articlesIranology

Paradise Enclosed

A Visit to a Traditional Iranian House

Author: Nasir Asadi/ Photo by: eFesenk

In Kashan, I had to pass through a number of neighbourhoods in order to reach my host’s home. On the way, the soaring, windowless walls of adobe, which defined the long, narrow alleys of the city, filled me with a distant, yet familiar emotion. So, I stopped, turned around and tried to make out the feeling which was forming inside me. Yes, it felt as if I had been hugged by a protecting mother, shielding her weak child against the scorching heat of summer and the freezing cold of winter.
After this revelation and a little more walking, I finally arrived at my destination. The merchant’s house sat at the end of a short, narrow alley. The same high walls, which I had seen elsewhere, separated the inside spaces of the house from the outside. In fact, standing beside those high walls felt like standing at the foot of a formidable castle, a castle which kept its interior space well-protected and shut away from the unwelcome eyes of strangers. However, the unwelcoming force of the walls was neutralised by the welcoming force of another element of the house, its portal.
The portal was drawing me in, and I didn’t resist. When I reached the portal, I paused and eyed it carefully. The lower part of the portal was composed of a wooden door set back into a niche-like structure and flanked by two stone sills. Sitting on one of them, which had obviously been designed for a moment of rest, I looked up to admire the rest of the portal. The upper part of the portal was covered by an arch, bearing beautiful muqarnas (stalactite) decorations and stuccowork of floral and geometrical designs. I thought, ‘what a wonderful portal!’ Then, remembering the main purpose of my trip, I jumped up and grabbed one of the knockers hurriedly. I knocked on the door and waited…

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