ahmad salehi kakhki

Muqarnas is an architectural element often used in entrance porches, Iwans, squinches of domes, and other structures. It can be made from various materials such as brick, plaster, tile, or a combination of materials such as brick-tile or plaster-tile. During the Timurid and Turkomen (Torcoman) periods, intricate and artistic plaster muqarnas were created, on their horizontal/flat/panel surfaces decorated with tiles. This research not only showcases a number of buildings which enjoy plaster-tile muqarnas that belong to the periods mentioned above but also investigates and evaluates the location of muqarnas, types of motifs, inscriptions, execution and decoration techniques, and the color of tile glaze. This article also aims to find commonalities between the tile motifs found in plaster muqarnas and other tileworks from the periods in question. The research methodology is based on data gathering through field research and documentary resources. It uses an interpretative-historical approach to analyze the data obtained from the case studies. The results, obtained from the study of six buildings, indicate that this decorative method was only prevalent in a limited region of Iran, in the two provinces of Yazd and Fars, during the said period. All of the aforementioned tilework decorations were executed using a combined technique of Mo’araq (mosaic) and La‘āb-parān (glaze-removing), along with various vegetal, geometric, and inscription motifs. In terms of tile motifs, there are common features among the tile decorations of the periods under study including: multi-petaled flowers with each petal ending in a motif resembling a flower/bud/leaf, teardrop shapes, often executed using the La‘āb-parān technique and transformation of the central Kufic inscription into a knot pattern (eight-pointed geometric pattern).

"Karat Minaret (Mil-e Karat)", located in Karat village of Taybad City in Razavi Khorasan Province of Iran, is one of the old buildings which is in good condition. The studies that have dealt with the Karat minaret have not read the inscription of this minaret completely, and in some of them, the text of the inscription and the date of the building are different from each other. Iran's cultural heritage organization registered this work as number 123 and considers it to belong to the 6th century A.H. In order to resolve the differences and ambiguities in the text of the inscription and the dating of the building, the present research tries to answer the following question: "What is the text of the inscription of this minaret and the date of its construction?"

The current research was conducted using a qualitative method. In this research, the data about the Karat minaret was presented through field studies at the minaret site and comparative analyses with minarets built in the period of 4th to 6th century A.H. in the Khorasan geographical area and through referring to additional sources. Also, the review of the achievements of the researchers in this field has been collected in the form of library documents and presented descriptively and analytically.

By reading and reconstructing the remaining parts of the inscription of this building by digital method and matching its content with historical sources, this research found out that the Karat minaret is independent and belongs to the 4th century A.H., probably the period of Ghaznavid rule in Iran. The minaret was built by order of "Sheikh Abu Bakr" during the 4th century A.H., on the road from Khaf to Bakharz, on top of a hill in the vicinity of Karat village. Based on reading the inscription and discovering the construction date, the Karat minaret is the oldest historical minaret in Iran.

Considering the dominance of this minaret on the surrounding environment, it seems that its use was strategic; in addition to the collection of Arslan Jazeb, there are two works related to the Ghaznavid period that are located in today's Iran.

This research is dedicated to an in-depth examination of "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA," authored by Ebn Ḥosām Ḵᵛāfi, a prominent literary work from the Timurid and Turkmen periods that reflects the influence of the Shiraz school of illustration. As a valid piece of religious writing from the time, "Nahj al-balāgha" and "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA" are the main topics of our investigation. We want to find differences in how they describe Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib. Using critical discourse analysis framework, the study endeavors to shed light on the complex relationship existing between text, image, and social culture during the 9th century AH. This investigation is centered on analyzing the reasons behind, and the ideological underpinnings of the differences in the representation of Imam Ali, with a particular emphasis on the influence that comes from the political and religious spheres. The study employs Michel Foucault's theories and the critical discourse analysis to examine the differences between the text and the visual representations in "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA" and "Nahj al-balāgha". Four main discourse ideas—the subject, the institution, the power, and the knowledge—are at the core of this analysis. This research phase contributes to the scrutiny of the formation of religious imagery in "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA," emphasizing the religious, political, and illustrative dimensions of the 9th century AH.  The illustrations in "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA" by the esteemed artist Farhad Naghash are acknowledged as a significant facet of Iranian illustrative art. Integrating storytelling, poetry, and illustration, Naghash's works are not only esteemed for their artistic merit but also recognized as exemplars of the symbiosis between Iranian art and literature. A pivotal query addressed in this research pertains to the extent to which the images in "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA" can embody the concept of a bellicose hero and the congruence of this concept with the portrayal of Timur and his successors. The findings of the research indicate that during the Timurid period, three distinct types of discourse—religious, political, and illustrative—collaborated to produce a novel subject matter that revolves around a martial hero who occasionally disagrees with heroic figures from Iran and Shia. The heroic persona, which is characterized by nonviolent pursuits toward objectives, is portrayed from a variety of perspectives. This conceptualization is more in line with the imagery in "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA," which depicts Timur and his successors. It is important to note that this imagery should not be incorrectly attributed to Imam Ali.  This study, which stands out for its creative approach to the artistic and sociocultural implications of "ḴĀVARĀN-NĀMA," highlights the significance of the work in Iran's cultural and artistic history during the Timurid and Turkmen periods. In addition to providing novel insights into the influence and impact of illustration and literature during that period, provides new perspectives on the importance of the work.

