جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « دوره صفویه » در نشریات گروه « هنر و معماری »

The Safavid Era is one of the most significant periods in the promotion of Iranian art, especially in the design and production of carpets. During this Era, carpet weaving flourished and attention to the structure, size and composition of carpet designs caused a unique diversity in the design and motif of Iranian carpets, the effects of which continue to this day. One of the common types of carpets in the Safavid period is Medallion carpet, which is a function of the 1/4 method in terms of map structure. The structure of carpet maps and their design methods form the main shape of the carpet and other stages of carpet production are based on the map. The carpet map specifies where to place what pattern and what color this pattern should have and in what order its knots should be tied. However, the structural part of carpet maps has not been paid enough attention in recent years and more attention has been paid to the symbolic features of patterns in carpet maps, which is of course a proper and appropriate thing to do, but it should not lead to neglecting the principles governing the design of the map. Because this will cause irreparable damage to the structure of carpet designs over time. One of the important periods in the elevation of carpet maps in Iran is the Safavid period. In this period, the government's attention to carpet weaving led to the prosperity and expansion of this art in such a way that the carpets produced in the mentioned period are now the adornment of most museums in Iran and the world, and by referring to them, the map principles and the designs and motifs of Iran's carpets during the Safavid era can be understood and extracted, so they can be employed in the design of new maps. Medallion maps are one of the types of carpet maps in the Safavid period, which created a wide range of different compositions based on the decorations made in their context. In terms of the structure of the design and composition, these maps have five main parts of medallion, inscription, cartouche, field and border, which are divided into different types according to the characteristics of medallion and decorations used in the carpet field. In the initial survey and cursory look, the maps of Safavid era, in terms of the structure of the map and the design method, appear to be ¼, but with a closer look, it is clear that it is contrary to what is currently common, these maps have subtleties in design and composition that make their design method out of the ¼ structure. A medallion carpet known as Anhalt, which was produced in the early Safavid period, has a medallion design and the general structure of the map is 1/4. Considering that, this carpet has remained intact so far, it can convey useful information about the design method of Safavid carpets. This research has been done with the aim of explaining the structure and design method of Anhalt Medallion Carpet and seeks to reveal the hidden layers in the composition of the design of this carpet. The  research questions are: 1. What is the structure of Anhalt medallion carpet map? 2. How is the map of this carpet designed? The current research is a type of developmental research that was carried out using a descriptive-analytical method. The method of collecting information is literature review . The statistical population is the medallion carpets of the Safavid period in Iran, among which three items that are more similar in terms of external structure have been selected in a purposeful way, and after a brief review, a medallion carpet known as Anhalt is used as an example, has been further analyzed. The analysis of the research data was done qualitatively using the carpet map structure analysis method. In this method, first, the structure and various components of the carpet map are specified and each of these components is described. Then, the design method of each of these parts has been analyzed separately and the different layers of the design have been revealed.The concept of structure in Medallion carpetsThe term structure in the current research refers to the arrangement and arrangement of the elements in the carpet. Structure analysis in this research is examined from two perspectives. The first concept refers to the external structure of the work and means the format and the general body of the design. From this point of view, the studied carpets are placed in the group of medallion carpets of the Safavid period. In the second concept, the internal structure is intended and it examines and analyzes the placement and arrangement of elements and micro-motifs. In the definition of structure, Jean Piaget said: "Structure is the expression of a whole, that is, its parts have internal coordination and correlation". The structure of medallion carpets is also like a text, which its motifs and visual elements have a coherent system and internal correlation. The samples studied in this research are three of the medallion carpets woven during the Safavid period in Iran, which are currently kept in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The external structure of these carpets is similar to each other and consists of border, field, medallion, inscription, and, cartouche, so all these carpets can be included in the group of medallion rugs. But they are different in terms of internal structure and other motives. Anhalt Medallion Carpet was woven in the early Safavid period (the first half of the 16th century) and measures 419.1 x 792.5 cm. Its warp and weft are made of cotton and silk, and its pile is made of wool. This carpet is currently kept in the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Before its sale by Joseph Duveen to Samuel Kress, the carpet is reputed to have belonged to the Anhalt princess of Dessau, whose ancestors may have acquired it through military campaigns against the Ottoman Turks in the late seventeenth century. The structure of Safavid period medallion rugs can be examined from two point of view. A: The external structure of the carpet, which includes the overall composition of the design, and based on this, the external structure of these carpets consists of parts such as the border, the field, the border, the inscription, and the cartouche. B: The internal structure of the carpets, which includes other motives that are used to design and decorate the interior of the aforementioned sections, and are made of elements such as flowers, leaves, buds, arabesque, and pictures of birds and animals. The external structure of medallion rugs has a multi-layered composition. In the first layer, the general composition of the map is defined as ¼, and the location of borders, field, inscriptions, and cartouches is determined by using peripheral lines and color separators. In the second layer, the inner space of each component of the map of these carpets is decorated separately. The results of the research showed that the design and production of carpets in the Safavid period received the attention of the government and many carpets in different sizes and designs were produced in this period. One of the factors of diversity in the design and size of carpet maps in the Safavid period, in addition to the patronage of the court, is the collaboration of painters from royal workshops in preparing maps. Currently, most of the carpets related to this period are adorning the great museums of the world, and medallion carpets are one of the prominent examples that are decorated using curved maps and simple motifs. The map structure of medallion carpet, known as Anhalt, like the other two carpets, has a two-layer design. In the first layer, the overall composition of the map is done by ¼ method, and then in the second layer, each component of the carpet map is designed separately with a specific layer structure and is placed in the form of the overall composition of the map. Although the map of this rug looks like ¼ in general, but by analyzing the details of the design, including the medallion, inscriptions, cartouches, the field and the corners of the rug's edge, it was found that the details of each of the elements in the longitudinal direction of the carpet map, there are few differences and this has caused the map to go out of ¼ state and become ½. Therefore, it can be concluded that the weaving of this carpet, like other medallion carpets of the Safavid period, was done by the ½ method.

