M a s u l e h

1. M a s u l e h By: Farinaz Azarchehr Instructor: Kathleen Hanson ESL 302 - Division Essay

3. Masuleh is an amazing ancient town in Iran. Masuleh has been called the jewel of northern Iran because of its incredible characteristics. Its breathtaking geography, unique architecture, and splendid handicrafts are among the many wonderful features of Masuleh.

5. One feature of Masuleh is the breathtaking geography. Some say the town was constructed 1300 years ago, whereas others take its history back 2500 to 3500 years. The town is 500 meters long and 300 meters wide. The difference between its highest and lowest point is 100 meters. Masuleh is 36 kilometers southwest of Fuman in the province of Iran and situated at the foot of Talesh Mountain. It’s located on the southwest side of the Caspian Sea. Masuleh is 1050 meters above sea level. This creates a pleasant climate between the Caspian Sea and the high Alborz mountains, which trap the humidity from between the two.

7. In Masuleh the air is clean and not too hot in the summer. However, during winter it can snow as much as 9.84 feet. The temperature varies from a high of 20 in summer to a low of –2 in winter. The annual average rainfall is 713 millimeters and it rains mainly in fall and winter. In winter, the town population barely reaches over 10,000. The roaring river of Masuleh, the Rudkhan, crossing south of the town, originates from the surrounding mountains, which are a major destination of vacationers in summer. In this area are found broad- leafed deciduous trees such as maple, hornbeam, beech, walnut and fugues. Grass and weed grow on the highlands. The people living in Masuleh are the Talesh ethnic group, and they speak Talesh language.

9. Another feature of Masuleh is the unusual architecture. Most houses are two or three stories high and are set on the slope of the mountain. The houses are arranged in a stair step manner, so that the roofs of some houses are the yards of the others. The roofs of homes are also used as pedestrian crossings. The configuration of the village buildings makes the entering of automobiles impossible. This has helped the original atmosphere to survive. The town’s architecture is structured in a way to protect the houses from the bitter cold in the winter.

11. The rooms in the houses in Masuleh usually contain built- in niches decorated with copperware, small pantries, tiny windowpanes and mirror frames mounted on the wall. Materials used in the construction of Masuleh’s houses are dried brick, rubble, lumber, stones and fern, which protect the houses from water leakage. This is done by placing a layer of dried fern leaves between the mud and wood timbers in the ceiling. Two kinds of soil, called yellow soil and dark soil, which are found in the river, are used for covering the outer walls and the roofs respectively. Most houses include a large hall in which the family lives in winter, a small veranda extending from the front of the house, and a guest room. The houses of the rich include certain small rooms in which precious articles are kept.

14. Another feature of Masuleh is its famous handicrafts. Because of the topographical features, agriculture is not an active industry, so most people are engaged in animal husbandry or producing handicraft. The articles such as Gelim (a rug made of goat hair), Jajim (a fine carpet made of wool or cotton), socks, traditional dresses, knives, spades, axes, scissors and scythes are produced in Masuleh. Making a certain type of shoe, called Chamush, is another occupation. The leather used for making Chamush is produced in the tanneries of the village itself. The shops selling traditional goods are scattered throughout Masuleh. Some people earn their living by selling goods to the shepherds and buying dairy products from them.

15. Masuleh has an open bazaar, with several stories containing all kind of handicrafts. The shops are open late at night, making the town very lively. People go out late at night to coffee shops, restaurants and bazaars. You can hear music being played in the streets well after midnight.

16. The outstanding characteristics of Masuleh attract many tourists to this wonderful town every year. Among these features, its amazing geography, unusual architecture and magnificent handicrafts are the most important ones.

17. The End