In the study of slipware colorful pottery, it has always been the focus of various researchers due to its unique motifs.  During the past few decades, researchers have studied the patterns of the above pottery with different approaches. Despite the researches that have been carried out in the direction of rereading and interpreting the motifs, there are still ambiguities and challenges. One of the challenges in the interpretation of Polychrome decoration under transparent glaze pottery patterns is the illustrated illustration on a plate that is kept in the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. In their research, according to historical texts, researchers have presented different opinions regarding the role of the above plate, and it is believed that their interpretations have fundamental problems. It seems that the study of historical texts alone is not a solution to the interpretation of the above illustration, and interdisciplinary science studies should be used to investigate the illustration of this container in a separate research using ethno-archaeological studies.  Study and review. In this research, the Authors are of the opinion that by following the archetypes in the geographical context of the production of Polychrome decoration under transparent glaze pottery, the study scope of which includes the Khorasan region; to study the illustration of the plate, in order to achieve this goal, the Authors have used ethnographic studies and historical documents to interpret it. The research method of the upcoming research is a library with a comparative historical-analytical approach. In line with the above goal, questions such as what is the concept of the illustration of the colorful goblet plate? It has been proposed to what extent ethno-archaeological studies can be applied in the interpretation of the illustrated illustration on this dish. The result of the comparative research of ethno-archaeological studies and historical documents is that the theme of the illustration engraved on the plate is the ritual ceremony of asking for rain and water from the goddess Anahita and Tishtar, which is held today in the Khorasan region with changes in the way the ceremony is performed.

Tomb buildings are one of the most important types of Islamic architecture. Studying such a building in a geographical context gives us a meaningful understanding of these works. The vast region of Tabas, despite having a rich capacity of magnificent historical and cultural monuments, has been neglected by officials and archaeologists due to its desolation and difficult geographical conditions. In the archaeological study of the Jokhah section of Tabas, which was carried out in 2015, several buildings were identified, including a single tomb. So far, this building has not been the subject of detailed and methodical research on how the structure of architecture and dating is based on comparison with other mausoleum buildings, so the need for this research was provided. In this research, the construction method of the building has been considered according to the dome, the execution of the dome and the type of materials and the type of decorations used. The present research is based on a descriptive-analytical purpose and its nature is based on historical approaches. The methodology of accumulations is based on field studies and citation of library resources. This article tries to analyze the identity and date of construction of the tomb of Jokhah Tabas, based on archaeological findings, comparative studies and also citing written sources of the Islamic period. The results of studies show that the construction pattern of this tomb is derived from the square design of tomb buildings in Greater Khorasan in the early centuries of the Islamic period. However, by comparing material culture data and building elements with other similar works, the date of its construction can be attributed to the late sixth-early seventh century AH.

Masjid-I Kirmani, in the complex of the Shaikh Jam’s tomb has a very important status due to the existence of two exquisite stucco mihrabs. Due to extensive damages and restoration, the inscriptions of the history date for the two mihrabs are flawed and not recognizable. Numerous and various points of views are expressed about the probable date of mihrabs none of which is definite. This study sought to answer the following questions; What are the Visual characteristics of the Stuccoed mihrabs of Masjid of Kirmani Turbat- I Jam? What are the reasons attributed to or the mihrabs to the second half of the eighth century AD/First quarter Ninth Century AD? This study indeed intends to introduce and recognize this masjid mihrabs, while offering a more acceptable date for the mihrabs through a comparative study and via examining some details of Motifs. Method of data collection has been made based on field studies and citation to the written references. The collected data were then analyzed through a historicalanalytical method and with a comparative approach. Having analyzed the structure, motifs, and inscriptions of the mihrabs against the ones with specific as well as unspecified dates holding kirmani’s signature, a developmental path can be observed in most motifs and inscriptions of the two mihrabs. Furthermore, by considering other reasons such as, the similarity of grave tiles attributed to architect Kirmani to two tiles in the "Yazd jomeh Masjid" and the elegance of the motifs and inscriptions of the Thuluth belt of the kirmani Masjid, these mihrabs can be attributed tothe second half of the eighth century AD/ the First quarter Ninth Century AD.

It is always seen in different historical eras, the influence and impression between the different arts of that era. The Timurid period, like other historical periods, is not an exception to this rule, and there are many common points between the tiling decorations of this period, with simultaneous arts, especially with illustrated manuscripts. By review the paintings of the mentioned period, it is possible to see some commonalities between their geometric motifs and the tile Dadoes of simultaneous buildings. In this regard, the main question of this article is; What similarities can be found between the geometric motifs of the Dadoes of building tiles of the Timurid period of Iran and the Dadoes in the illustrated manuscripts at simultaneous in terms of geometry (knot), glaze coloring and decorations used on the tiles? The current research is based on the method of descriptive-analytical research. Therefore, the method of collecting information and data is documented and based on objective observations, includes visiting buildings, taking pictures of tiled dadoes and line drawing of samples with different software such as Corel Draw, Photoshop, etc. In this regard, with the question raised; The comparative study of the geometric motifs of the tile plinths of the Timurid era buildings in Iran, with some of the illustrated manuscripts, in terms of the type of knots, the color of the glaze and the decorations on them, is the main goal of the article. The results obtained from the study are: shared aspects from the point of view of the type of nodes; It shows that most of the knots used in the buildings of this period, especially the "regular hexagonal" knot, are comparable to the knots of the plinths of the buildings in the illustrated manuscripts of the same period. In addition to knots, this commonality can also be seen in the field of glazing colors. For example, the color of turquoise glaze used in the "regular hexagon" knot, which is the dominant color of this type of knot in the dadoes of buildings, is also used as the dominant color in the dadoes of manuscripts. In addition to the turquoise color of the jade green (dark green) glaze, which is used less than the turquoise color in the dadoes of the buildings of this period, this feature can be seen even in the illustrations of the illustrated manuscripts. The painters of the illustrated manuscripts, in the field of plant motifs as well as the gilded decorations on them, have not completely followed the patterns of the tiles of the buildings, but have created creativity and innovations in them while preserving the generality and nature of the motifs; Therefore, the motifs of tiles in the pictures have appeared mostly in a schematic and abstract form. It can also be acknowledged that perhaps the activity of painters in the field of designing decorative motifs has provided the reason for this similarity, as they worked both as motif designers in galleries and as master craftsmen in the decoration of buildings.