With the beginning of Safavid rule from the tenth century AH, the innovative creation of rugs with a different structure (design and weave) from the past took place in the first hundred years. Rugs in all original samples have a specific structure based on context and border. Borders are the most stable and regular rug spaces; consisting of repeating decorative qualities due to their spatial restrictions. Arabesques are one of the most frequent motifs in Safavid regional rugs and their borders. The samples searchable in this study, based on the existing identity and related to the rugs of the tenth century, belong to the six regions of Tabriz, Garabag, Bakhshayesh, Kashan, Kerman and Herat. It is obvious that the strong history of these areas in the field of culture, politics and art has turned them into centers for the production of works of art such as exquisite Safavid rugs.It is necessary to identify and present the most effective motifs and decorative patterns inspired by them in the borders of old urban rugs with a focus on products from different regions of Safavid Iran to be able to push the current traditional design towards the use of the artistic treasures of the past and to strengthen the design of current products based on the promotion of traditional and indigenous principles of the regions. Receiving stable decorative examples in the Iranian original traditional design and how artists use them in different spaces of works of art (case study of rugs’ border) are the main purpose of this article and answer the following two questions;1-How is the arabesque motif in the borders of 10th century AH rugs from the point of view of traditional carpet design in terms of types, decorative structures and placement?2-What is the distinguishing feature of the use of arabesque motif in the rugs’ border of the (quintet) weaving areas of the tenth century AH?In this paper, the research method is comparative analysis and data collection based on library and internet information (Metropolitan Museum Portal, V&A Museum Portal and MFA Museum Portal). It is also a tool for collecting information, studying, observing and preparing linear images of samples in the mentioned sources. In the first hundred years of Safavid rule, carpet weaving had a considerable growth in quantity and quality. Based on this, the rugs of the tenth century AH have been selected as the statistical population of this study due to their high diversity and local weave of which, 22 samples with the focus on the existence of arabesque in their decorative patterns were studied. Also the borders of studied samples should be free of damage and accordingly, sampling in the present paper has been done in a non-random way to achieve representativeness or comparability. In this method, the researcher seeks to reach a sample that represents a wider group of samples. The method of data analysis is qualitative with a structural content analysis approach. In this way, the authors categorized the three qualities based on arabesque usage in the border of the rugs based on the linear images extracted from the samples to be able to describe the distinctive features of the motif in productions of different regions.By analysis of 22 samples of the 10th century AH rugs from six rug weaving regions of Iran, with the focus on arabesque application in the border, the questions of the article were answered. In answer to the first question, by analyzing the linear images of the borders, the five types of arabesque are simple, floral, cloud band and dragon mouth, and six decorative systems including Sainak (Ghalamdani), reciprocating, floral arabesque, meander arabesque band, arabesque frame or symmetrical combinations, free cloudy arabesque and their application in three separate parts, main and sub-border, main border and sub-border were registered. In answer to the second question, most of the applications of arabesque motif and its types belonged to Tabriz and Herat rugs and in terms of decorations compression, the Tabriz, Herat and Garabag rugs were in the forefront. Examples of Tabriz and Herat were distinguished by the benefit of a variety of decorative structures. Also in Tabriz, Garabag and Kashan rugs, arabesque had been used in all three border areas. Therefore, the borders of Tabriz and Herat rugs were in the forefront in benefiting from the three qualities of arabesque motif.

Niche Rugs are among the hand-woven items that were widely designed and produced in the Safavid era, and due to the type of use, design structure and content, they are closely related to each other. The general structure of the design of these rugs has two parts. The upper part is decorated with religious themes and the lower part of the design is decorated with Eslimi and Khatai motifs and trees and flowers. One of these rugs is the one in the Topkapi Museum. The present study, aims to analyze the structure and content of the Niche Rug design kept in the Topkapi Museum, and seeks to answer these questions: 1. what is the basis of the structure of the Niche rug in Topkapi Museum? 2. what effect did this structure and its decorations have on the theme of the rug? The research method is descriptive-analytical and the method of collecting information is library and documentary based. Data analysis has also been done qualitatively. The studied body is an embroidered rug measuring 114 × 163 cm with a niche design that has an asymmetrical knot. The carpet is kept in the Topkapi Museum and was woven in the 16th century in Kashan. In terms of the structure of the pattern, this rug is designed in 1/2 way and has a multi-part structure in the design according to the composition of the niche rugs of the Safavid era. The most important components of the design of this rug are: the border, the background and the niche, which are analyzed in the continuation of the design structure and content of each of the mentioned sections. In the present study, according to Coomaraswamy's view that the motifs are not decorative, the structure of the design and the themes hidden in it have been analyzed. Niche rugs are among the woven handicrafts that have a different structure from other Safavid rugs due to their type of use. Although some pieces of the Safavid era have also used inscriptions, the most important difference between the inscriptions of the niche rugs and the inscriptions of other rugs of this era is the connection between the themes of the inscriptions used in them and the subject of prayer which has a close relationship. These inscriptions are mainly located in the upper part of the niche. In the lower part and at the center of the rug, because they are placed under the feet of the worshipers, depicted motifs have hidden themes and it seems that there is a strong connection between the appearance and the meaning of these motifs. The present study seeks to reveal their hidden layers. Given that Coomaraswamy is one of the researchers who believes that in traditional arts there is a deep connection between the form and meaning of the work of art, we have tried to analyze and interpret the content of the carpet design by referring to his views, and therefore, it is necessary to first clarify the mentioned views on the motifs and the relationship between form and meaning in a work of art. He analyzes and interprets the theme of the mentioned carpet design. The results of the research show that the design and overall composition of the pattern of this rug is based on 1/2 method and is designed in several parts. In the first part, the general composition of the pattern is specified as 1/2. In the second part, verses, names of God and inscriptions have been added to the pattern. The addition of inscriptions has changed the pattern from ½ to an all-over design. Lotus presence in the center of the rug represents an Iranian design that has become an Iranian-Islamic motif with the presence of numerous borders, full of verses and inscriptions under the front of this motif. Because in it, the accompaniment of Iranian and Islamic text, and in some cases the substitution of Iranian text instead of Islamic one is observed. The borders that change the composition also refer to a general meaning that denotes the behavior and ascension of the worshiper; the behavior that has Iranian and Islamic characteristics. The artist consciously or unconsciously, by placing a lotus flower on top, shows the presence of the verbal texts in the rug, and the ascension and excellence by a woman. This is an idea that is deeply rooted in Shiism. Due to the fact that both form and content refer to the excellence of the seeker in the rug, according to Coomaraswamy's opinions, the rug can be considered as a traditional art, in which the design and motifs are not decorative, but complement the formation of effects.

