Khatam mini jewellery box with golo morgh miniature

Size of product: 7*5 cm

Khatam is an ancient persian technique of inlaying. It is a version of marquetry where art forms are made by decorating the surface of wooden articles with delicate pieces of wood (ebony, teak, ziziphus, orange, rose) bone and metal precisely-cut intricate geometric patterns. Ivory, gold or silver can also be used for collection objects. 

Designing of inlaid articles is a highly elaborate process. There are sometimes more than 400 pieces per square inch in a work of average quality. Thin rods of different colored woods, ivory, bone, brass, silver, etc. were glued together into long bunches that could have a round, rectangular, or polygonal cross-section. 

The bunches were cut into thin slices and combined with others to create intricate patterns. Various types of inlaid articles and their quality are known by the size and geometrical designs. Smaller pieces result in a higher value of the artwork.