Comparative analysis of form and composition, Minai wares motifs of the jame’a mosque of Isfahan with two pictures of Varqa and Gulshahof of Varqa and GulshahThe Seljukian period is one of the most brilliant artistic periods of Iran. At this period, the cities of Isfahan, Marv, Neishabuor, Herat, and Ray were gathering places for artists and artisans. The jame’a mosque of Isfahan is one of the religious, political, and artistic places in different periods, including Seljukian period. Most of the information about the formation and developments of the mosque is based on the excavation that was fulfilled during mosque restoration by the Italian delegation “ISMEO”. Part of the excavation findings related to different kinds of pottery including: glazed slip, Sgraffito, Lustre, pottery with monochrom glaze and design, underglaze painting, finally minai, blue, white, and silhouette potteries. Among these kinds of potteries, two cases of minai wares are selected to study and compare with Varqa and Gulshah pictures, and authors try to analyze them in terms of composition and form. The aim of this research is identity and visual analysis of minai wares motifs of the jame’a mosque of Isfahan and their relevance with Varqa and Gulshah pictures. The research question is, what has been the usage of form and composition in the minai wares of the mosque and Varqa and Gulshah pictures in the Seljukian period? This article is based on library data gathering and field studying with a descriptive-analytical method. In conclusion, Studies suggest that the minai wares designing method has been influenced by sheet versions of the Seljukian period. Likewise, there is a clear connection between Varqa and Gulshah pictures and minai wares pictures in terms of photofit technique, designing, and composition.Keywords:Minai ware, the jame’a mosque of Isfahan, Varqa and Gulshah, comparative studies, form, composition

The Dado refers to the lower part of the wall from the floor to a height of about one meter, and it often has different decorations than other parts of the wall. Dadoes, in different periods, are often done with decorations such as Brickwork, carving, Tilework, a combining stone and tile, etc and with divers plant and geometric designs and motifs. Tile dadoes of Timurid Monuments in Iran are no exception to this rule and as one of the most magnificent decorative effects in the architecture of this era, includes a unique collection of geometric motifs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to introduce and classify the geometric motifs of exquisite used in the Tilework Dadoes of Timurid Monuments in Iran and also Survey their Common features with other significant buildings Iran, in comparative studies. Therefore, the main question of this research is arisen as follows: What are the most common and major geometric motifs/ knots in the Tilework Dadoes of Timurid Monuments in Iran? Data collection has been made based on field research and written references that has analyzed the collected data from the samples through Historical-descriptive-comparative method and with a comparative approach based on geometric motifs. The results of this study, which are obtained from the study of Geometric Motifs of tile Dadoes of Timurid buildings in Iran, shows that; In the tile Dadoes of this period, the majority of ornaments , from the aspect of Geometric Motifs, are composed of numerical motifs on the basis of six, such as, "regular hexagonal" motifs, which are often located in Yazd province and often in turquoise color, "Six and Jointed Triangle", "Six and Stretched Give", "Six and roundel", "Six and Triangle", etc. The mentioned results, in addition to Iran, have been common in the buildings of other parts of the Timurid rule also the Dadoes of the tiles of the buildings of the illustrated manuscripts of this period. The Dado refers to the lower part of the wall from the floor to a height of about one meter, and it often has different decorations than other parts of the wall. Dadoes, in different periods, are often done with decorations such as Brickwork, carving, Tilework, a combining stone and tile, etc and with divers plant and geometric designs and motifs. Tile dadoes of Timurid Monuments in Iran are no exception to this rule and as one of the most magnificent decorative effects in the architecture of this era, includes a unique collection of geometric motifs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to introduce and classify the geometric motifs of exquisite used in the Tilework Dadoes of Timurid Monuments in Iran and also Survey their Common features with other significant buildings Iran, in comparative studies.

From of the 6th Century to the Mid-8th Century AH, concurrent with Seljuk, Khwarazmian and Ilkhanid dynasties in Iran, Lustre and Stucco techniques reached their pinnacle. Since there were many famous tilers in Kashan during this period, this city was considered as one of the early pioneers in making lustre products in Iran. These techniques were mostly used in making the mihrabs most of which are now kept in different museums of Iran and other countries. Some of the most important of these mihrabs are in the Astan Quds Razavi Museum, which belongs to the shrine of Imam Reza. In addition to the lustre mihrabs, many stucco mihrabs were made that were used in the buildings with different functions some of which are located in Kashan. The goal of this research is to identify and analyze the structural and decorative features of lustre mihrabs in Kashan and compare them with the stucco mihrabs of the same region in order to highlight the continuity of artistic traditions over time and study the effects of the structural and decorative features of lustre mihrabs on the stucco ones in Kashan over a certain period of time. Therefore, the author tries to answer the following questions: what are the most significant structural features, designs, motifs and inscriptions of lustre and stucco mihrabs in Kashan attributed to 6th Century to the Mid-8th Century AH? How much are stucco mihrabs influenced by the contemporary or older lustre mihrabs in terms of structure and decoration? The data were collected through field research methods (photography, drawing linear designs of the images) and are based on written and online resources which were then analyzed using a historical-comparative method. The results of these studies show that the artists who have made the stucco mihrabs in Kashan have used older and contemporary traditions that had been often used in making and decorating the lustre ones. These artists were greatly influenced by the lustre mihrabs in terms of total congruence, the form of arch (angled triangle), number of arcades, the form of spandrels, number of half columns, the form of capitals (vase-like) as well as decorative features, including extensive use of dense, elegant and multi-layered plant motifs and limited use of simple geometric motifs.