Despite being less known, Markazi province is one of the regions with ancient wooden works. A large number of wooden works from different Islamic centuries have been identified in this province, which mainly include wooden chests from the Safavid period. Today, these chests are sometimes kept inside some imamzadehs of the province, due to various reasons, direct access to some of them is not possible or they have been destroyed to a large extent. Therefore, it was necessary to investigate and study them in independent research before further destruction of these works or their disappearance. In this connection, it should be mentioned that no independent research has been done on these funds so far. The main goal of the current research is to investigate and study the wooden chests of the Safavid period in Markazi province. The nature of the current research is fundamental and it is done in a descriptive-analytical way based on field and library studies. By conducting this research, 20 wooden chests belonging to the Safavid period were identified, which mainly belong to the reign of Shah Tahmasab. In these boxes, various decorative methods were identified, which sometimes have a local style. These works were made in some settlement centers of the province such as Kasowa and mainly Jafari Shia religious rites were written on them. By conducting this research, 20 wooden chests belonging to the Safavid period were identified, which mainly belong to the reign of Shah Tahmasab. In these boxes, various decorative methods were identified, which sometimes have a local style. These works were made in some settlement centers of the province such as Kasowa and mainly Jafari Shia religious rites were written on them. By conducting this research, 20 wooden chests belonging to the Safavid period were identified, which mainly belong to the reign of Shah Tahmasab. In these boxes, various decorative methods were identified, which sometimes have a local style.

Monographs have been used in the art of book design in the Islamic Era, which, in addition to decorating the pages of books, have helped the audience to better understand the story. This method has also been used in decorating epic stories such as Shahnameh. During the Safavid era, due to the government's attention to art, especially carpet weaving, the images of these paintings were also used in the design of carpet maps. Due to the fact that hunting among prehistoric peoples has been mixed with human life, it had a ritualistic aspect and rituals and ceremonies were arranged for it, This is evident in the works left by the art of different prehistoric peoples. In the recent centuries, hunting became more ceremonial and turned into a ceremony for the war-making practice of kings and courtiers. Due to the importance of the subject of hunting, its related scenes have been depicted in the art of different Eras. Among the early examples of the role of the hunting ground in Iranian art, we can mention the rock paintings of Koohdasht region in Lorestan, which show hunting scenes with bows and arrows and animals, such as horses, deer, mountain goats, and dogs. However, in pre-Islamic Iran, the peak of the importance of hunting can be found in the hunting stories of Bahram, the Sassanid king. In this Era, hunting scenes are one of the special cultural characteristics of the royal class, because most of the works obtained from hunting scenes belong to kings, and the quality of the scenes also speaks for it. In Iran after Islam, the study of the history of the hunting motives shows that the Safavid Era was the era of the revival of this motif, especially in the art of carpet weaving. The Design Hunting Graound (Shekargah) appeared in the Safavid era, In addition to painting in carpet weaving, which was under the special support of the court during this Era, the weaving of Shekargah carpets became popular since this time. It is obvious that such carpets were exclusive to royal palaces and buildings, such as Aali-Qapu and Chehelsotoon. In the current research, which was carried out using a descriptive-analytical method, information was obtained about the hunting ground carpets first by library research and then by museum research of the remaining samples of this Era. One of the examples of the hunting ground carpets from the Safavid Era is the hunting ground carpet, which is kept in the Poldi Pezzoli Museum in Milan, Italy. This carpet can convey useful information about the features of the hunting scene image and the traditions hidden in it. The purpose of the current research is to answer this basic question about the Safavid Era rug of the Milan Museum: how can the narration of the visual system in the mentioned carpet be explained? The current research is based on the purpose of development, the research method is descriptive-analytical and the method of collecting information is library. The analysis of the research data was done qualitatively using the carpet map structure analysis method. The results of the research show that the designer has used two writing and visual methods in designing the map of this carpet for narration: the writing style of narration is used in the inscription of this carpet and the story of the history of the weave and the name of the weaver. However, the phrase "made from the efforts of Ghiyath-ol-Din Jaami - this is how well this work is famous" is not clear enough, and it is not clear whether Ghiyath-ol-Din Jaami was the designer of the carpet, or the weaver or the person who ordered it. This brings about the diversity of narratives in this regard among which the Pope's narrative can be mentioned in particular. Pope (2008) believes: from the above statement, it is clear that "this carpet was designed and supervised by a man who came from the city of Jaam in Khorasan, and there is no other city named Jaam in Iran. Of course, this relation of Jaami is not the proof that this Ghiyath-ol-din himself was born in Jaam or even that his place of work was in Jaam. However, this ratio clearly indicates that his family lived in this city at that time or at a time before that. Ghiyath- ol-Din or perhaps his father was probably one of the artists who migrated from Khorasan in the early 10th century of Hijri to take advantage of the new opportunities and facilities that were available after the Safavid renaissance and newness in the court of Shah Ismail had begun". "Regarding the reading [number] of the inscription of this carpet, there is also a difference of opinion among carpet experts, and due to the illegibility of the middle digit, there are two different narrations in this regard. Pope put the date included in the inscription as 929 (A.H.) and some other researchers, including Malool, have been diagnosed 949 (A.H.). Regarding the visual method of narration and the use of images of hunting and combat scenes in this rug, two narratives can be considered: One is rooted in the mythological history of these motifs and the other can have a cultural and social origin. The first narrative, which considers the pre-text of these images to be related to the mythological history of the motifs, can be found in the ritual and ancient rituals of Iran. Because the fighting of animals with each other, in addition to providing entertainment for the people and the king, also had a ritual aspect. For example, the battle of lion and bull, which is also considered in the art of ancient Iran, was considered in this era in the carpets of the Safavid hunting ground. The origin of this ritual can be found in the ceremony of fighting between the lion and the cow that Chardin Visiting Isfahan has reported recycling. It is also possible to refer to the images of Bahram, the Sassanid king's battle with two lions, in which Bahram faces two hungry lions and destroys them in order to regain the crown. The second narrative has paid attention to the cultural and social records of this ceremony. This ceremony itself can have a mythological pre-text. In the Islamic Era, the mythological function of these motifs was no longer intended, but rather they were an attempt to show the power to raise wars of kings and princes. This narration tells that the hunting ceremony was held in the times when the country was not at war in order to practice bravery and fighting and to strengthen the morale of the soldiers in the presence of the Shah himself. What can be obtained from the study of the cultural and social situation of the Safavid Era is that the designers of carpet maps used what they saw with their own eyes in the hunting ceremony by using imaginary images in an artistic way in the design of carpet maps. They have used and made hunting scenes manifest in carpet designs. For this purpose, the battle of animals with each other, one of the most important of which is the battle of the lion with the bull, has been included in the carpet map as a motif. These motifs in carpet design are referred to as Combat. Additionally, the attack of falcon on hunting animals is another pattern that has become a motif. Most of the animals depicted in these carpets are real animals that were found in the hunting grounds of that Era. Due to the fact that during the Safavid era, carpets were used to decorate the palaces of kings and were also prepared as gifts to ambassadors and kings of foreign countries, especially Europeans, in this era, carpets were used as a visual medium. It is natural that these images also narrated the beliefs and the beliefs of the government. They also showed the authority of the kings in this Era. Therefore, the scenes of hunting and combat in the map of this carpet can represent two narratives, one of which is rooted in the mythological history of these motifs, and the other can be formed based on the cultural and social conditions prevailing in the Safavid Era. These scenes are mostly narrative and as a visual document of the social and cultural conditions of the Safavid Era. They are one of the first examples of narratives in the map of Iran's carpets during the Safavid Era. The use of hunting grounds in these carpets shows the authority of the Safavid kings and has become the basis for depictions in carpet weaving in later Eras.

