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Nazok-Kari, intricate woodcrafting in Urmia
Nazok-kari, the art of creating intricate, both functional and decorative objects from wood, is a prominent handicraft in Urmia, the capital of East Azerbaijan Province. To create a nazok-kari product, the wood is first treated based on the intended design, allowing for the precise cutting of delicate, thin shapes. There are typically two methods employed in nazok-kari.
The first method involves cutting small, fine pieces from different colored woods, which are arranged and glued together to appear as a single piece. These are then polished and painted, similar to wood marquetry. The second method focuses on a single type of wood, usually walnut, to craft objects. This technique involves cutting and refining wood into bowls, plates, jewelry boxes, and makeup containers.
Commonly used woods include light-colored pieces from peat trees, which create a striking contrast with the dark knots found in walnut wood. This interplay of light and dark shades offers captivating effects once polished and burnished.
Nazok-kari products are categorized based on size into two types: large pieces and small pieces. Large pieces encompass larger items such as tables and makeup boxes, while small pieces include various objects like pencil holders, cigar boxes, cigarette holders, spoons, plates, jewelry, and more. Other woods utilized in nazok-kari include maple, buckthorn, plane, pine, and alder.
In addition to wood, materials such as cold or hot gum and lacquer are used, alongside tools like manual or electric grinders, saws, chisels, clamps, and grinding machines, all essential for cutting, carving, and polishing the final products.