The Tomb of SheikhKhalifeh Khafr has a very important Status due to the existence of archirecture and various decoration such as carving, Wall paintings, stucco Decoration, Tile Decoration especially its tiled mihrab.Therefore, the leading research introduces Architectural ornaments of the tomb with emphasis on its unique tile mihrab,preserved in the Pars Museum in Shiraz. Therefore,one of the purposes of this article is to identify the types of decorations in The Tomb of SheikhKhalifeh Khafr. This study sought to answer the following questions; What are the decorative characteristics of The Tomb of SheikhKhalifeh Khafr and its tiled mihrab? What are the commonalities in factors of structure (general shape), Motifs and inscriptions,on the Tile mihrab of the Tomb of SheikhKhalifeh whit the tiling decoration of Timurid buildings? The collected data were then analyzed through the historical interpretive method.The results of this research indicate that the structure and appearance of the building,the use of Truncated Stone, the use of "regular hexagonal" knots in the dado, common Khataei elements in tiles and Wall paintings,are comparable in the architecture and decorations of this tomb with many buildings of Timurid period. The structure of an arch without a Stylar,the presence of a form/decoration by Scalloped or crenelation in the upper part of the mihrab,the Thuluth inscription with long and elongated vertical elongations,the composition and form of the arabesque vault and the arabesque ones forming a flexible one, etc. are among the features.The tile mihrab of the tomb is similar to many other mihrabs and tile decorations of this period.

Iranian architecture, like its other cultural and civilizational aspects, is an issue that has always been discussed with the confusion of matter and form, and among these, tombs and holy shrines have a sublime place in Iranian-Islamic art and architectural decorations in Different periods of Islamic history have been a large part of the art of Islamic lands, especially Iran. In this regard, in order to identify the architectural elements and decorations of the building of Imamzadeh Qasem and Zeyd in Azna in different historical periods, the answer to the research questions is: 1. What is the history of the historical building of Imamzadeh Qasem and Zeyd in Azna? 2. What are the decorative additions and elements of this building in different periods? In this article, while paying attention to the visual values ​​of Imamzadeh Qasem and Zeyd in Azna during different periods, in a descriptive-comparative method and with reference to library resources and based on field research and in part laboratory studies, the most significant components and decorative elements of Imamzadeh Qasem and Zeyd in Azna was introduced and examined. The result of research indicates that the elements and components of architecture and decoration in the building of Imamzadeh Qasem and Zeyd Azna as a living and expressive document of the periods; Ilkhanid, Timurid, Safavid and Qajar. In this research, an attempt has been made to explain the components and decorative elements of this building, which will be briefly discussed in this research.

Neyshabur, IranThe Ismā'iliyah is one of the most important sects of Shīʿite in the early and middle centuries of Islam, and despite the written historical sources indicating their presence in Arrajān State in the southwest of Iran, their castles and fortifications in this area, especially in the mountainous area to the north and east of it, has not been investigated and studied archaeologically so far. The most important goal of this article is the archaeological investigation and study of the castles attributed to them in this area. Therefore, this article seeks to answer that to what extent the number of castles attributed to this political-religious movement is consistent with the historical texts? The method of gathering the data of the article is based on library sources and archaeological survey of the studied castles and also has a descriptive-historical research method with a cultural history approach. The results of the following article show that due to the strategic geographical location and the economic importance of the Arrajān state for Ismā'iliyah, they entered the Arrajan state from the beginning of the fifth century AH. According to historical texts and comparison with archeological evidence, there have been more than four strong forts of the Ismā'iliyah bases that indicates the presence of followers of this sect in Arrajān region and their political and military activities in this region, especially during the Seljuk period

Inscriptions in the decorations of building of the Islamic period have been noticed by artists since the early Islamic centuries. Overtime, inscriptions are damaged by various factors and need to be restored. Considering that every year in the country, a large amount of restoration operations are carried out on damaged historical monuments, including inscriptions. It was seen through the investigation that in most cases the restorations are tasteful and sometimes incorrect. In order to find the most important causes of incorrect restoration in written inscriptions, the qualitative method was used, and the grounded theory method was used to analyze the data. This research is practical in terms of purpose. The data was collected through field observations and interviews with 12 people related to the restoration of inscriptions and by purposeful sampling, and the data continued until theoretical saturation was reached. The results of the research showed that in addition to the lack of criteria that agree with the theoretical foundations of restorations, due to the prominence of the calligraphy and category, factors such as self-centered empiricism, the variety of viewpoints, knowledge and awareness of the traditional master craftsman and the rules of restoration and the lack of the artistic perspective of the traditional master craftsman. For various reasons, inscriptions have led to incorrect restorations, and of course, the lack of training courses by the institutions in charge of restoration has also been involved. Also, the variety of approaches in the restoration of inscriptions and lack of attention to the rules governing the art of inscriptions are considered as the most important consequences of the restoration of inscriptions.

