Iranian Lenj Boats (Persian: لنج) is one of the large-scale handicrafts of Iran, made in the coastline of the Persian Gulf. Lenj Boats is a type of ship or small vessel that is used to carry cargo, passengers and even fishing. Due to the important role of the sea and navigation in the livelihood of the inhabitants of the south Iran, they have been building vessels. Over time, they have combined industry with art and created Lenj Boatses in their current form.
Lenj Boats Building is one of the most significant handicrafts of the residents of coasts. In the coastal strip of the Persian Gulf, Lenj Boats building is common in many ports in Bushehr and Hormozgan provinces, one of which is Bandar-e Kong. Iranian Lenj Boats Buildingin Bandar-e Kong is attributed to the period of Nader Shah Afshar, which is 1200 years old; When Nader Shah set up the first Iranian Lenj Boats Buildingcenter on the coastline of the Persian Gulf. So far, this tradition continues in this coastal city. Iranian Lenj Boats Building workshops in Bandar-e Kong are one of the tourist attractions of the region.
The industry has flourished in recent years due to increase of maritime trade and fishing; The workforce in this industry is limited to boat and Iranian Lenj Boats builders. The raw materials needed are the moisture-resistant hardwoods for the skeleton and the high-quality Indian boards for the body.
The people of Bandar-e Kong have chosen different names for their hand-built boats, Iranian Lenj Boats and ships, and these names may have existed for hundreds of years. Sailors of Bandar-e Kong have traveled to the countries of the Persian Gulf as well as close and distant lands such as Pakistan, India, Africa and the Red Sea with hand-built Iranian Lenj Boats and ships.
Traditional Skills of Building and Sailing Iranian Lenj Boats was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2011. There are many competitors for this industry, the most important of which are Pakistan and Kuwait.
