Korsi

A korsi (Persian: کرسی), also referred to as a sandal (Persian: صندلی, romanized: ṣandeli; Tajik: сандалӣ, romanized: sandalī; Uzbek: сандал) in Central Asia, is a type of heated table traditionally found in Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia (particularly Tajikistan and Uzbekistan). A korsi is the traditional centre of a home in Central Asian and Iranian architecture, particularly during winter months, where it historically served as the main location for families to gather, sleep, and (in some regions) eat.

Evidence of the usage of korsi dates back to the Sasanian Empire, and they were first mentioned in writing in the 14th century. Iranian and Central Asian architecture typically included spaces specifically devoted to the korsi, and they were widespread until the 1950s–1970s, when they were largely replaced by portable gas heaters (in Iran) or, in urban areas, by municipal natural gas networks (in Soviet Central Asia). They remain common in Afghanistan and have become increasingly common in Uzbekistan in the 2020s, in response to energy shortages. Common risks of using a korsi include carbon monoxide poisoning and (among children) burns from the coals, with the latter being a health concern in Central Asia.