The history of Marquetry (Khatam-sazi), another famous handicraft of Isfahan, dates back to the pre-Islamic era. Its flourishing, however, is attributed to the Seljuk period, a revival period for handicrafts, during which Marquetry also received special attention. Since Isfahan was the capital of this dynasty, significant progress was made in this artistic field.

The growth and flourishing of Isfahan marquetry continued remarkably during the Safavid period. In the Zand period, the marquetry center shifted to Shiraz, but numerous workshops in Isfahan still engage in this magnificent art.

Marquetry is the art of decorating the surface of objects with regular geometric shapes created by placing small triangles next to each other. These delicate patterns are made in various woods, metals, and bones. The Persian term for "marquetry" ("Khatam") means ring or gem; the reason for this naming is the beautiful star-like decorations that, like a shining gem, sit in the middle of the wood's groove.

Today, Marquetry is used to decorate jewelry boxes, pen holders, decorative items, and so on.