Designed in 2m in length, 1.15m in width, and 2.75m in height, the machine paves the way for all enthusiasts to learn the skills at home.
It is capable of weaving different types of cloths with a 70cm width.
Seyyed Abdolmajid Sharifzadeh, the head of the institute, said the machine is a first of its kind, adding, “The traditional versions of the machine take a lot of space, and are only suitable for workshops.”
Sharifzadeh said the new machine is the result of the efforts by Iranian artisans Rouhollah Dehqani and Ali Naeimaei, who adopted “their historical research and instructions acquired from their veteran masters to build this machine.”
Brocade weaving is among major Iranian traditional arts, dating back more than 2,000 years, with the first artworks belonging to the Achaemenid era.
The cloths were used in Persian kilims and rugs, while also being found in the decorations of Persepolis, and the ancient city of Susa and Pasargadae.
The fabric was among key exports in the Sassanid era, when it was considered the most precious souvenir of the Persian Empire.
Ancient works of brocade weaving are now on display at high-profile museums throughout the world, such as Louvre Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, as well as the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.
The Research Institute of Traditional Arts aims at reviving the abandoned arts in Iran with a modern approach through research carried out by experts and academics in the field.
Source: Iran Daily