Monjugh Douzi is a kind of traditional and very beautiful embroideries of Iran. Mojughs are small beads that look like glass and are sewed to clothing and other textiles. There are some historical documents and evidence that prove this art was quite popular during Achaemenid and Sassanid dynasty. Back then tents, carpets and garments were ornated by Monjugh, however it was a custom specific to aristocrats. According to specialists, Monjugh flourished in 20th century, during Qajar dynasty. Some of the valuable and elaborate Monjugh Douzi pieces of this era are kept in Decorative Arts Museum of Iran and can be visited.

Gradually the material for making Monjugh changed from gemstones to glass and they turned into a craft practiced and used by ordinary people. Monjugh Douzi is the art of sewing Mojugh beads to fabrics. The first step is to pass the beads through yarn by using needle and then, sew them to the fabric based on the pattern. There are a lot of patterns and motifs that can be applied in Monjugh Douzi such as “Gol o Morgh” (flower and bird), “Gol o Buteh” (flower and bush), kinds of paisley, birds, animals, hunting grounds, geometric, trees, cypresses, arabesque, “Toranji” and “Sar Toranji”, “Sar Lachaki”, “Shamsehee”, “Bazubandi”, “Band Rumi”, “Shah Abbasi”, knots, patterns from Kelims, holy names and etc. The Monjugh are most commonly sewed to thick silk, satin and other shinny fabrics in different colors, and in styles such as “Khati” or linear, “Tupor” where the motif is filled by Monjugh, “Bast Douzi”, “Cobareh Douzi” and “Barjesteh Douzi” or embossed. Sometimes it is used along with other embroideries like “Gheytan Douzi” that is done by thick yarn, or with silk yarn, sequins, pearls and filigree.

This delicate handicraft can be applied to ornate clothing, head wears, money bags, decorative tableaus, pencil holders, cases of stamps or brushes,  bags, covers of boxes or utensils, belts, necklaces, anklets, coasters and many more objects. Monjugh Douzi has been practiced in cities of Urmia and Tabriz for the longest time and is very popular today. Additionally there are other artists and fans of Monjugh in cities such as Tehran, Isfahan and south of Iran.