Meymand Village (Part 2)

Architecturally speaking Meymand village is a complex of houses together with mosque, Husseinia, bath and school which have been carved in the mountain with hands. Rock architecture is divided into two forms. One of them is like the village of Kandovan, mentioned in this series a couple of weeks ago, in which spaces are built separately with different usages. The façade of these rocks can be carved and ornamented due to being outside the ground. Another form of rock is the one in which immense rocks jutting out of mountains and hills are carved to create big spaces for public usages. Since the latter form is largely inside the ground, it is impossible to ornate it or carve windows on it. Meymand village is one of these rocks.

The old houses of Meymand village are carved like caverns inside the mountain. The mountain is made of hard sedimentary stones, thus the rooms and spaces built inside are very hard and firm. The internal spaces have corridors and pillars showing a queer rural architecture. The houses are situated in four or five stores one on the other due to the steepness of the valley. The houses are 2 meters high and around 16-20 square meters area. They lack any window, chimney or opening which makes them dark. But there is a stove inside each house used for heating and making food. The inward spaces are black because of smoke and soot. Each house has a very steep corridor leading to outdoors. Every house with one or more rooms and a horse-stable is called Kijeh.

There is a stronghold in Meymand village shaped from crypts which occupy an area of around 400 square meters and have 15 circular stone rooms. Apparently it was used to lay the dead bodies in the pre-Islamic era; that’s why their bones and other belongings are discovered there. The bath, school and mosque rank among the best places of the village.

Every tourist who has visited the Meymand village has become surprised very much.

Source: irib.ir

Other links:

Handicrafts and Souvenirs, Kerman