In the history of post-Islamic Iran, the Safavid era is considered a turning point regarding critical political developments. During the Safavid era, the economic boom provided a suitable platform for promoting Iranian Islamic culture. This issue made Iranian Islamic art, especially the architecture and urbanism of this period, different from other periods. Studying historical texts and books of geographers and travelers, as a unique form of remaining sources, is highly recommended in studying Iranian architecture and urban planning. Following the crisis of insufficient resources on the characteristics of ancient Islamic cities on the one hand and the limited scope of archaeological studies, on the other hand, the study and research in the books of travelers and travelogue writers are crucially necessary. The urban planning system of the Safavid period was able to plan and design the appropriate model of the Iranian Islamic city in this period of the country's history based on the ancient tradition of Iranian urban planning concepts and benefiting from the experiences of the civilized countries of that period. The urban planning system of the Safavid period was able to plan and design the appropriate model of the Iranian Islamic city in this period of the country's history based on the ancient tradition of Iranian urban planning concepts benefiting from the experiences of the civilized countries of that period. One of the remaining historical documents of the Safavid cities is the unique map drawn by Adam Olearius in his travelogue. Adam Olearius's travelogue is a reliable source that provides researchers with extensive scientific information about Islamic city formation, architecture, and physical structure. Examining this map can reveal the structure of the cities of this period from different dimensions. Olearius, more than other researchers, has considered the urban planning system of the Safavid period from an urban planning point of view. His map and travelogue are one of the resources that we can cite to draw a mental image of the city in the Safavid period. Olearius (2006) believes that Safavid idealism manifests itself in the city gardens. The main objective of this research was to express the basis of the formation of the structural system of architecture and urban planning in the Safavid period and to understand this structure using historical texts and maps of this period. Moreover, the partial objective was to investigate the historical developments and the physical structure of the important cities of Iran in the travelogue of Olearius to reach the main objective of the research. So the question was, what was the structural system of Iranian cities in the Safavid period? Furthermore, how has the structural system of cities appeared in each city's architecture and urban planning? Looking at Iranian cities of the Safavid period, it is evident that the structural system was based on specific physical and natural principles and that political, cultural, and social factors were involved. It is important to examine the essence of the Islamic city in the context of the state of the urban community and the urban body. In order to carry out this research, the first step after determining the limits of the problem was to collect information (Data collection) from documentary sources and documents. After data collection, the interpretation of the obtained information has been presented. Since data collection is based on textual analysis by examining and referring to evidence and documents, if historical information is collected from first-hand sources, it requires a preliminary analysis of the prepared documents. This research is descriptive and analytical in terms of the type and nature of the study. In terms of temporal territory, it is related to the Safavid period. Regarding spatial territory, the cities of Ardabil, Qom, Kashan, Saveh, and Isfahan are the platforms for displaying the mental ideas of the urban planning system. Also, regarding the nature of the data, this research is qualitative and relies on thinking, reasoning, and rational analysis. Therefore, according to the written documents and the main objective, this research relies upon Adam Olearius's maps of the Safavid era and the Safavid era's urban planning system. The findings of this study, based on the travelogue of Olearius, indicate that the emergence of meaningful order and generality in the cities of the Safavid period is influenced by the geometrical system and physical organization. Shaping the whole structure of the city emphasizes concepts such as; joint spaces, directions, axes, hierarchy, valuing, order, and dignity of spatial determination and interconnection, and the emergence of meaningful order and totality in the cities of the Safavid period is influenced by the geometric system and physical organization.

