Storage for Dates

Storage for Dates

Chandoul is the native word used for a place for storing dates and extracting date syrup. The technique for extracting date syrup is a 200 year tradition in Kish (evidence of which was found in the remains of the historical city of Harireh) and has not been observed elsewhere in Iran. Chandoul is a room with dimensions of x m or larger for storing several hundred kilos of dates. Orientation of Chandoul had to be adjusted so that wind could not enter it since that would quickly dehydrate the dates. For this reason, Chandoul would be built in the corner of the yard and dates stored there in wicker baskets. After a while, the syrup would start seeping through the baskets. To use the syrup, they would make the store room floor impenetrable with mortar, forming the floor into ditches and mounds. These ditches were slightly sloped towards a corner of Chandoul where a cavity was formed for collecting the syrup. Thus, it was possible to collect the accumulated syrup every few days without entering Chandoul. Due to the high consumption of dates (by the family, guests, servants, and the Lenj crew), the house had two Chandoules, in one of which remains of syrup and date pits from 80 years ago are still visible.

The Food Store Room

The Food Store Room

Due to the self-consumption economy practiced by the natives in Kish and the fact that Kish is an island, each residential unit had to provide sufficient food to last the family throughout the year. The general term for store room is “bokhar”. In the store room for food (bokhar-ol eish), such items as rice, flour, salted fish in crocks, dried fish in boxes, and other food stuffs were stored.

The Hay Loft

The Hay Loft

Breeding livestock (cows and sheep) for obtaining meat and dairy products plays an important role in the livelihood of the native Kish population. It also has religious significance in Islam since livestock is sacrificed on certain occasions including Aqeeqah etc. For this reason, most natives would breed livestock within their houses. In the Anthropological House, too, a number of cows, sheep, and goats used to be kept, and one room was used as a hay loft for storing hay and fodder.

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200 meters away in the fishmarket road, toward the Greekship, opposite of the fishing Port, old seffin, Kish Island

Phone 00987644432844
Postal Code 794172222

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