An Ethnographic Study of Basketry (Mat Weaving Products) by Arab Ethnicity in Khuzestan

For people having lived with the palm tree throughout history, this tree has gained symbolic values and meanings. Therefore, the products obtained from this tree have always been considered valuable and practical. This ancient coexistence along with the sanctity attributed to the palm tree is one of the reasons why the Arab basketry weavers based in Khuzestan use low-quality part of the palm tree rather than its "heart" (the high-quality part of the tree as named by local people) in their mat weaves. As a result, the main wicker products of these people are items that are obtained from the poor or discarded part of the palm tree. Such sanctity has been attributed to Eliade theory. This research, accordingly, attempts to discuss how Eliade theory has affected the production and the method of mat weaving by the Arab people of Khuzestan. The purpose of this study is to expand a better understanding of the textures derived from natural materials from different regions of Iran. This research is a descriptive and analytical one, deploying a quantitative-qualitative approach, which includes field studies as well as library investigation. The findings of this article have depicted that due to various reasons, including those of sanctity of the palm tree and proximity to some sanctuaries, Khuzestan’s Arab people have widely used their wicker products and basketries in their lives in the recent past. And the undergarment hat and fan have been among the products derived from that weaving method.