In Islamic thought, there is a necessary connection between art and wisdom. This wisdom is based on knowledge that has an equal and spiritual nature. Therefore, for the Islamic architect and Islamic art in general, the most important issue is monotheism and unity. But the divine attributes have appeared in the world as in the field of Islamic art has followed that art of turmoil because Iran throughout the history of Islam has always been one of the centers of Islamic art and Iranian architecture, including the richest fields of manifestation and the Safavid period. It is a time of revenge for Iranian wisdom, identity and man with lasting concepts in the Islamic period. The religious buildings of this period were the most important manifestation of Shiite art in the Safavid era; Because schools, as the most important ideological centers of the Safavid era; have three basic elements: religion, tendencies and beliefs of the masses and their authorities and leaders, which have been formed together with Majid in such a way that through code, with stunning light, manifest the divine names and attributes, so the purpose of shin research is the place of wisdom in the body of Iranian architecture using the combination of the symbolic beauty of “glorious purification in the Safavid period. Chaharbagh School Mosque is selected as a case study. The type of research is qualitative and fundamental and relies on descriptive-analytical method that date collection has been done through documentary and work studies and also in the analysis section of the article according to the more foundation of research based on the system of wisdom it is Islamic. The combined method is used, which consists of qualitative content analysis and stables reasoning argument in the field of beauty.The results of the research show that in all the physical organs of the architecture of Chaharbagh School Mosque, its modes and bodies, as well as the collective dormitory between Jamal Tashbihi and Jalal Tanzieh, light and geometry are semantic complements in the field of metaphorical beauty. Shows the unity in plurality with the components of transparency and torality, the color of the fluidity of continuity and complexity, and shows the sphere of glorious Tanvini with its static elegance, symmetry, simplicity and empty space.

The shrine of Imam Reza (AS) is considered to be the largest and the most important religious attraction in Iran, which we see throughout the history of Islam. The dynasties, personalities, and elders of each era have been refurbishing and developing this sacred place, to the extent that each section describes the art of architecture at a specific time in the history of Islamic art, including the elders and kings of the Safavid dynasty, the main reason being the recognition of the Shiite religion and the reverence and respect for the elders of this religion. The architecture of the Safavid era is a symbolic manifestation of a sublime truth, leading man from the multitude of the outside world to divine unity where one can feel the presence of God. The kings, artists, and architects of this period, with an emphasis on unity, sought to evoke divine unity in minds, creating a style known as the Isfahan style; the latest of the four Islamic architectural styles in Iran which is based on the simplicity of most designs. Allah Verdi Khan, a brave warrior and military commander of the Safavid era, has done a lot of work to promote the culture and civilization of Iran and paid special attention to the architecture of this era. This can be emphasized by looking at the works remaining from him in Isfahan (Si-o-se-Pol), Shiraz (Khan School) and Mashhad (Dome of AllahVerdi Khan). The dome is one of the most important mystical symbols. Its special form, which resembles the enameled dome, represents the inclusion of all creation (by heaven). For this reason, the artist always imitates the dome of heaven with large domes in the mosques and provides the opportunity for spiritual worship to seek the blessings of divine power for believers. Dome of AllahVerdi Khan, is one of the most beautiful buildings of the Astan Quds Razavi, which Arthur Pope, in the book of Iranian Architecture, considers to be the most complete part of the shrine of Imam Reza (AS). The mosaic tiles of this porch are decorated with the inscriptions and animal, plant, and geometric motifs. Many of these motifs include a concept that has a particular place in the culture and literature of this land. Since the use of peacock motif, as a decorative element, has reached its perfection in Safavid era architecture, and its use is observed in many buildings of this period, the main purpose of this paper is to study the motif of peacocks in the tiles of the above-mentioned porch. The questions are: 1- To which period most of the peacock motifs belong? 2-What is the position of this motif in the holy shrine in the Safavid era and the subsequent periods? The symbol of the peacock has cosmic, intrinsic and mythological meanings in the art and architecture of ancient and Islamic Iran. Therefore, its study as one of the most widely used animal motifs, considering the historical period, in order to grasp symbolic concepts and how to place this role and the type of attitude towards it in different periods is of importance and necessity. In this regard, the writing of this article is based on the historical-descriptive method and the use of library documents, as well as the gathering of material as a transcript, field observations, and photography of other peacock motifs on the tiles of the holy shrine of Razavi and Porch of AllahVerdi Khan. Data analysis is also qualitative. In total, 132 peacock motifs from the three historical periods of the Safavids, Pahlavis and the Islamic Republic era have been studied, including 10 compositions in 17 tiled frames in the Porch of AllahVerdi Khan and 6 compositions in 14 tile frames related to other parts of the shrine. Most of these motifs in the holy shrine are related to the Islamic Republic era (96), 26 to the Safavid period and 10 to the Pahlavi period. In terms of positioning, most of the peacock motifs are represented in a side view, 114 of which as guardians, while there are 18 motifs from the front view. Finally, after searching and discovering the deep meanings of this symbol, one can reach the semantic underlying layers and the reasons for its application. These tiles, consisting of physical form, layout and motif, are all intended to attain the highest order of existence, immortality and rebirth, to relate to the creator of life, blessings and fertility, as well as to pass through the temporal phase of the lowness and to connect to the highest eternal order. Repetition and symmetry also have existential and anti-mortal meanings, so there is no custom in which there is no repetition. The presence of these motifs, besides the quoted meanings, also induces these implicit meanings: unity in plurality, plurality in unity, plurality of eternity and infinity, power, spirituality, bottom-up connection, and earth to heaven.

Systematic reading of works of art helps to identify meaning and identity in the visual works. This is because the visual works of art, with their historical and social background, reflect the intellectual and cultural changes of the time; among these works, Mihrabi rugs can be noted. One of the most important points in these rugs, under the frontal part of Mihrab, is the representation of the verse of Noor. The verbal cues in this place can be regarded as a representation of the verse of Noor in the Safavid era, so it refers to an Islamic text; however, gradually, after the Safavid era, in the Qajar period, this place is assigned a specific human name and non-Islamic verbal signs. So the question is how can this change from non-subjectivity to subject and from an Islamic text to non-a Islamic one be explained? The answer to this question can be found by using a comparative-analytical method and matching the subjects and themes in the verbal text below the frontal part in the rugs during Qajar and Safavid periods;, the purpose of the present research was to explain this difference of the verbal cues in these rugs. By matching the rugs, it could be concluded that the artists, according to the common ideas in the Safavid period, tended to Islamic and Shiite principles, while in the Qajar era, due to the tendency to archeology, the influence of the West and the anthropocentric approach, rugs with different themes and symbols were created.

