On learning Khatam: The art and craft of Persian woodworking

Khatam is a woodworking technique that has been practiced in Iran since at least the 14th century, and probably long before that. It is one of Iran’s most important crafts, but there are few practitioners outside the country. To make khatam, tiny triangles are combined to create complex geometric patterns in the form of veneers. These small triangles have sides that are usually 3mm or less, and are made of various wood species, bone, and metal. The veneers are used to decorate a wide variety of objects from the everyday to the sacred, from backgammon boards and pen cases to the tombs of Sufi saints such as that of Shah Nematollah Vali in Mahan, Iran.

My interest in khatam springs from the combination of two passions – craft and spirituality. When I converted to Islam, I had already been a woodworker for a decade and naturally became interested in learning about woodworking…