According to the geographical and historical sources of the early and middle Islamic centuries, Beladshapour Roustagh, with the center of the city of Joumeh is located in the northern part of Arjan Koureh, with its location in the Idank area of Kohgilouyeh. Despite the fact that these texts refer to climatic conditions and several mountainous fortresses in the area, the borders of this Roustagh have not been specified in historical texts and maps. The purpose of the present study is to identify the fortifications of Roustagh Baladshapour to determine the geographical scope of the area and its historical significance. This study seeks to answer these questions: 1. Given the role of defensive fortifications in the perspectives of political-administrative geographical units, to which historical era can political-military significance, and the formation of fortifications of Beladshapour be attributed? and 2. To what extent does the geographical scope of this Roustagh correspond to the written sources of the late Islamic centuries? In this paper, we will examine this issue using a descriptive-analytical and historical-analytical approach based on historical and geographical sources and archaeological evidence. The results indicated that the triple fortifications, as a defensive belt, protected the quadrilateral sides of the geographical scope of Baladshapour. The homogeneity of the pottery and the architectural structures demonstrate residence in these fortresses, at least since the beginning of the second century AH, during the reign of Gilouyeh and his descendants in this eastern mountainous region of Arjan. These fortresses appear to have been destroyed by the invasion of Ismailis at the same time as the Seljuk era and have been neglected by the political sovereignty in Kohgilouyeh since then.

About two centuries after the rise of Islam, the production of pottery in Iran gradually underwent dramatic changes. The pottery decorations, which were initially without patterns and simple, gradually expanded and human motifs became one of the most important decorative elements of the Lustre pottery of the Seljuk and Ilkhanid eras. The most important contribution of the artists of these centuries is in the construction, invention and evolution of Lustre pottery, in which human motifs can be seen many times on this type of pottery. Human motifs (male and female) are of great importance in the medieval Lustre pottery, which is reflected on these pottery based on the culture and civilization of its time. Therefore, this research began with the focus on studying and examining the Lustre pottery of the Glassaware and Ceramic's Museum of Iran's. and introducing it. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to get acquainted with and reflect on the types of human motifs in the studied Lustre pottery. Finally, to classify these types of motifs. In this regard, an attempt has been made to the question of what kind of scenes do the human motifs of the studied pottery contain? To be answered. The study method in the present study is descriptive-historical method and library resources and field collection have been used to explain the subject. The results indicate that human motifs as the most important ornaments of Lustre pottery in six groups, mainly used in the text of bowls and plates. Also, despite the fact that they have a variety of different decorations, the main image of the decoration is the responsibility of human motifs.

Taking a look at inscriptions and writing inscriptions in the ornamentation of Islamic era monuments have been used and considered by Muslim artists as a link of the handwriting and architecture since the early Islamic centuries, and this enduring art is still performed by the artists until the present time. Over time, historical monuments such as inscriptions are undoubtedly subjected to various damages, and these valuable works suffer from various perspectives of aesthetics, authenticity, unity, integrity, and readability. Since every year in the country, large-scale restoration operations are carried out and inscriptions are not excepted. Considering that inscriptions are accounted as an important part of the world's cultural heritage and are considered as the most important documents for research about historical monuments, but in most cases, the restoration of inscriptions is a matter of taste and sometimes are done incorrectly. For this reason, attempts were made to select some samples of restorations of written inscriptions and are critically studied from the viewpoint of the present theory restoration and the basics of visual arts. The results of the research indicate that the performed restorations are a matter of taste and the visual arts basics were not considered in the restoration of most of the written inscriptions, and the inscriptions have lost their beauty and integrity, readability and originality, etc. On one hand, there is a lack of criteria in accordance with the theoretical principles of restoration to restore the areas; there is lack of these categories of valuable written works. This issue has not been noticed not only in Iran, but also in the international community. Therefore, there is a need for a serious review of the issue of the criteria in accordance with the theoretical principles of restoration considering the importance of handwriting and calligraphy and observing the basics of the visual arts in the renovation of the written inscriptions. The results indicate that despite the lack of criteria for the restoration of the deficient area of inscriptions, the restorer should have an excellent command of maintaining integrity, authenticity and aesthetics, twelve components of calligraphy, different types of calligraphy, and the basics of visual arts, in addition to the theoretical foundations of restoration while restoring the deficient areas in the inscriptions. The research method of this article is qualitative and descriptively-comparative; the methods of finding in this research include field studies, reference to various sources and library studies and are applied in terms of purpose.

Kashan is one of the regions that, due to its historical background, has benefited from the existence of these stucco mihrabs in the course of the historic period. The tomb of Baba Afzal Kashani, located in the village of Marq in Karkhan, is one of the buildings that has been adorned with a stuccoed mihrab of the eighth century AH. The present study deals with the analysis of the structure , plant and geometric designs, inscriptions and their composition in the aforementioned stucco mihrab and intends to emphasize its assignment to the eighth century AH by explaining the characteristics of the visual features of the designs and their composition used in this mihrab and comparing it with some samples of dated plaster works. So the main question of this research are as follows: What are the significant features of the decorations of the mihrab of Baba Afzal Tomb and to what extent are these characteristics similar to the mihrabs or the plaster works of eighth century AH? The data was collected through field research, i.e. photography- linear analysis of the images, and based on written resources which analyze the data obtained from the study samples through a comparative historical approach. The results show that plant motifs, i.e. arabesque and khataie, and especially their unique decorations, i.e. using geometric, tear-like ajdekari, multi-level, dense and unstructured compositions, thuluth inscription of the mihrab border in a background of plant motifs (khate stem with lilies), the method of creating the thuluth inscription letters and the way to use geometric motifs in the tomb of Baba Afzal are similar to other mihrabs and plaster works of eighth century, especially those located in Isfahan and Tehran. It is worth noting, however, that in structural terms, the arch shape (angular form) in the second blind arcade of the mihrab of Baba Afzal is similar to stucco mihrabs or the golden tiling (seventh and eighth centuries) of Kashan.

