A Typological Study on the Ornamentation of the Qafarieh Dome of Maraqeh with Emphasis on a Comparative Schema

The Qafarieh Dome of the Ilkhanid era displays a remarkable ornamentation specifically diverse tile-work patterns that are unique to this age. A number of the architectural elements of the Qafarieh Dome are not Persian and in the south, east and west wings of the monument an emblem in the name of Chogan-Dar is identified; a name which is not seen in other Persian monuments.
There is inadequate research on Ilkhanid monuments especially the Qafarieh Dome of Maraqeh. Many of the famous architectural ornamentations of Persian art and architecture such as mosaic and luster tiles were first introduced in this era. Furthermore, mosaic inscriptional tiles were officially used in the Ilkhanid era. By investigating the ornamentation of the Qajarieh Dome and many similar Ilkhanid monuments, the specific designs and decorations of this era are classified and ordered. In this paper, seventeen monuments including the Sorkh Dome, Sultanieh Dome, Oshtorjan Jami Mosque are selected and focused upon. The findings of this paper introduce the decorations of Qafarieh Dome with its diverse and original ornamentation in relation to other Ilkhanid monuments.