Rashti-Duzi

Rashti-Duzi and the City of Rasht

Rasht is the capital and largest city of the Gilan province, located in northern Iran south of the Caspian Sea. The city features a subtropical wet climate and is surrounded by lush forests. During the 17th-century Safavid period, Rasht was merely a village. It evolved into a small town by the end of the Safavid and Zand periods when trade with Europe began across the Caspian Sea.

With the expansion of European trade during the Qajar period, Rasht became known as the "Gate to Europe." The city's population grew rapidly due to this increasing commerce and the settlement of refugees following the Russo-Persian War. During this era, Rasht transformed into a diverse urban center populated by Gilaks, Turks, Armenians, and a small Jewish minority, establishing itself as a hub of trade and intellectual life. Additionally, Rasht served as the center of the silk trade, offering easy access to flannel fabric. The presence of skilled professionals capable of dyeing silk ultimately made the creation and production of Rashti-Duzi possible.

The Evolution of Rashti-Duzi

Rashti-Duzi began in the first quarter of the 19th century as a patchwork embroidery textile, but over time it transitioned into a simple chain-stitch embroidery. Because of this evolution, its definition changed over the years. Originally, it was an embroidered textile featuring a flannel fabric foundation. Miniature, multicolored pieces of the same fabric — cut into various shapes and colors — were fitted into this foundation and secured with multicolored silk thread chain-stitching (patchwork). By the early 20th century, Rashti-Duzi had evolved into a simpler chain-stitch embroidery on a flannel fabric base, where multicolored silk threads filled the pre-drawn design areas.

Learn more about Rashti-Duzi