Weaving and production of silk
One of Iran's hand-made and delicate fabrics consists of multi-colored fabrics with simple, striped, checkered and geometric designs that are produced with natural and mineral colors using textile machines around 30-50 cm and long 100 meters or more.
The silk weaving industry in Iran is also very old and the works discovered by the excavations of the hills of Mārlik and Cherāghali confirm this assertion. Silk fabrics with gold and silver threads are woven at Shushtar, Shirāz, Fasā, Esfahān and among the silk weaving centers of Iran we can mention the areas of Rāmiān, Minudasht and Torkman Sahrā in the Golestān region and the villages of Zāvin, Kalāt Nāderi, Rāz, Jergelān, Māneh and Samalqan in the Khorāsān region.
The types produced by silk are: chadār shab (type of colored cotton or silk fabric with check pattern), various types of handkerchiefs and scarves, ribbons, towels, tablecloths, etc. Today, in many areas of this region, particularly in Rāmiān and Minudasht, and in some areas inhabited by the Torkmens such as the villages of Nazdik Kalāleh, the weaving of cloth and other silk products is widespread.
Bāyander, Pish kamar, Qazān qieh, Shārlaq, Dāli Buqāj, near Jergelān and in most of its villages from Bālqaq to Hesārcheh, production is customary. In addition to the areas mentioned, in villages like Alnag, Shāhkuh (Chahārbāgh) and Sarkelāteh (Kordkuye) this activity takes place in a more limited way.
The production of silk
The silkworm egg is produced by the butterfly that develops silkworms in spring and in the new year, in the month of Ordibehesht, in a warm place the eggs hatch. Every family that has a suitable place to raise them is certainly dedicated to this by creating a place for the silkworm and for the cocoon and this room is cleaned and whitewashed with chalk.
After the release of the worms from their eggs, gradually the leaves of the fresh branches of the mulberry are used to nourish them and to grow them and after a few days the worms change their skin and again start eating mulberry leaves, changing up to four times .
In the last phase of phytofagia, the worms grow enough, make the cocoon around themselves and during this phase the cocoons are grouped, cleaned and taken to the silk factory.
The following phases are dedicated to the work on the cocoons that are placed in boiling water pots and with rotating machines and with the help of the hands are transformed into silk thread that is used for precious fine silk fabrics and carpets.
This industry from China came to Khorāsān and Iran through the Silk Road and later spread to Shāndiz. The surrounding towns brought their cocoons to this factory in order to extract the silk thread from them. Perhaps you know that in the Shāhin Dezj Castle (an ancient castle) of Shāndiz, the industry of those who possess the silkworms and silk production has been going on for a hundred years. The name of one of these villages next to Shāndiz was Nouqandar where many silkworms were produced and its name changed to Naqandar.
The silk thread produced for the carpet weaving and fine silk factories inside Shāndiz itself was used and the products obtained were partly used on site and most of them were exported.
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