In Western Iran, A Village Carved From Stone

Some 680 people live in the village of Kandovan, near the city of Tabriz in Iran's East Azerbaijan Province.

Daily life takes place in and around the caves and man-made rooms carved from the region's volcanic rock.

Brick and wood structures merge seamlessly with the rock formations.

Ancient cliff dwellings have been updated with windows and balconies.

Women shop at a roadside stall.

Beans, grains, and spices on sale at a market in Kandovan

A painted sign shows Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.