The construction of Iranian Launches

Launch construction in Iran
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Launch building workshop in Goran Port, Qeshm Island
Country	Iran
Reference	00534
Region	Asia and Oceania
Inscription history
Inscription	2011
It is about to be dismantled.

The construction of Iranian Launches has been registered on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List. These boats are built by the people of southern Iran and the inhabitants of the Persian Gulf for two main purposes: passenger transport and cargo shipping. They are used for maritime travel, trade, fishing, and pearl diving. Traditionally, Launches are handcrafted using wood. Most wooden Launch-building workshops are located in the provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, Sistan and Baluchestan, and Khuzestan.

The ports of Laft, Goran, Pohl, Kong, and Jask in Hormozgan Province, along with Genaveh and Chabahar, are among the key centers for Launch construction in Iran. Iranian sailors build these boats by considering the position of the sun, moon, and stars, using a specific formula to calculate latitude and longitude, as well as assessing water depth and weather forecasts.

The process of Launch construction has its own unique music and rhythms, with workers singing traditional chants while working. However, due to the high costs and long construction time of wooden Launches, modern sailors now prefer fiberglass boats. This shift has led to the gradual fading of the culture, knowledge, and rituals associated with traditional wooden Launch building.

In 2011, the traditional skills of Iranian Launch construction and navigation in the Persian Gulf were inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Gallery

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  A small Iranian Launch in the open waters of Chabahar
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  Launches moored at the Konarak Pier in the Chabahar Watershed