The traditional skills of building and sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf, officially registered under the title “Traditional skills of building and sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf,” were inscribed in 2011 as Iran’s eighth element on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The inscription was made due to the rapid decline in the transmission of this knowledge from one generation to another and the replacement of traditional wooden Lenj boats with fiberglass and motorized vessels. This heritage extends far beyond a technical craft; it reflects the millennia-old maritime connection of Iranians with the sea and encompasses oral traditions, specialized terminology, navigation techniques, sea work songs (Neymeh-Khani), and various rituals and ceremonies. The Lenj, historically also called Jahaz, is a handmade wooden vessel traditionally used for maritime travel, trade, fishing, and pearl diving. Today, workshops producing these wooden boats continue to operate mainly in the provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr, Sistan and Balouchestan, and Khuzestan. Major Lenj-building centers include the ports of Kong, Laft, Goran, Pohl, Jask, Genaveh, and Chabahar, each playing a significant role in preserving this ancient craft.
Sailors and boat builders in ports such as Kong and Laft constructed these massive wooden vessels without written blueprints, relying solely on mental calculations and experiential knowledge passed down from father to son. These master craftsmen, known locally as Jallaf or Gallaf, skillfully built Lenj boats capable of enduring long and demanding ocean voyages. Among the most important types of vessels are the Jalboot (cargo boats with an approximate capacity of 5 to 100 tons), Sambuk, Boom (the largest type of Lenj with a capacity of approximately 20 to 300 tons), and Baghlah. The Boom is regarded as the strongest type of Lenj and was used for long-distance commercial voyages known as Gap. The construction materials include durable hardwoods such as Sai (Indian teak wood), as well as local woods like Konar and Kerat used for the hull and framework. One of the most remarkable aspects of this tradition is the ceremonial launching of the vessel into the sea. During this ritual, poems known as Salli are recited while the builders sing local chants filled with blessings and salutations to strengthen cooperation and morale.
Another inseparable part of this heritage is maritime work music, known as Neymeh-Khani (or Nimeh-Khani). These rhythmic sea work songs, common among sailors and seamen of Bushehr, are used to coordinate movements and boost the motivation and spirit of the crew. In this musical tradition, one singer leads the verses while the others respond with phrases such as “Heleh Mali” or “Heleh.” Interestingly, each maritime task has its own specific rhythm and style of chanting — from rowing songs (Meidaf) and sail-pulling chants (Shera‘) to anchor-lifting and launching chants (Oshar). In the past, these songs were sometimes accompanied by simple percussion instruments such as the Dammam and frame drums, playing a crucial role in sustaining morale and endurance during hard labor at sea.
In addition to their shipbuilding expertise, Iranian sailors possessed sophisticated traditional navigation knowledge. By observing the positions of the sun, moon, and stars and using special formulas, they were able to calculate latitude and longitude and determine routes across the ocean. This knowledge, transmitted orally from generation to generation, enabled Iranian captains to travel the challenging maritime Silk Road routes to the coasts of Africa — including Zanzibar and Mombasa — and India without modern instruments. Sailors also relied on natural signs such as the color of seawater, wave patterns, cloud formations, and even bird sounds to forecast weather conditions, utilizing various winds—each holding a specific name—to propel the sails of the Lenj. For example, green-colored seawater was believed to indicate approaching winds. UNESCO’s official description of the inscription explicitly highlights these traditional navigation and weather-forecasting skills.
Despite the great significance of this ancient tradition, Lenj-building and traditional maritime knowledge are today considered endangered heritage. High construction costs — including the procurement of quality timber and equipment — the lengthy building process (sometimes taking up to a year and a half for a large wooden Lenj), and the growing replacement of wooden vessels by cheaper fiberglass and motorized boats have led to a sharp decline in interest in this craft. As a result, many remaining workshops now focus primarily on repairing old vessels rather than constructing new ones. Consequently, the philosophy, religious context, culture, and maritime traditions of the Persian Gulf are gradually fading, and only a small community of elderly practitioners remains actively engaged in this profession. Nevertheless, recent years have witnessed efforts to revive this valuable heritage. Reports indicate that several century-old Boom-class wooden vessels in Bandar Kong have been restored through private and public investment and have been put into service as floating hotels and maritime tourism attractions in the Persian Gulf. It is hoped that such initiatives will draw the attention of younger generations to this remarkable cultural treasure and help prevent its complete disappearance.