Arak province has a long history in carpet weaving. According to historical evidence and local situation of this province, carpet weaving in certain parts, like Sarough, Farahan, Saraband and Moradabad dates back to ancient times. According to Caroun website, after the Sassanid era, the carpet weaving was neglected for many centuries. Due to such negligence and also because of continuous wars in central regions of Iran, no authentic information on establishment of big workshops and important carpets is available.
In the middle of Nassereddin Shah’s reign, Arak rugs had a perceptible presence, so rugs of this region were known all over the world.
As Arak is near Qom, Kashan, Isfahan and Hamedan, designers and weavers of Kashan, Kerman and Isfahan have directly taken part in reviving Arak carpet weaving some native patterns of those regions can be seen in Arak rugs.
In 1875 (during Nassereddin Shah’s era) for the first time, Tabriz businessmen exported products from Arak and its counties.
Historical references show that people of Arak were experts in preparing dyes, dyeing and weaving carpets until the beginning of the 20th century. In Europe, fine rugs of Iran are known as ’Sarough’ (after a region in Arak).
Particularities and Materials
Arak rug is coarse and well-known for its native-regional characteristics and based on the use of wool, dye, plain and mostly rustic designs. It is noteworthy that coarse rug is thick with long and resistance piles that make it suitable for elasticity. Such quality of Arak rug makes it suitable for cold and mountainous regions of Markazi province.
The basic characteristics of Arak rug are that it uses native wool, hand-spun yarns, local dyes and traditional dyeing methods.
Ancient rugs of Moshkabad (in Markazi province), are well-known for their durability all over the world. It goes without saying that the fame of Arak rug is attributed to dyeing methods and making use from basic designs. However, the most important characteristic of Arak rug is related to making use from long and elastic wool. Such quality is seen in quality rugs of Sarough type (Farahan region).
Wool used in these rugs is mostly fine Iranian wool with long, thick and special crimp which is spun by hand or by common spinning wheel.
Such kinds of wool have been supplied from Sabzevar, Boroujerd, Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, Hamedan and Kermanshah regions which have the best quality rugs.
Arak rugs are categorized in three groups: Mahal, Moshkabad and Sarough, which are all influenced by a rug named “Sarough“.
There are many different reasons for the high quality of Arak rugs, including numerous native sheep. This wool has all specifications which are required for carpet, like long crimp, thickness and fine elasticity, as well as softness.
Dye and Color
While using colorful dyes in rugs has a positive impact, it must be mentioned which Arak rugs had become well-known for its colors.
Most ancient rugs of Sarough with its famous milky color, Farahan rugs with splendid blue color and Moshkabad rugs with its famous wool have been exported to world markets and now are found in museums and private collections.
Traditional natural and herbal dyes are mostly used in Arak. Cochineal, a colorful insect, which is used as a dye, or azure, which is extracted from cobalt or mine stones.
All of these colors, Farahan’s blue, Moshkabad’s azure or Sarough’s milky-red, are well-known in this region. Green and yellowish cream colors obtained from rich compounds of herbs and walnut shell, vine leaf, pomegranate shell dyes, each has a valuable share in dyeing. Fame of well-known ’Sarough Rug’, like other ancient rugs of this region, is attributed to the use of traditional herbal dyes.

Weaving
If top marks are given to design, dye and use of basic materials in quality and desirability of ancient rugs, the next important parameter will be correct and adequate weaving to preserve reasonable standards of size and knots.

Designs and Images
Apparently, fame of traditional herbal dyeing has been the main reason behind attractiveness of Arak rugs. It would be na•ve to relate weaving of the past to limited dyes (though of best quality). Most attractiveness and fame of ancient Farahan region and Sarough, even Arak rugs is found in local characteristics, as well as design patterns and pictures of such rugs.
In the era of Fathali Shah until the end of Nasseredin Shah’s rule, existing rugs had complete regional and local identity. Those known as ancient Farahan and Moshkabad rugs are not related to today’s Arak rugs which have monotonous and conventional images.
Certain traditional images, like fish, paisley, corner-medallion and a pattern belonging to Shalle weaving “Almond“, which come from Kerman or Kashan, on relatively coarse rugs--and also existence of some special images in ancient rugs of Khamseh, Saraband, Lilian, Sarough and Moshkabad--signifies that in the central Iran and near an area called Arak today carpet weaving has been very popular.

Project manager of renovation of the Islamic section of Iran National Museum said that some 2,000 artifacts of the Islamic period will be put on display in the museum.
According to Fars news agency, Mohammad Hassan Khademzadeh added, “The Islamic section of the museum was closed down for a while due to air conditioning problems. The problems have been removed, but the section is not ready yet.“
He noted that the contract for renovating the Islamic section of the museum has been concluded with the Historic Works’ Renovation and Exploitation Fund.
“Renovation of the Islamic era museum consists of a few stages. In the process of renovation the viewpoint of potential visitors must be heeded. This is why from 12,000 historic items belonging to the Islamic period, 2,000 items have been selected to be showcased,“ he noted.
Khademzadeh said that the historic works of the early Islamic period, Seljuks, Ilkhanids and Timurids will be showcased on the second floor of the museum and the Safavid and Qajar works on the first.
“In the past only 1,000 historic items were put on display in the museum. We are determined to the increase the number of displayable items so that visitors have a better perception of the Islamic period,“ he noted.