Water transfer technology has played an essential role in forming and survival of urban centers in different periods. One of the features of this technology is the water disposal system, which has not been addressed as it should be. It seems that the Sassanids have worked hard in this regard and have shown to what extent, as an infrastructure, it has been decisive, effective, and important for other methods of water transfer. Questions were raised after field studies and literature review on water transfer methods in Firuzabad plain. 1- According to the geographical and environmental features of Firuzabad plain, what strategies were considered for the disposal of surface and groundwater during the Sassanid and Islamic Periods? 2- What effect has made the implementation of this coherent system on the formation and continuity of settlements and the economy of Firuzabad plain? The research approach is historical-descriptive-analytical and has been done using library and field studies. The field study covers the extent of Firuzabad plain with an area of 276 square kilometers. In this area, the water facilities, including river, spring, waterway, qanat, bridge dam, flood dam, and annual rainfall, were studied. These studies clarify that in the Sassanid period, the water disposal system was one of the most important and determining factors in the formation of infrastructure and urban development and other systems and technologies of water transfer in Firuzabad plain. The exact policies adopted have been maintained and exploited by the inhabitants of the plain until the present century. Also, the native names used in this regard are very important and significant. More importantly, it deals with the reasons for the formation of Ardeshir Khowarah in the eastern part of the river. Using archaeological and anthropological findings, this research identifies the water disposal methods of this plain and introduces the advantages of using them.