Preparing basic materials for illustrating the manuscripts, i.e., paper, paint and brushes, have important role for painters. Each of these parameters have direct effects on the appearance and durability of the final product. Vermillion is a red inorganic pigment with the chemical composition HgS. Regarding its widespread usage, high quality and great durability, the vermilion pigment has been used as a prominent and noticeable color in Iranian paintings during the time and especially in the period of book decoration and illustration of manuscripts by many artists and painters. From historical point of view, production and preparation methods of vermillion were mentioned in the art treatises, mainly during the 16th – 17th centuries. Although in many researches vermillion was characterized as a useful color in illustrated manuscripts, but less attention has been paid to historical references and methods of preparing this color. In this paper, different tonality of reproduced vermillion based on the recipes presented in art treatises belong to the 16th – 17th centuries were investigated through colorimetric analysis. Descriptive- analytic and laboratory methods were applied in this research. Five manuscripts from the mentioned era including Golestan-e Honar, Ghanoun al-Sovar, Medad al-Khotout, Heliyyat al-Kottab and Adaab al-Khat were firstly investigated based on the library resources. According to the art treatises, the vermilion pigment can produce from the combination of pure mercury and sulfur and/or obtain from cinnabar as HgS natural mineral. In this research cinnabar was used. Next, the vermilion specimens were reproduced based on laboratory methods according to presented recipes in in five mentioned art treatises. It is noticeable that the main difference between proposed methods was based on the application of different organic acids for washing of the color powder. Regarding to these art treatise, two organic acids (lemon juice and sour pomegranate juice) as well as the citric acid were used for preparing vermilion samples in acid washing step. In order to prevent the side effects of different parameters on the test results, all processes and materials were the same, except the organic acid type. For comparing reproduced vermilion colors, they were applied on Watman sizing papers which were sized by starch. For analyzing and comparing of these different tints, the standard system near to human observation was needed. Regarding to this aim, samples were quantitatively compared based on their measured reflectance spectra by spectrophotometer i1 and calculating their colorimetric characteristics in various color spaces; CIEXYZ, CIELAB, and CIELCH, by using the MATLAB software.

Iranian carpet that appeared after Islam, especially in the Safavid period, was created with the approach of manifestation of paradise, Garden of Eden, paradise gates and human entry into the paradise. It incorporated an eternal and sacred perspective into its seemingly earthy elements.
The view in the Safavid era, especially regarding the inclination of Safavid kings to Islamism and the observance of religious norms, was very popular and had a high status. Each of the motifs in these rugs expresses specific concepts, originated from within the artist and his society, which together has created a beautiful and harmonious work, and the artist mirrors the art, culture and ideas of the people of that time in the form of a magnificent rug. Symbolism can help us achieve this goal to a considerable extent. The aim of the researchers in this field, considering the two hunting rugs belonging to the Safavid period, is to explore the body and concepts in the margins of these two carpets in order to achieve the symbolic layers in them and to understand the effects of the environment on the creation of these works. In order to conduct the research, with the help of documents and writings in the field of culture and beliefs of Safavid society, in addition to using the Holy Quran, the transformation of earthly man into a holy man was observed. Using the obtained data, the main question of the research is in regard to the reason for the difference in the two margins of the studied carpets, despite the similarity in their main bodies. With a symbolic and semantic approach, the motifs used in the edges of these carpets were studied in order to represent the transformation of earthly man into a holy man from a hermeneutic and post-structuralist point of view, culturally and value-wise, with the help of currents during Shah Tahmasp I by comparing two Safavid-era rugs in Boston Art Museum and the Museum of Applied Arts of Vienna. In order to achieve the purpose of the research, the method was first described in the section of theoretical concepts and literature of the holy art as well as the holy man, and then in the same section a description of the religious situation and the adherence of Safavid kings were given. Following the description of the general characteristics of rugs and the appearance of both margins, as well as the intertextual observations, the patterns used in these margins were analyzed. In order to get closer to the purpose of the research in another part of the analysis of patterns of the margins, firstly the angels and the winged men were described, and then paradise in the hunting scene carpet of the Vienna Museum was done. Subsequently, in order to achieve the goal of the research through intertextual study, paradise was described from the Quran's point of view, and was then compared with the Vienna carpet’s margin in form of a table.  A separate table provides the result of the comparison of heavenly features, extracted from Quranic verses, and elements used in the Vienna carpet.
In the other part of the research, hypertextual studies were conducted. In this context, firstly a brief description of hypertextual studies and their process were given, and after repentance of Shah Tahmasp, and the decree of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, the hypertext of the research was examined. Finally, according to the documents as well as the work of Sultan Mohammad and its comparison to the design of the carpets, it can be said that the designer of both carpets was Sultan Mohammad. However, the important issue about these two carpets is that the design and weaving of the Boston Museum's carpet belong to the pre-repentance period of Shah Tahmasp while the Vienna Museum's carpet belongs to the period after the Shah's repentance.
According to research studies, it becomes clear that Shah Tahmasp, after his repentance, removes all signs of sin from the country. As for depiction of king's binge in the margins of the Boston Museum’s carpet, given the king's keen interest in the art of carpet weaving and the promotion of this art, and the fact that his interest in this art was so great that he designed carpets, as well as the fact that this carpet is one of the most luxurious or even the most luxurious carpet of this period; in the case of this carpet, Shah Tahmasp's decision to cleanse this carpet faces a challenge, and finally he made a new decision for another carpet to be woven with the same theme and different margins. This decision was in line with his interest in the art of carpet weaving and in keeping with his repentance.