Meymand, a village near Babak in Kerman province, is undoubtedly one of the most ancient homes of man on earth. The village dates back to some 12,000 years ago and is still inhabited.
Researchers believe early inhabitants were practicing Mithraists, the website Irpedia reported.
Origin
Honoring the rituals of Mithraism, they chose dimly lit caves to say their prayers and carved out chambers and niches in the mountains to place their dead. Therefore, one can find numerous temples and tombs in this region, all cut into the mountain walls.
Mithraists believed in the endurance, stability and imperishability of mountains and inspired by this belief, they dug out their domiciles in the heart of the rocks.
Some experts are of the opinion that the caves merely served as places of worship or burial chambers. However, because of severe climatic changes, their architects were compelled to make the caves their dwelling places.
Mithraism was the dominant religion believed and practiced in pre-Zoroastrian Iran and even lingered a good while after the dawn of Zoroastrianism.
Recent historical findings show that Zoroastrianism emerged some 6,000 years before the birth of Christ. Thus, considering the fact that Meymand was founded by Mithraists, who predated the Zoroastrians, the date 6,000 B.C. may be the closest point of time we can posit for the foundation of the village.
Stone-carvings belonging to 10,000 years ago and 6,000-year-old pottery works discovered at the site are among evidences of the antiquity of Meymand.
Due to the impregnable position of its fortifications, Meymand suffered very little social or physical change during history.
The extremely old complex of houses, temples, castles and fortifications has raised the status of Meymand from a simple village to a specimen of an unrivaled civilization.
Religion
The beliefs of the inhabitants of Meymand were originally rooted in Mithraism and later Zoroastrianism. After the arrival of Islam in Iran, Meymand villagers, who were born Zoroastrians, converted to Shiite Islam and made lots of sacrifices in the history of Islamic Iran.
Converts transformed their cave chambers and temples into mosques and Hosseiniehs (places dedicated to religious ceremonies).
Mosque, besides functioning as a center of religious congregations, also serves as a forum for villagers to exchange views.

Natural Beauty
Meymand has a temperate mountainous climate. It has cold winters and mild summers. The village is flanked on one side by a plain and on the other by mountains.
The plain lies between Meymand and Babak, and in the past abounded with pistachios and wild almonds which gradually shrunk to few areas. Closer to the village, mulberries are found in great numbers.
Meymand is also home to different species of desert animals such as snakes, scorpions, lizards, porcupines and turtles. Some of the wild animals found in the mountains of Meymand include the antelope, wild ass, leopard, fox, wolf, wild goat and various birds of prey.
Flow of water from a few seasonal creeks and springs as well as the presence of numerous underground canals excavated to carry subterranean waters have contributed greatly to agricultural activity in this region.
Cultivated lands, like any other natural sight, attract the attention of those who enter the village, especially in spring when it is crowned with blossoming trees.

Economy
Economy of the residents hinges on three pivotal activities: agriculture, animal husbandry and carpet weaving. Of the trio, carpet weaving is given more attention and Meymand carpets are among the best in the world.
Urban development has not exempted this hamlet and it has both electricity and piped water. However, its people still shun the use of modern equipment as far as possible.
In early spring, families focus on breeding livestock and producing dairy products. In summer, they collect wild pistachios, wild almonds and grow almond, walnut and cumin. It should be noted that Meymand walnuts and almonds are of high quality.

Topography
Rock houses are built on different levels by chiseling horizontal cuts into the precipice. These cuts, called kicheh, measure 6 to 9 meters in length and are dug into the precipice to the extent that enough height is provided for chiseling out the upper house.
The end of a kicheh reaches a terrace-like area known as the dalan which is a very important element in a neighborhood, for most daily family affairs take place there. The doors of 1 to 5 rock houses open to a dalan. There are around 400 large and small kichehs in Meymand.
Interior of a house is either square-shaped or round and illuminated by daylight that enters an opening of 75 to 76 cm. Wooden doors are equipped with a latch known as koleydun (keyhole) which fits into a hole drilled in one side of the stone doorpost when closed.
Entrance of a room in these houses is roughly shaped like a human body. It is narrower at the bottom of the door and gradually gets wider in the upper part at shoulder length.
The foot of a door is raised about 15 to 20 cm above the level of the kicheh which doesn’t let water and dust get into the house.
Iranians are visiting the village in large numbers as it is being publicized in the domestic media.

Sanandaj police seized an exquisite copy of the Holy Qur’an from smugglers of historic and cultural works.
Deputy head of Kurdestan’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Directorate noted that the cover of the qur’an is made of leather, IRNA reported.
Eqbal Azizi pointed out that the confiscated holy book is in Nasakh script and decorated with gold.
“The calligraphy of the Holy Qur’an was undertaken in 1558 AD. A section on the rules of reading the Holy book was annexed to the existing copy in 1642 AD. Every page of the exquisite copy has 13 lines,“ he added. The Qur’an will be transferred to Sanandaj Museum.