Kashan

Kashan (käshän') [key], city (1991 pop. 155,188), Tehran prov., W central Iran. The city has long been noted for its silk textiles, carpets, ceramics, copperware, and rose water. The Ardebil carpet and celebrated porcelain tiles were made there in the Safavid period. The present city is also a transportation center. Kashan is one of Iran's loveliest cities; the skyline is dominated by a 13th-century minaret that is 150 ft (45 m) high. Nearby are Sialk, a prehistoric site, and the well-known rose fields of Qamsar, or Kamsar.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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