ding caravansaries has been one of the most important civil and welfare activities of Iranians during historical and islamic centuries. Although numerous researches have been done by former researchers, there are many untold things to clarify the changes of this form of architecture. In south of Iran (Khouzestan and Kohgiluyeh & Boyer Ahmad provinces) there are some caravansaries left from the last centuries. It is belived that the investigation of these structures helps the better understanding of changing trend of building caravansaries in Iran, especially in its southern parts. Among them, an old caravansary located in the vicinity of Mohammad Abad village, Dezhe-Mahtabi caravansary, KhanAvaz caravansary (in Kohgilouyeh & Boyer Ahmad province) , Darvazeh - Gach caravansary (located in Ramhormoz city in Khouzestan province), and many others in Lar region (Fars province) could be mentioned. The question which we are going to find its answer in this study is that: What is the most important charactristic of simple caravansaries in southwest of Iran and how has been the history and the evolution of them? The method used in this survey are descriptive-conformative and also historical-analytical approaches. While investigating historical resources about road connections in the region during islamic period and archeological evidence of Mohammad Abad caravansary, the authors have made an attempt to evaluate the similarity of this caravansary with other similar caravansaries in Kohgilouyeh & Boyer Ahmad, Khouzestan, Fars, and another similar building in western Qasr-alheir in Syria.In terms of plan and overall map, Mohammed Abad caravanserai is comparable to “Darvazegach” caravanserai which is known as the oldest caravanserai in Iran, belonging to the Sassanid period. However, in terms of overall dimensions, Mohammed Abad caravanserai is considered as a larger sample of “Darvazegach” caravanserai. Although it is comparable to Dezhmahtabi caravanserai in the fifth century AH/10th century CE in terms of the materials used, the type of arch (crescent arch), and the pillars applied, according to the list of stations on Arjan-Semirom route mentioned by Moghaddassi (the fourth century AH/10th centuries CE; the oldest historical text about the historical route of Arjan-Isfahan), the first station from Arjan is Kenesht Majoosan. It is possible that Dezhmahtabi caravanserai is the station mentioned by Moghaddassi. Since Mohammad Abad caravanserai is the second well-known caravanserai in Kohgiluyeh, which is about 2-day travel (60 km) from Arjan, it is the same station mentioned by Moghaddassi (Gharyeh is the second station on Arjan-Isfahan route). Thus, the construction of Mohammad Abad caravanserai can be attributed to at least the fourth century AH. Although it is not possible to neglect the presence of Dehdasht 10 km east of Mohammad Abad caravanserai, which was probably called the village of Al-Dasht initially and Dehdasht in the Safavid era with a significant position in the Kuhgiluyeh region, artifacts not older than Seljuqid period have been found there. It is noteworthy that the third station on this historical route is the city of Ziz in the 4th century AH/10th century CE, Ziz and Gharyeh stations were built simultaneously. Moghaddasi stated that Ziz was a small town located along the Taab River, where meat, walnuts, and fruits were cheap, and the central mosque, which began in 367 AH/ 977 CE, was left unfinished until 368 AH/978 CE when he was still there. Mohammad Abad caravanserai is also comparable to north and south Khan Avaz caravanserais on the Arjan-Shiraz route, which are attributed to the fourth and fifth centuries AH based on the study of surface potteries. It should be noted that during the fourth and fifth centuries AH/ 10th-11th centuries CE, Kohgiluyeh was part of Fars province, which was under the rule of Al-Bouye (327-432 AH/ 938-1040 CE); therefore, it is possible to attribute the construction of this caravanserai to Al-Bouye. It is said that “Azud Al-Dawla” constructed 3,000 mosques and inns in the late 4th century AH, mostly in western parts of Iran. Al-Bouye caravanserais in this region are probably part of the network of caravanserais built based on Al-Bouye caravan program. Mohammad Abad caravanserai was used by the tribes of the region during the Pahlavi era. The parts of the caravanserai restored with rock and mortar are related to this period. In the 1990s, as the city of Mohammad Abad emerged, the ceiling and walls of the caravanserai were extensively demolished and its gypsum was used for the construction of new houses. The simple architecture of these caravansaries, which had long spaces suitable for keeping the horses of the caravans, suggests a function beyond the accommodation of travelers and is probably rooted in “Chapar Khaneh” originating from the Achaemenid period. As we know, a number of caravanserais were the means of conducting “Barid” or dispatching political-official messages, that had maintained their importance from the Achaemenid period to the Islamic middle centuries. Barid was arranged on regular intervals at intermediate stop points and by changing horses, and in addition to delivering documents and messages quickly, it was an obvious means of transferring military and civilian information (ibid: 438). Barid in the south-west communication routes in Iran was more important than other parts of Iran, because the major capitals of Iran were in Fars from the Achaemenid period to the Al-Bouye period, and the important way connecting the western centers of the Persian empire from Shusha and Ctesiphon to the center of Fars passed from Khuzestan and Kohgiluyeh. What has been reported about this way in the Islamic era is the mention of places such as Farzuk, Bandak, Hebs, Khan Hammad, Jonbaz or Gonbad Molghan. Therefore, it is not beyond expectations that the form of these caravansaries would be the continuation of pre-Islamic monuments for Chapar Khanes which had the task of informing and conveying governmental documents to various parts of the empire. However, what does this form in the Western Qasr Al-Hayr collection indicate? As historical sources show, with the establishment of the Umayyad system in the middle of the first century AH and the reversal of the Islamic government towards the royal government and the proclamation of Muawiyah as the first king of the Arabs, he established Barid by consulting his Persian and Roman advisors in order to fulfill his goals in the administrative system of the government. He aimed to set up the Supreme Court to speed up the collection of news and information in the areas under management, secure the roads and counterespionage operations, repel the evil of bandits, care for and repair roads, bring Khalifa’s secret news to senior officials, and provide regular reports on financial, military, and civilian affairs and its dissemination. At the Umayyad era, Barid expenditure was forty million Dirhams, which is twice the amount spent by the next dynasty, the Abbasids. Koureh Arjan and Kohgilouyeh region, in the course of the Achaemenid and Sassanid dynasties, linked Asia Minor through Mesopotamia to Susa, Arjan, and Estakhr. The Silk Road also passed Baghdad, Halwan, and Nasibain and reached, after crossing the Euphrates, the city of Hierapolis and the port of Antioch on the Mediterranean coast. In the Islamic period, this region maintained its communication position through which the economic relationship of Fars was established with the centers of the Islamic caliphate in the Chamat in the Umayyad period (Syria and Jordan) and Iraq during the Abbasid period (Basra, Baghdad, and Al-Vaset), and an important commercial route passed from this region to Isfahan. Therefore, it is not beyond expectations to notice the formation and construction of this type of caravanserais in Syria during the Umayyad period.In this study, Mohammad Abad caravansary was investigated by using historical resources and archeological evidence and it has been illustrated that this caravansary and other similar caravansaries are dating back to Sasanid to Al-Booyeh era. The building lack any castle in corners, but the remained evidence suggests a guarding room on the top of their entrance. Curved roofs and similar dimensions of them are two others main charactristics of these buildings. The similar appearance of these caravansaries implies the existence of a coherent plan from road building authorities of Sasanid to Saljuqi period. If these structures are put in the texture of the regions which are under investigation, considering the fact that Darvazeh-Gach is attributed to Sasanid period, it would be probable that with the formation if Arjan city and its importance in the south of Iran, constructing caravansaries has been one of the most necessities of communication with other regions in Iran and with the five regions. And it should be mentioned that historians have noticed the importance of Arjan area in Al-Booyeh period. Transformation of the wealth acquired from agriculture and trade in this region, had resulted in paying attention to roads in Arjan region and to the construction of public facilities like caravansaries and numerous bridges which is recognized better by doing archeological investigations. Anyway, archeological evidence show that this caravansary has been built in Sasanid and Al-Booyeh periods. However, considering the fact that there has been no archeological study about the beneath parts of the building and probable adjoints, these kinds of studies seem necessary to investigate revolutionary trend of caravansaries located in south of Iran in details. These studies are also having a pivotal role in understanding questions about the reasons why these caravansaries are small and the reasons for not observing security principles in building them. In late islamic period, in which constructing caravansaries was very common, many of them has been built in Lar region in Fars province and demonstrates the continuation of this form of architecture in this period. Yet, these caravansaries are not like what researchers described them as four-porches buildings, and they lack any kind of Porch. The only porch in them might be their entrance part. The practical aspects of these building as stables in three sides of them, compared to low attention paid to providing rooms for passengers, make researchers to remember Chapar houses which were built in islamic period, specifically the early centuries, in accordance with Achaemenid innovations. Hence, the roads on which these buildings have been established (roads like Khouzestan to Fars), have had a great importance in Achaemenid to Sasanid period.

"Symbol"is a collection of signs, indications, and words that denote a higher meaning and concept than its appearance. In other words, symbols are used to express concepts that roots of many of them can be found in the history of predecessors and myths. Artwork is one of the most suitable platforms for the emergence of the symbol. In the meantime,"pottery"is one of the most important art works in early Islamic centuries, which it contains many symbols among the"cows", and can be traced its implications in the myths of historical and Islamic periods. The aim of this study, semiotics of cow with regard to social conditions, religious and the idea and beliefs of the people of the early Islamic centuries through analysis of historical documents. Hence, following the semiotics of cow, the following question is raised: What is the origin of the cow symbol on the Neyshabur pottery? The research method is historical-analytical and based on library studies. In the process of research, we first began to collect statistical samples from museums, designing motifs with CorelDraw software; and in the following, library studies have been conducted to identify the subject matter of the cow in historical documents. The achievement of studying the cow symbol and its conception in the pottery of Neyshabur suggests that, considering the importance of cow in livelihoods of people in different historical periods and using of: meat, skin, milk, fats (for domestic heating and cooking) along with its efficiency in portage and plowing, can be imagen such icons as: power and strength, fertility and fecundity, which these symbols can be traced from prehistoric times to the aforementioned period in different artistic works and have common concepts. In addition to the above mentioned concept, other symbols, such as the combination of cattle with humans, the composition of cows with birds, are found in Neyshabur's pottery with astronomical and religious concepts and their origin is specific to Islamic beliefs.

