Shop front signs in Iran

During their daily prayers, Shiite Muslims prostrates on a small block of earth, called “mohr” (meaning "stamp" in Persian) or “turbah”. The most favoured soil is that of Karbala in Iraq, the site of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein; however, soil from Mashhad or Qom in Iran may also be used. The writings on mohr often show where the clay comes from and some have the names of the Muslim saints written on them.

Molla Nasraddin was an eight-page Azerbaijani satirical periodical published in Tiflis (from 1906 to 1917), Tabriz (in 1921) and Baku (from 1922 to 1931) in the Azeri and occasionally Russian languages.

"Dastforoosh" is the Persian word for peddler or street vendor. Iranian street vendors sell stuff in the streets mostly near traffic lights.

Four Iranian flatbreads: Barbari, Lavash, Sangak & Taftoon.

The Lion and Sun is one of the emblems of Iran and until 1979 was an element in Iran's national flag. The motif, which illustrates ancient and modern Iranian traditions, became a popular symbol in Iran in the 12th century.

Typography design in Ettelaat's yearbook of 1970

Lottery tickets were popular in Iran during the 1960s and 1970s. The Iranian revolution put an stop to their sale due to the religious restrictions on “gambling”.

Astrolabes and celestial globes were instruments of astrology that were extensively used in the Persian world to create astrological maps. Mainly made of brass they mostly had detailed astrological charts and maps on the inside and on the back.

Nastaliq and Shekaste styles of Iranian calligraphy have been in use since 16 century. At the beginning they where the styles of choice for writing the royal orders and decrees, official documents, and books of literature. Today they are used everywhere, sometimes on the most ordinary objects of everyday life.

"Portraits: Iran" by Ramin Talaie. Ramin Talaie is a photographer based in New York City. He holds a master degree in international studies from Adelphi University. Ramin is the founding editor of photo agency document IRAN Images, a news and stock agency.

Silkscreen posters printed in recent years in Dara Silkscreen Studio, Tehran, Iran. → Dara Silkscreen Studio

Negin Magazine Covers from the 1970s. Negin was a magazine edited by Mahmood Enayat targeted towards the Iranian intellectuals.

In February and March of 1960 a New Zealander tourist took a trip from England to India on land. He only has fours pictures of this trip, three of them taken in Iran. They are all discolored and faded but they still show something of Tehran in 1960. → Source

The Little Black Fish (1966) is a classic of Iranian children books. The book is illustrated by Farshid Mesghali. The illustrations won him the first graphic prize at the 6th Bologna Children’s Book Far (1968) and the Honorary Diploma at Bratislava Biennial, Czechoslovakia (1968).