Zillu & Pottery Museum of Meybod

Meybod City, which is one of the desert cities of Yazd Province, is famous for its Zilu and pottery works. To display this art and craft of the people of Meybod a museum named Zilu and Pottery Museum has been established in the Shah Abbasi Caravanserai of this city.

Where Is Meybod?

Meybod is a city in the north of Yazd Province, and based on some historical evidence, it has been one of the first human settlements in the center of Iran. Narin Castle of Meybod is considered one of the oldest historical monuments of this city. Meybod has a history of several thousand years and is currently known as the second commercial city of Yazd Province.

This desert city with a hot and dry climate is located in the middle part of the sedimentary plain of Yazd. The presence of mountain ranges on the edge of this plain has prevented moisture from penetrating into this area and has increased its dryness.

Meybod, which, presently, produces more than 25% of Iran’s ceramics and tiles, was introduced as the “World Zilu City” in the year 2018 AD.

Caravanserai of Meybod

According to what has been recorded in the books on history, the Caravanserai of Meybod was built by a person named Mirza Mohammad Amin, the son of Khawaja Mohammad Ali Yazdi. This caravanserai was a place where passing caravans stayed in the course of their trade trips and it monitored the safety of the routes.

There is a water reservoir near this caravanserai, on the inscription of which the date 1070 AH/1659 AD can be seen. Therefore, as its name also suggests this caravanserai was built during the Safavid era. However, the shape of the building is similar to the architectural style of the Qajar era (18th century), which has made some experts believe that this caravanserai was probably built on the ruins of an older building. Meybod Caravanserai was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 2000 AD.

The Architecture of the Shah Abbasi Caravanserai of Meybod

A water reservoir, a storehouse, and an Ice-house can be seen around the caravanserai. There is a square courtyard inside the caravanserai surrounded by small porches and chambers. A covered space, a pond, a terrace, four beautiful vestibules, 100 rooms, and a number of ovens are the other parts of this place, which were used by the passing caravans and that can be accessed from the yard.

24 chambers out of a total of 100 were located and used in the outer space of the main building. There is a pond and an octagonal terrace in the middle of the yard, where the water of the qanat flows.

The water reservoir of the caravanserai is a large reservoir with four windcatchers and its brick dome is quite astounding. The entrance of the caravanserai is located in its northern part and is located in front of the portal of the water reservoir. A large wooden door separates the entrance of the caravanserai from the outside space. To ensure the security of the caravanserai, two watchtowers had been created on both sides of the entrance.

A Chapar Khaneh (old postal system of Iran) had been made in the west of the caravanserai, which was considered a center for the delivery and storage of government deposits and confidential letters and freshening horses and couriers that were used to send and receive documents and letters. Some stables had also been built between the Chapar Khaneh and the Shah Abbasi Caravanserai, that were used to keep livestock.

Zillu & Pottery Museum of Meybod

A museum was founded in the eastern hall of Meybod Caravanserai in the year 2002 AD to introduce Zilu and pottery works of Meybod, as two important art and crafts of this city. This museum is considered to be the only specialized Zilu museum in Iran in which old and new zilus are on display in two different sections.

The number of zilus in this museum reaches 50, the oldest of which was woven in the year 1405 AD. This zilu is woven by a person named Ali Baid ibn Haji Meybodi, in three colors of blue, white, and red.

The Pottery Hall of the Museum is also located in the vestibule at the end of the Zilu Hall of this Museum, and its objects are divided into two categories: earthenware (pottery) and ceramic vessels. In this part of the Zilu and Pottery Museum of Meybod, most of the objects are from the contemporary period and are about 100 years old. The use of special motifs, which are rarely seen in this type of handmade products has distinguished these potteries from what are made nowadays.

Meybod City, which is one of the desert cities of Yazd Province, is famous for its Zilu and pottery works. To display this art and craft of the people of Meybod a museum named Zilu and Pottery Museum has been established in the Shah Abbasi Caravanserai of this city.