Zardozi

Zardozi, or zar-douzi or zarduzi (from Classical Persian زَردوزی zardōzī, literally "gold embroidery"; Modern Persian: زَردوزی, romanized: zarduzi; Hindi: ज़रदोज़ी, Tajik: зардӯзӣ, Urdu: زردوزی, Uzbek: zardoʻzi), is an Iranian, Indian-subcontinent and Central Asian embroidery type. Zardozi comes from two Persian words: zar or zarin meaning 'gold', and dozi meaning 'sewing'.^[1] Zardozi is a type of heavy and elaborate metal embroidery on a silk, satin, or velvet fabric base.^[2] Zardozi embroidery uses a wide variety of gold and silver embellishments such as: flat metal wires, spangles, coiled wires, heavy wires, and twisted wires.^{[citation needed]} Designs are often created using gold and silver threads and can incorporate pearls, beads, and precious stones.^[3] It is used as decoration for a wide range of applications, including clothes, household textiles, and animal trappings.^[2] Historically, it was used to adorn the walls of royal tents, scabbards, wall hangings and the paraphernalia of regal elephants and horses.^[4]

Close-up shoot of zardozi (zardouzi) embroidery

Vicereine Lady Curzon's peacock dress, with a skirt made of Indian zardozi needlework featuring green beetle wings and gold and silver thread, was a sensation at her coronation, making the front page of the Chicago Tribune on 27 September 1903.

Initially, the embroidery was done with pure silver wires and real gold leaves. However, today, craftsmen make use of a combination of copper wire, with a golden or silver polish, and silk thread.

Iran

Zardozi is an important handicraft in Persian culture. It is known around the country by names such as zar-douzi (Persian: زردوزی), kam-douzi (Persian: کم‌دوزی), gol-douzi (Persian: گل‌دوزی) and kaman-douzi (Persian: کمان‌دوزی). Nowadays it is more popular in Hormozgan, especially in Bandar-e Lenge, Bandar-e Abbas, and Minab.^[5]

Persian zardozi is of three kinds:

• Some people completely sew the basic fabric with Bakhie (Persian: بخیه) in order to produce novel patterns and colors, such as the Baloch's Souzan-douzi (Persian: سوزن‌دوزی), Rasht's Qollab-douzi (Persian: قلاب‌دوزی) and Kerman's Pate-douzi (Persian: پَته‌دوزی).
• Some sew with less density of work on the original fabric. They cross the strings throughout the woof of the fabric and sew them to each other to form a colorfully patterned lattice, such as sekke-douzi (Persian: سکّه‌دوزی) or qollab-douzi (Persian: قلاب‌دوزی) in Isfahan.
• A third way is to sew a variety of patterns on the original fabric with gold and silver strings, such as Dah-Yek-Douzi (Persian: ده‌يک‌دوزی), Naqade-douzi (Persian: نقده‌دوزی), Tafte-douzi (Persian: تافته‌دوزی), Kous-douzi (Persian: خوس‌دوزی) Zari-douzi (Persian: زر‌دوزی) or Golabatoun-douzi (Persian: گلابتون‌دوزی).^[5]

Indian subcontinent

Drawing of Delhi gold embroiderers at work in 1870, by John Lockwood Kipling

As an embroidery, zardozi was first used in the 14th century.^{[citation needed]} It prospered during the 17th century during the reign of the Mughal empire, but later a loss of royal patronage and industrialization led to its decline. The craft began to experience a resurgence in popularity following India's independence in 1947.^[1][4]

The majority of zardozi workers are Muslim. Zardozi and chikan were historically favored by Muslim elites; products made in these styles symbolized wealth, power and status. This craft is practiced throughout India, from major cities like Kolkata, Delhi, and Mumbai to smaller centers such as Agra, Bareilly, and Farrukhabad. Common to zardozi production in these diverse places is its association with an 'Islamicate,' particularly Mughal, courtly culture and a perceived Muslim aesthetic.^[6] Today, zardozi is also popular in the cities of Lucknow, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bhopal.^[7] In 2013, the Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) accorded Geographical Indication (GI) registration to the Lucknow zardozi. With GI status, zardozi artisans, distributors, and retailers in Lucknow and the six surrounding districts of Barabanki, Unnao, Sitapur, Rae Bareli, Hardoi and Amethi can become authorized users of the "Lucknow zardozi" brand and carry a unique mark of authenticity.^[8]

Zardozi is a popular embroidery choice across Pakistan especially for wedding or formal wear, with artisans and couture houses alike producing clothing with zardozi work

Central Asia

Zardozi has also been present in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan since ancient times.^[9]