The sights, sounds, smells of ancient trading routes…
the bustling bazaars and souks of ancient Constantinople…
the coming together of diverse cultures, peoples, traditions, crafts…
the colours of the deserts, the camel caravans traversing them…
the bridge between East and West through ancient cities: Chang’an, Dunhuang, Kashgar, Yarkend, Khotan, Herat, Almaty, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Merv, Nishapur, Isfahan, Babylon, Jerusalem, Damascus, Aleppo, Konya, Constantinople…
the art and architecture of majestic monuments: Daming Palace, Khoja Akhmad Yassavi mausoleum, Registan, Minaret Kalyan, Ichan-Kala, Buddhas of Bamiyan, Chogha Zanbil, Meydan-e Imam, Shirvanshahs’ Palace, Karatay Han…
the silks, the perfumes, the spices…
the gems: lapis lazuli, jade, cornelian, turquoise…
the embroidery, suzanis, carpets, kilims, dhurries…
the mosaics, patterns, designs…
Arastan is an endeavour to share the history and culture of the Silk Road through a range of exquisite handcrafted products including silks, gems, carpets and ceramics. These are made by artisans and master craftsmen following centuries-old traditions, and hand-picked by us. All our items have their own little story to tell and we wish to bring a little of this fascinating history into your lives and homes!
