Meymand Village - The UNESCO listed village of Iran

Meymand (Maymand, Meimand) is a rocky and dugout village and one of the primary habitats of man in Iran. This unique village is located in the province of Kerman in south-eastern Iran and 35 kilometers away from Shahr-e Babak town. The village is a UNESCO world heritage site and was awarded UNESCO’s 2005 Melina Mercouri prize.

History of Meymand Village

Some archeologists believe that Meymand Village has been inhabited since the Middle Stone ages, which is 12000 years ago and stone engravings from 10000 years ago and potteries from 6000 years ago that were excavated in Meymand, prove the existence of human life in this land. But what can be taken for granted is that Meymand Village has been continuously inhabited since 2000 to 3000 years ago, which makes it one of Iran’s oldest surviving villages. A museum in the village hosts items from the ancient eras. These items include agricultural equipment, clothes, vessels, and handwoven rugs.

The locals of Meymand Village

The word Meymand means wine drunk and according to the myths, once the locals in this area got drunk by wine and started to carve the caves of Meymand. The ancient cave village of Meymand is currently home to about 130 to 150 people, who are originally semi-nomadic agro-pastoralists. They raise their animals on mountain pastures around and live in temporary settlements in spring and autumn. During the winter months, they live in the caves lower down the valley carved out of the soft rock to be safe from the intense cold.

Architecture of Meymand

Meymand Village has one of the most unique architectural features among the villages of Iran. The houses are natural and artificial caves that were carved into the rocks by the people who lived here thousands of years ago. There are two types of houses.

1-     Markhaneh: Circular and semi-underground houses, which shelter the residents from the wind, with a low dry stone wall and a roof covering the house, made of wood and thatch of wild plants.

2-      Mashkdan: Houses above ground and built with dry stone walls and a conical roof made of branches.

3-     Some buildings for keeping the cattle with much more basic construction and a barrel-vaulted brick or stone roofs.

A house with several rooms and a stable is called “Kicheh” by the people. In fact, each unit is a Kicheh and the largest kicheh of Meymand Village is 90 square meters. Totally, the village has got 406 kicheh and 2560 rooms. Also, Meymand village has got a public bathhouse, a school, a mosque, and a Hosseinieh, which are still used by the locals.

Best time to visit Meymand Village?

Meymand Village is located in a semi-arid area with long and hot summers and a little precipitation. Therefore, the best months for visiting Meymand, exploring its caves, and enjoying a walk to the top of the hills around the village are usually April to May and late September to October.