Clay Eggs

Minakari on clay is another Iranian artifact. The city of Lalejin in Hamedan is home to this original art. The Minakari designs on the clay objects are derived from traditional Iranian motifs and come in various beautiful colors. This art is also a combination of the three natural elements: water, fire, and earth. The process of this particular type of Minakari is quite long and has four stages. These stages include: making pottery, preparing the pattern, ghalamzani (engraving), and glazing.

A unique example of this art that is now preserved in the Museum of Los Angeles is a clay bowl designed and made in the Achaemenid period. This art reached its peak during the Seljuk dynasty. Interestingly, at that time, the names of the designer and artisan were engraved on the work in cuneiform script. You can see beautiful samples of Minakari artworks in the Louvre Museum in Paris, too.

These clay eggs, made with the art of Hamedan artists, are great for decorating the Haftsin table, as well as for combining Easter with Iranian art.