Ardabil was one of the important and noteworthy cities of Iran in Safavid era. Due to presence of Sheikh Safi al-Din tomb, this city -as Dar-al-aman- had a certain political, social and cultural state in Safavid era which caused Ardabil to be developed and built as a commercial, religious and service center leading to its expansion and growth. However, up to present time, no comprehensive study has been conducted based on analytical evidences and documents. One of the remaining historical documents from this city is a map drawn by Adam Olearius who was a German scholar, mathematician, geographer and librarian. Olearius had made a travel to Iran in Shah Abbas time. On his own traveling, while writing his itinerary, he came to draw some maps from his visited cities based on the components of the physical and spatial structure of cities. In these maps, urban elements have been his main focus. One of the existing historical documents of the city of Ardabil in this period is the map drawn by Adam Olearius in his itinerary. Re-reading this map to reconstruct the structure of Ardabil city during the Safavid era can reveal the structure of this city in that period from different dimensions. Matching Olearius’ drawing map with historical sources and written texts and documents available, including different travelogues and Adam Olearius’ maps will help us to identify good information about the form, physical and spatial organization of the city, according to which understandable drawings of the city can be presented. The research method of this article is interpretive –historic research with an emphasis on content analysis and review of historical documents. According to the only available readable image document from this period, mental maps were processed. The results show that Olearius had an abstract view of cities and presented maps of different cities by comparative study of maps of other cities in unique way. Moreover, it should be noted that he had certain principles and methods in drawing maps as he gave each town a special place and point in which all the dimensions of the city were defined. This particular place could be the most important building of the city, such as the square, the tomb, the emam-zadeh, or even the castle and the minaret. Based on the guide map of Olearius, the city of Ardabil was divided into urban characteristics during the Safavid era. By placing the Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili complex in the center of the map and important elements in the structuring of other parts of the city, Olerious has shown the importance of the issue. The city of Ardabil had largely preserved its spatial structure during the Safavid era, in a way that the tomb of Sheikh Safi as the government component of the city, bazaar as the economic component and the Jame’ Mosque as the religious component were of special importance and the main square of the city connected these elements all of which could conceptualize the city in relation to each other.

Niche rug is a rich collection of the Iranian arts. In this collection, there are exquisite rugs that start with ‘Amen Al-Rasool’ and end with the inscription “Allah Akbra Kabira” under the forehead of Mihrab. A feature of this theological text is that it is woven upside down. Therefore, given the exact geometric structure of the rug, as well as its brocade fabric, it seems that in this swarm of verses, with the inversion of the inscription and the accompaniment of plant motifs, there is some hidden meaning. So the question is how to unravel the meaning hidden in the underlying layers of this text? In order to achieve the right answer, the hidden meaning in different layers must be revealed. Therefore, based on the descriptive-analytical method and Panofskyi iconological method, the meaning is obtained from the sum of different layers of the text. Through the interconnected chain of meanings, it is possible to find the important point that the designer-artist, consciously or unconsciously, has created a work that expresses the spiritual journeying and wayfaring of the worshiper.

Lock is a device that assures safety of human’s life. Iranian locksmiths, in addition to making locks and meeting the essential needs, valued the decorative aspects of such tools. Including pendants and movable types, these locks are portable and they are different from standard, ordinary ones. Artists in this field have incorporated a wide range of artistic, spiritual, cultural and aesthetic values of their living space into the locks’ forms and decorations. Therefore, locks in each region and city have their own special characteristics.
Metal locks in Chaleshtor and Isfahan are considered a branch of Iranian handmade artifacts and their features, in terms of mechanism, form and motifs, are noteworthy and important. The geographical location of Isfahan and Chaleshtor, and their close proximity to each other have made this theory possible that the locksmiths of these two regions have had interactions. Accordingly, the aim of the present research is to study the characteristics of contemporary Chaleshtor and Safavid Isfahan locks, and to evaluate their similarities, differences and impacts on each other. The necessity of conduction this research is to consider the visual elements and originality of these locks, and to help revive the arts which are on the verge of being forgotten. In this regard, 13 locks have been selected; 7 from Chaleshtor and 6 from Isfahan. These constitute the statistical population of the research.
Studying and examining these cases clarifies the differences of these two groups of locks in the two mentioned regions. Therefore, first a definition is provided on locks and their types, the method of production, and then, characteristics of Chaleshtor and Isfahan locks in the two periods have been studied. The results of this study are as follows: these two groups of handmade locks share common features in terms of using decorative inscriptions as well as arabesque and khatāi motifs. Such artifacts are the same in appearance and external form. Both have horizontal shape and it should be noted that steel is preferred in making them.  However, despite the similar form of the locks in these two areas, their internal mechanism and techniques of decoration are different. Chaleshtor locks have a spiral spring device and Isfahan locks have barbed springs. Thus, the way of opening and closing and the mechanism of both locks are different from each other. Furthermore, the form of Chaleshtor locks is tubular but that of Isfahan locks is a rectangular cube. The older history of Isfahan in the field of making locks indicates that Isfahan artifacts have had influence on Chaleshtor locksmiths.
This research is done with a comparative approach and is based on a descriptive-analytical method. The data of this article is collected from library sources and thorough field studies.

In semantic urban planning in the Safavid period, urban spaces were not only considered a physical issue, but also known as a manifestation of mysterious meanings in order to the designer could materialize the spiritual messages in the body of the city as permitted by the passage of reality. We have experienced a spiritual crisis in the design of urban spaces in contemporary Iranian urban planning. Now the fundamental question is how can the concepts of explicit and implicit semantics be objectified in the formation of the city’s body?

The main purpose of this study is to read semantic urban planning in the Safavid period in the physical formation of Isfahan and its application in the physical construction of contemporary cities in Iran.

The present study in terms of objectives is fundamental and applied; In terms of nature and method is descriptive-analytical; In terms of data collection method is text mining of documents and field observations; and is qualitative in terms of data analysis.

Reflecting on the visual appearance of the city's spatial organization in the Safavid period, the manifestation of the material system (water order, plant order, soil order and air order) and the semantic system (sacred order) are clearly revealed. The passage of reality through the use of natural elements with formal and symbolic games in order to create a sense of place and this identity with space, unity, plurality and spatial coherence, etc. has been influenced by the semantic urbanism viewed it.

Urban development in the Safavid period was a reflection of the spatial translation of semantic criteria in order to integrate innovatively for its capabilities in responding to both physical, psychological and spiritual needs. In the current situation, the texture and physical construction of Iranian cities with emphasis on historical discontinuity and modernity following the transformation of form rather than content, shows the crisis of spirituality in its physical construction.

