of the
circumference of the design
are engraved making tiny
and multi designed
background without any
outstanding part.
20
Figure. 35 Metal Floral Tray
Source: Tareq Rajab Museum, 2010

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Engraving through metal Removing: In this method, some part of the
metal is removed by steal tools depressing the metal.
In special cases, (if copper has been covered by tin ) the red color shine and gloss of copper
can be observed beside the silver color of tin.
This method is considered to be the oldest Among all the methods of engraving being performed in a
similar course known as carving without hammer.
5
Latticing: By removing some whole
parts of the metal, a netted shape
will be created which is performed
by cutting tools and hammer creating
a job like latticing with hack saw.
21
Figure. 36 Latticing Half Vase
Source: Tareq Rajab Museum, 2012

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6 Gold Blocking: This is an
excellent pattern of
engraving along which
where the circumference
lines of the plan are
carved placing new soft
metals in their groves.
This method is mostly performed
on steel.
22
Figure. 37 Engraved Metal Tray
Source: Ancients Art, 2012

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Repousse or the Chiselwork, known as „Qalamzani‟ in Persian language, is
one of the most meticulous types of the fine arts in which the lasting
decorative works engraved on metal objects made of gold, silver, copper,
brass or other inexpensive alloy(s) elaborately depicts marvelous images of
various plants and animals.
1
Figure. 39
Metalwork with
figurative
element, made
in Isfahan, Iran.
Source:
Artasania, 2012
Figure. 38
Birds and
Natural
elements are
engraved on
the Brass Bowl.
Source: Persian
Crafts, 2012

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To engrave, first the back side of the work is covered by tar so that during
engraving it prevents the work from getting wavy as a result of hammering
and the pressure of the chisel and from causing a lot of noise.
1
Figure. 40 The tar are boiled and placed in a
container.
Source: Qalam Zani Metal Work, 2012
Figure. 41 The plate for engraving are place
on top of the tar.
Source: Qalam Zani Metal Work, 2012

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Then the chosen design is transferred on the work and by a tool called
“Nimbor” the main lines are engraved, afterwards different patterns are being
cut by the use of different sorts of chisels on the surface of the work.
2
Figure. 42 Then the chosen design is transferred
on the work.
Source: Qalam Zani Metal Work, 2012
Figure. 43 The plate were then engraved by using
a chisel following the design.
Source: Qalam Zani Metal Work, 2012

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Engraving with different sorts of tools whose result will be decorating the metal
with geometric and miniature designs which will be created through
engraving, grazing or pressing the metal surface.
The artistic movement of the engraver’s hand and the harmonized blows of the hammer and
engraving tool will be finally led to create a unique job.
3
Figure. 44 The chisel must be pressing the metals
surface correctly.
Source: Qalam Zani Metal Work, 2012
Figure. 45 The movement of the engraver must be
harmonized with the blows of the hammer.
Source: Qalam Zani Metal Work, 2012

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Figure. 46 Iran wine bottle.
Source: Iran Culture, 2011 Figure. 47 Engraved Plate
Source: Iran Culture, 2011
Figure. 48 Decorated Goblet
Source: Iran Culture, 2011

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Figure. 49 Iran Painting, Jatam Source:
Iran‟s Art, 2007
Figure. 51 Engraving Ring
Source: Centuries, 2013
Figure. 50 Iranian Dagger
Source: WindJade, 2009

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Metallic heritage objects are sensitive to environmental conditions such as
temperature, humidity, air pollution and exposure to light and ultraviolet light.
They must be protected in a controlled environment where such variables are
maintained within a range of damage-limiting levels.
1
Despite the fact that metals are generally considered as the relatively
permanent and stable materials, in contact with the environment they
deteriorate gradually, some faster and some much slower.
2
Focused on slowing of deterioration of objects - in case of archaeology
objects the thorough removal or blocking of chloride salts. In case of the
historical objects it is focused on the use of corrosion inhibitors, conversion
coatings, rust converters or eventually oxygen free storage.
3

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• Persian art place larger emphasis on figures than Islamic art from
other areas, though for religious reasons now generally avoiding large
examples, especially in metal work.
• This motifs are usually applied most in the kitchenware as kitchenware is
the most commonly product that using engraving as decoration in Iran.
• Today, Persians are now began to focuses more on Islamic styles such as
Arabic calligraphy and using natural elements such as flowers and leaves.
The most used motifs are Boteh, Herati, and Rosette.

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BOOKS/JOURNAL:
i. Andrew J. Newman (21 April 2006). Safavid Iran: Rebirth of a Persian Empire. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-
1-86064-667-6. Retrieved 1st February 2016.
ii. Canby, Sheila R., 1993, Persian Painting, 1993, British Museum Press, ISBN 9780714114590
iii. Downey, S.B., "Art in Iran, iv., Parthian Art", Encyclopaedia Iranica, 1986, Online text
iv. "Iran – The Ancient Name of Iran", N.S. Gill". Ancienthistory.about.com. 4 September 2010.
Retrieved 4th February 2016.

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WEBSITES:
i. Iran Engraving, (2013) http://www.irantravelingcenter.com/iran-engraving/ Retrieved on 2nd
February 2016
ii. Art of Engraving in Iran,(2015) http://english.tebyan.net/newindex.aspx?pid=98431 Retrieved on
2nd February 2016
iii. Qalamzani: Iranian Art of engraving images on metal , (2010),
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/06/wai.html Retrieved on 3rd February 2016
iv. Iranian Art, (2013) http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/printmaking/engraving.htm Retrieved on 4th
February 2016
v. Islamic Metalwork, https://islamqa.info/en/68805 Retrieved on 4th February 2016