Rereading of some of the symbols of the promised savior in the golden tiles of Kashan

Hazrat Mahdi (AS) has been the living Imam and spiritual supporter of the Muslim artists who have been waiting for the evolvement and promisor of the promising future, even in the darkest days of the Iranians history. The representations of this consciousness waiting have been manifested in Islamic art and significant artistic decorations. This research aimed at rereading of the symbols and signs related to the promised emergence of Hazrat Mahdi in decorating the Iranian golden tiles. The golden tiles of the Ilkhanid era of Kashan have been selected as a case study. The research method is concurrent investigation of Islamic texts in descriptive-analytical way and symbolic content analysis of the Kashan golden tiles designs. The classification of the concepts and symbols of Kashan golden tiles have been investigated in four categories including the numbers of four, six and eight and also pictorial motifs, geometric patterns and plant motifs consisting the symbols of sun, star, peacock, simorgh, water, tree and plant and according to each classification, the symbolic aspects regarding to the savior along with related religious texts have been studied. The results of the research indicated the precise use of the promised symbolism in Iranian gold tiles. The findings of this research can be useful in re-reading of Islamic and Iranian art and architecture from the perspective of waiting for the emergence of savior and artistic semiotics of Mahdavi symbols Keywords.