Artwork is considered as visual means of communication and representative of facts that have undergone dramatic changes in each era, influenced by social, economic, political, religious, and social conditions. In this regard, wall decoration is an important context for gaining insight into these changes. This study aims to analyze the form and role of pottery in Safavid wall paintings through comparative study with pottery of this period, focusing on the wall paintings of the Chehel Sotun palace. Chehel Sotun palace in Isfahan has always been regarded as one of the most important historic and cultural monuments of the Safavid period during the reign of King Abbas I and II. The murals of the palace reflect the thoughts and culture of the kings and perhaps the people of that time (Safavid era) and are in fact an expression of this period. The most important question in this article is what are the reasons of using pottery figures on the murals and wall their relation with the Safavid pottery can be investigated? Data have been gathered using both field and Documentary method methods and were analyzed by descriptive-analytic method. Accordingly, after classification and typology of pottery forms in the Safavid period, the comparison with the Paintings in the wall decorations of the Chehelston Palace of the Safavid period has been carried out. Initial results from this study show that the use of pottery figures in the Safavid wall paintings, especially the Chehelston Palace, is ceremonial.

Prior to iron, wood has been one of the most utilized materials in traditional Iranian architecture. Wood has always played a significant role in the structures and decorations of buildings in the Safavid and Qajar period. Wood has been used in many ways in accordance with the ecological, cultural, economic, political and climatic conditions of the area in which it is located. This material has been very influential in the formation of the monuments of the village of Kop (located 45 km from the county of Noor) thanks to its massive forests. Using a variety of decorative techniques, the beautiful and prolific wooden works of art are used on the ceiling, beams and columns, doors and windows, wooden fences and motifs. We can see some of these decorations at Mansouri and Maghsoudi houses. However, the cultural heritage officials have neglected to support such buildings, despite being aware of the existence and valuable potential of the monuments of this village with a period of more than one and a half years old. Natural factors, the passage of time, and the change in the lifestyle of the owners, have also affected the structure of old houses and led to the destruction of old houses and the construction of new ones. The appearance of new houses is not in line with the appearance and architecture of the village, and it lacks any artistic taste and specific environmental, regional and organic features. The construction of new houses has brought about the destruction of these valuable buildings. Therefore, in order to inform art lovers, researchers and high-rank officials of the existence of such a village in the region and its preservation and the necessity of carrying out more extensive studies and research on these monuments, it is necessary to carry out this research. So, we have to ask the following questions: 1. What are the wooden decorations, designs and paintings on the wood in the houses of the village of Kop? Do these decorations fit in different buildings in the same village or with decorations of Safavid and Qajar era buildings in central and northern parts of Iran? What are the similarities? This is an analytical-historical research. Considering the importance of the topic, the method of data collection is based on field and library studies. Therefore, by conducting field studies, the authors sought to collect raw data and standard documentation including: visual, written, audio and oral history of the two historic houses studied and the historical monuments of the Qajar and Safavid periods of central and northern parts of Iran (provinces: Mazandaran, Gorgan, East Azarbaijan, Tehran and Isfahan). The studied monuments include Moezzadin Mosque, Aqajan Nasab Qajari House, Haj Mehdi Sultan's House, Sardar Jalili House, Afghannejad House, Ameri Mansion, Saheb-Qaraniyeh Palace. The results of the survey of these buildings have shown that there are similarities and conformances in wooden decorations, designs and geometric patterns used in the structural and non-structural parts of the interior and exterior spaces of the two buildings and mentioned structures. These similarities include the pattern of roof beam framing and the planks between it, the designs drawn on them, Lionhead sculpture under the ceiling especially in the four corners below the ceiling in the middle rooms and Shahneshins of the second floors, the designs on the windows and doors, as well as the Orosis used in the Shahneshins and other interior spaces of the building. In outer spaces, this correspondence was found in the way of roof beam framing and the planks between them, the designs and motifs used in the ending parts of the wooden beams below the roof of the gable all around the building, and under the ceiling of the terraces of the second floors. In addition, the design of the capitals on the porch and the wooden fences used in the terraces of the two buildings also corresponded exactly. The architects, carpenters and builders of the two monuments in question did not invent the similarity and conformity of the aforementioned decorations, but they have copied the style of the decorations of the building of the Safavid and Qajar periods on their journeys, and represented them in the two monuments. Therefore, since the combination of this type of artistic and decorative style with architecture has had a continuity and stability from the Safavid to Qajar period, it has been able to establish a strong bridge between art and architecture of the present and future, add the value and historical significance to the two studied modules of this research.

This paper was carried out to show Islamic principles and Quranic verses in the Safavid Dynasty and Qajar Dynasty masterpieces, especially in the case of studies (Chahar-Bagh School-Mosque and Shah Abdol-Azim Tomb). Chahar-Bagh School-Mosque is one of the masterpieces of Safavid Dynasty, and Shah Abdol-Azim Tomb is one of the most important buildings of Tehran. The centrepiece of its tiling ornament has accomplished in the Qajar Dynasty.

Comparative analysis of tiling in these two buildings can help in recognition of them. This study compares these two buildings with analytical-descriptive, and survey study methods.

The Findings of the present study indicate that the main difference between these two buildings’ tiling is in pattern and colour. In the Safavid Dynasty, azure and turquoise colours are dominant, but in Qajar yellow, orange, pink and brown are seen the most. In Chahar-Bagh complex, Suls and Kufi-ye-Bannai typefaces are used to inscribe Quranic and religious anecdotes. In Shah Abdol-Azim Tomb Nastaliq typeface is used to inscribe anecdotes, holy names, craftsmen’s signatures, and describing the date of building construction. Geometric and arabesque patterns in tiling decoration of the Safavid Dynasty are simple and separate; in the Qajar Dynasty, complex shapes made of geometric and patterns with elaborate and complicated details can be seen.

A review of the two case studies studied, the Chahar-Bagh School-Mosque and Shah Abdol-Azim Tomb, shows that the verses of the Holy Quran can be considered as the source of the artist's idea of understanding the Safavid and Qajar works.