One of the most beautiful and delicate embroideries of Iran is called Kamand Duzi. The word Kamand means a long rope that is used to trap animals or to climb up the walls. It is also called “Khamand”. But in terms of embroidery, it is a kind of sewing that is done by threads such as silk Gheytan, silk, wool, glass beads, Sormeh and filigree. After sewing kinds of margins, Kamand is applied as the inner and outer margins and surrounds the inside and outside of the margins, just like margins of the books. Kamand Duzi is never used alone but it is applied as a complementary element of a sewing piece. This embroidery is very close to the art of Kamand Andazi in book layout and traditional book designing. From ancient times until today, Kamand Andazi has been done by wide or simple grids around the texts and then the decorative motifs of “Sharafeh” or merlon were added. But is Kamand Duzi, decorations such as Tagarg, Zarak or blanket stiches and Sharafeh (merlon) are sewed.
The art of Kamand Duzi traces back to thousands of years ago in Iran. There are many carving and reliefs from Achaemenid dynasty and other artifacts that prove it was common at the time. During the Parthian empire, since gold-brocade fabrics were popular and exported, decorative crafts such as Kamand Duzi, silk Gheytan and Golabatoon were sewed on the margins and Kamand Duzi was used to decorate clothing, bundles and drapery margins. Kamand Duzi is also used in other kinds of embroidery such crochet, Tekeh, Pateh, Bokhara, Ajideh, Katibeh, Baluch, glass beads, Sormeh, filigree, silk, Gheytan, Torkaman, Gabr, Moza’af, Golabatoon, Dah Yek and Bilish. Since these crafts are popular in different parts of Iran, it can be said that Kamand Duzi is common as complementary sewing in most parts of Iran. Alongside other embroideries, Kamand Duzi is used to decorate kinds of prayer rugs, bundles, decorative tableaus, Kabaa draperies, hats, clothes, cushion covers, tablecloths, fabric covers, box covers, teapot covers and etc. These embroideries can be found in museums all over the world and especially museums of Decorative Arts.