A comparative study of the wooden works of the Seljuks of Iran and the Seljuks of Rome (a case study of the Jame Mosque of Abianeh and the Mosque of Ulu (Sivrihisar) in Anatolia)

One of the most significant features of Islamic art is the technical and visual similarities between the wooden works of different regions of the Islamic world, especially the wooden buildings of the Seljuk period. This issue is primarily observed in the geographical area of Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Among the things that have been noticed in the studies of Islamic art, is the explanation of these similarities and differences. In the same direction and keeping this issue in mind, this research aims to analyze and compare the wooden works of Abianeh Jame Mosque in Kashan and Ulu Surihisar Mosque in Turkey. The city of Sivrihisar (120 km west of Ankara) is an Eskişehir State in Anatolia. According to the remains and archaeological documents, this region has hosted significant civilizations such as Rome, Byzantium, and Roman Seljuk throughout the ages. Ulu Grand Mosque was built in the 7th century A.H. in the center of this city, which is one of the largest mosques with wooden columns in Anatolia and is on the provisional list of UNESCO World Heritage. Also, the Jame Mosque of Abyaneh village is located near the city of Kashan in Iran, which dates back to the fifth century AH according to the findings of archaeologists. Inside these two buildings, apart from the roof and columns, there are other historical wooden works such as doors, pulpits, and altars, which stand especially at the same time as the construction of mosques. Based on this, the similarities and differences in techniques and motifs between the wooden works of Abyaneh Mosque in Kashan and Surihisar in Turkey is also a question that the present research seeks to answer. Studying the similarities and differences between the wooden works of the two mosques can shed light on the relationship and influence of Iranian artists in the Roman Seljuk government. On the other hand, it seems necessary to record and examine historical wooden works due to the lack of stability of wood material against biological hazards. Information was collected using library sources and field surveys, which were compiled with the descriptive-analytical method. The process of writing the content in this article is as follows: first, explanations are given about the Seljuks of Iran and the Roman Seljuks in Anatolia, then the discussed buildings are introduced, and then explanations are given about their wooden works, in Finally, the introduced wooden works have been compared and matched with each other.The results of the study show that although the quality of the decoration techniques in the works of the Jame Abyaneh Mosque is relatively low, the quantity in number is one of the best features of this unique building in the field of wooden works. In terms of its structure and the number of columns, Ulu Siorihisar Mosque is a manifestation of technical and specialized development in the area of building flat wooden roofs in the Anatolian region. This progress is well felt in terms of the quality of execution of motifs.