The Dome of Sultaniyya is one of the most important monuments of the Ilkhanid era in Iran, which has an octagonal plan, eight minarets, and three sections including the dome chamber, turbat-khana, and the cellar. It is abundantly decorated with tilework, stucco, brickwork, etc. One of the key architectural ornaments in this building is geometric decorations that are applied either singularly or in combination with other designs or inscriptions. The purpose of this study is to introduce and derive the typology of geometric decorations used in the architectural ornaments of the Dome of Sultaniyya. Therefore, the main question here is to introduce geometric decorations in the architectural ornaments of the Dome of Sultaniyya and the introduction of their significant types. Data was collected through both field and library research following a descriptive-analytical method. The results of the study show that the use of geometric decorations is among the key types of decorations in this monument, seen in almost all parts of the building such as arches, wall surfaces, etc. These decorations consist mainly of intricate gerehs [lit., knots] and their integration with plant motifs and inscriptions. Different technical applications increase the complexity, variety, and beauty of these decorations. Most gerehs are based on six-, eight-, ten-, and twelve-pointed polygons, which make them exquisite and extensive. Also, the tradition of “transforming knotwork” is considered as one of the important types of decoration in this building.

Most studies on numerous potteries found in archaeological excavations are aimed at understanding people s mentality and beliefs in that era, in case that these images are externally and naturally roots of our visual art. The recent analytical-historical study will review visual structure of the illustrations in Iran plateau B.C with a formalist approach. The study is based on painted potteries and it is aimed at achieving visual characteristics. Studying vessel forms, elements and visual principle used in images clarifies the dominant visual features and provides context for categorizing samples based on the region’s visual priorities which include density of motifs, compositional structure of illustration and its elements, and type and repetition of motifs. Fars’s Tall-e Bakun is chosen as this study’s case geography because of its geographical extent, plurality of findings and its rich images. Visual samples are gathered by studying excavation reports and observing museum objects. In Tall-e Bakun b’s findings, vessel forms are limited. There’s a density of motifs in image frames, margins, in Tall-e Bakun a’s findings. Variety of motifs outnumbers variety of composition and structure. Visual elements were complementary in most images. However, a few vessels were illustrated only by using them. Visual equality between positive shapes and negative space is the unique feature of many images in this era. Movement and rotation are mostly observed in not band-based structures or animal expressive motifs. After visual analysis and visual criteria determination of motifs, vessels were classified as two major categories of either Fully-Painted or Scattered-Painted. Each category ‘s images were also classified into subgroups based on visual structure, elements of structure, quantity, type and method of motifs’ repetition. More than 90 percent of available vessels specially the scattered ones have band-based structures. Most images are fully painted with a single row or two rows of motifs.

Minaret in Islamic architecture has almost a lifetime in the history of Islam Considering the rulers, this architectural element has become one of the hallmarks of Islamic power, with its various functions appearing in various forms throughout the Islamic world In the Seljuk period, minarets were used for use such as the path finding mill and memorial of the victory During this period, the minarets with many ornamentation and various inscriptions had played the role of expressing of the concepts desired by their creators.This article aims to achieve a cognition of Khasrogerd minaret in Sabzevar during the Seljuk period and seeks to identify its function and its implications in its recognition In this path, it has also been paid to the nature of this virtu and the research is resulted to the conclusion that The Khosrogerd minaret was an independent minaret, commissioned by Abolqhasem Ali ebn Saeid, the governor of Sultan Sanjar, in the year 505 AH on the way to Nasabur. This minaret is constructed with two inscription strips on the Kofi line with a lacquered bricks style With the themes of the command of construction and verse of the Qur'an,Simultaneously, with the help of travelers, by resorting to possibility of orienting its structure with passers-by, it is based on the power located in the region, the religion based on the place and the city limits.Also, by choosing the 11th verse of the Sura Juma, fillip a religion-driven flip to the lovers of the zar roads.

Oil mill One of the major industrial centers in big citeis, from Ancient to present time, It has different dimensions that physical environment in it, Tools and implements,  Knowledge and science related to this industry, Mixed together and Products extracted from oilseeds to produce multiple uses. Because of the production of oily products, It takes a long time and efficient power and achive very hard, so its worthwhile product and need the Proper storage conditions and equipment Which is in this direction pottery have Important role in oil mill. So There are some questions about this research: 1) What are the pottery characteristics that use in oil mills? 2) What is their role and function in oil mill? 3) What kind oil mills pottery, in the category of potterys? These are questions that answers this Research with historical-descriptive approach and Classifies according to Written Resources, anthropological Research, observation number oil mills of Isfahan province , and By specifying the characteristics of an oil mills dishes especially Shifting and save Jars of clay; such as different type of glaze container, The capacity of dishes, Especially how they are placed in oil mills, compare them whith similar pre-historic to present day. Conclude of this research is that the oil mills pottery are a special kind of pottery that is produced only for workshop collections &  Kind of storage containers in category of Local pottery.