A Study on the Knowledge of the Stone Tombs of the Islamic Period in the City of Varzaqan in the Province of East Azerbaijan, Iran

Tombstones have been an integral part of the idea of ​​death among all societies from ancient times to the present day. They have been used as an essential tool for objective and spiritual manifestations. One of the important areas in the field of study of such works in the region of East Azerbaijan is Varzeqan. Some of the cemeteries of the Islamic era of this city have tombstones in different shapes and decorated with various motifs that are worth studying and documenting. This research, using descriptive-comparative, analytical method and based on field and library studies, seeks objectives such as studying the tombstones of the Islamic period, classifying the shapes of tombstones, and examining the decorative motifs in them. The results showed that these tombstones are generally formed from the Ilkanid period to the contemporary. The tombstones in these cemeteries are divided into four general categories in terms of appearance, box, cradle, an animal stone statue and a staircase. There are figures such as plants, tools, geometry, and altar and inscriptions on them. Also, other results of this study showed that the created themes reflect the religious, social, and ethnic beliefs of the region's residents. In general, the main purpose of the present study, while classifying and separating the forms and motifs of tombstones of 18 cemeteries, is to analyze the etymology of some forms of tombs and artistic motifs of tombstones in Varzeqan. Given that many of these tombstones are in danger of being destroyed, it is necessary to study and record their information.