Definition

Definition of inlay work in Persian encyclopedia "The art of decorating the surface of objects in a mosaic-like manner, with small triangles. Various inlay designs always been in the form of regular geometric shapes. These geometric shapes are patterned by placing small triangles next to each other. Triangles are made of wood, metal and bone. In an inlay design, at least three triangles are used to make the smallest geometric until and up to four hundred triangles for the largest.

This art has found its way to Iran in a modern way before Safavid and during the Mongol conquest of Iran, following the emergence of a direct relationship between Iran and China. Some other scholars also believe that Khatam kari was founded in the city of Shiraz in Iran during the Deilaman period and reached its peak of prosperity in the Safavid era. 

Work tools

Metal clamps, sharp razor, hammer, pliers gas, saw with wire saw, saw triangle, groove, metal meter, fixed ruler and sharpened ruler, goniometer and compass.  

This art has two stages

1- Inlay making which includes operations such as inlay design, preparation of materials and cutting of primary materials, composition and creation of flowers and finally making a frame (rectangular cube body with an average length of 40cm and a width of 10cm and a diameter of 3cm Made of wood or inlay) and cut it and prepare the inlay layer. 
2- Inlay work, which includes substructure design, design of gluing inlay layers on the substructure, polishing of inlay objects. 

How to make an Inlay

In the inlay, the wood or metal is cut into triangle prisms and placed together so that the cross-section of these single triangles has regular geometric shapes, and then the thin sections are arranged in order. Special ones are glued on a thin wooden sheet and after drying, the sheets are installed on the objects needed for decoration. Types of wood are the most important inlay materials, which include jujube, orange, maple, walnut, kikum, Tabrizi, boxwood, ebony, betel and betam wood. Bones are also used in the construction of inlays due to their strength and white color, which include the bones of camels, horses, cows, as well as natural ivory and artificial ivory are also widely used in inlays. Non-ferrous metals are used in the inlay for endurance and care. Silver and aluminium are used for white and brass for yellow. 
To perpare the required wood, care must be taken that it has a suitable color and texture and does not have knots and cracks. Metals must also have a suitable alloy. 

Characteristics of high-quality inlay

- The smoothness of the work surface and absence of any inlay space
- Uniformity of colors and materials used in making the inlay
- No change in color and shape 
- Restorations and putties are not specified at the work level
- Symmetry of all flowers and shapes on the work surface and angles and sides
- Accuracy and engineering of the basis and structure of the design that all dimensions are the same, symmetrical and the same size, of course, if the design chassis is not accurate, the best inlay does not have a facade and effect and destroys the whole desgn is why. That an inlay artist must also be a master carpenter. 
- Painting and coating the product must be skillful and without defects