Did you know that a type of willow tree is used for bead weaving (Marvar Bafi)? Stay with Saed News to learn more about this traditional craft.
The marvar weaving industry does not have a long history but has become popular in recent years in some parts of Gilan province. This craft is made using thin rods called "Marvar." Its cultivation is also common around Tehran, especially in the Solqan area. In this art, products such as baskets, fruit bowls, chairs, tables, lampshade caps, lamp stands, bread baskets, and more are produced, which resemble bamboo products in shape and appearance. Besides marvar rods, other materials like plywood, various nails, varnish oil, and wire strands are used in marvar weaving. The tools for marvar production include saws, files, hammers, pliers, wire cutters, and garden shears.
Marvar
Marvar is a type of willow tree, sometimes simply called "red willow." It is used to make various multipurpose and single-purpose baskets. Artists in this field create beautiful, traditional, and classic products using marvar rods. According to some experts, marvar weaving is a subset of mat weaving and is common in different regions of Iran including Gilan, Mazandaran, Khuzestan, Hamedan, Qom, and more. Marvar weaving requires a skilled artisan with creativity and taste who crafts astonishing and beautiful works using willow rods. Marvar rods are thin, flexible willow branches with a lifespan of one year.
Production Process
Before producing marvar products, some preparatory steps must be taken into account:
Removing knots, protrusions, and leaves: Before boiling the marvar rods, leaves on their surface are removed to make the surface smooth. This makes weaving easier.
Sorting rods by length and thickness: Because marvar rods vary in thickness and length depending on the product, they are categorized accordingly.
Boiling the rods: The rods are placed in boiling water-filled chambers, making sure all rods are submerged. The water is brought to a boil and kept boiling for 12 hours. After 6 hours, a sample rod is taken out and peeled to check if the skin separates easily, indicating that boiling is complete.
Peeling the rods: Peeling is done manually, starting from the thick end of the rod and continuing to the thin end.
Characteristics of Marvar
Marvar has a distinctive yellow color, which turns golden when polished with varnish. Inferior quality marvar rods tend to be black or green. After weaving, the product should be placed in sunlight for about 48 hours. This exposure lightens the color, turning it a golden shade.
Marvar Weaving Technique
The weaving methods of "cham-bafi," marvar weaving, and twig weaving are quite similar and resemble radial bamboo weaving. Weavers select flexible willow rods, split those that can be divided into two, three, or four parts lengthwise, cut them to desired lengths, and soak them in water to become pliable.
In weaving, four rods are placed side by side, and four or five more are crossed over them to form an eight-pointed star shape. Thinner rods secure this structure, and the weaver weaves thin rods alternately over and under the crossed rods to complete the base. After finishing the base, the edges are woven with a spiral pattern, and the loose ends of the rods are tucked inside the spiral edge.
Products of Marvar Weaving
Products include small and large round baskets, small and large oval baskets, small and large boat-shaped baskets, bowls in various sizes, kishkoli baskets, fruit baskets, window baskets, picnic bags, two-tier and three-tier baskets, clothes baskets, baby baskets, newspaper holders, chandeliers, candy dishes, needle and thread holders, egg baskets, tables, chairs, sofas, and many other diverse items. In addition to marvar rods, materials such as plywood, nails, varnish, and wire are used. Tools include saws, files, hammers, pliers, wire cutters, and garden shears.
Advantages and Applications
What has made marvar weaving popular in households is its higher quality compared to bamboo basketry. Its advantages include:
Compatibility with other materials such as iron and wood
High durability
Resistance to blackening and dulling
Washability
Ability to withstand sunlight exposure
Final Note
The main center for this craft is around Astaneh Ashrafieh, especially in the village of Kourka. It is also found sporadically in other parts of Gilan province, including around Bandar Kiashahr and in the Friday Bazaar of Siglan.
