Termeh; boteh (the paisley-like pattern characteristic of the fabric)
A luxurious handwoven fabric made from fine wool and, at times, silk, featuring intricate paisley (boteh) and arabesque patterns arranged with precision on traditional looms, a delicate and time-consuming handicraft popular since the commencement of the Safavid period. Termeh production initially began in Kerman before later reaching its peak in Yazd, a desert city on the old Silk Road; in the past, these fabrics were used specifically by the Zoroastrians of Yazd for wedding garments and other traditional attire, embedding the craft within one of Iran's distinct religious minority communities. Iran's paisley designs were introduced to India during the Safavid period and had a significant, documented influence on the design of Kashmiri shawls, representing a genuine instance of Persian textile design shaping a major international textile tradition. From the early nineteenth century, challenges including heavy taxation and shortages of raw materials led to a documented decline in termeh production, though the fabric remained a valuable and prestigious commodity throughout the Qajar era. Once reserved specifically for noble robes, prayer rugs, and elegant curtains, termeh today appears more widely in tablecloths, bags, shawls, scarves, and home décor, transformed into a modern symbol of Iranian identity while still carrying the imprint of generations and the quiet elegance of Persian design; the fabric continues to hold a special place in significant contemporary life events, including weddings and funerals, and pieces are still specifically woven for weddings and formal occasions today. With the introduction of Jacquard looms in the 1970s, traditional hand-weaving production gradually declined and was substantially replaced by machine-made manufacture, with contemporary machine-made termeh production concentrated mainly in Yazd.
Risk level: Endangered · Not independently inscribed
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