Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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Introduction: The plaster altars of Ilkhanid period, as one of the most glorious decorative representations of architecture of this period, are a unique collection of motifs and different inscriptions that has a great diversity in construction dimensions and forms. These reliefs that are included in almost all parts of plaster altars, including frontal, margins, columns, capitals, arches, etc. have different plant (arabesque and khataei) and geometric reliefs most of them are integrated with existing Kufic scripts. In this article, the researcher tries to introduce different geometric motifs used in plaster altars of Ilkhanid period and evaluate the variety, constancy or frequency and application of each of these nodes in different parts of altars, in terms of the extent of assigned area and the used position.

In this research that is done with a focus on the stuccoed altars attributed to the Ilkhanid period 12 stuccoed altars are selected from 5 provinces and the researcher tries to answer the following questions: what are the mostly used nodes in the stuccoed altars of the Ilkhanid period? Where are these nodes used in different parts of the altar and what is their relation with the plant designs or lines used in the altars? Regarding the fact that needle decorations are identified as the common geometric designs in the plaster works of Seljuq and Ilkhanid periods, the researcher does not consider them in this research and just focuses on the node designs. Since it is very important to deal with the plaster arrays that have geometric motifs and there is not any rule to detect and distinguish the altars of Ilkhanid period from the samples that were made before, this research can be considered as an introduction for understanding the visual styles of the ornaments during the Ilkhanid period which have been ignored in the literature so far.

Methodology: Data collection has been made based on field research (taking photos, linear analysis of pictures) and written references that has analyzed the collected data from the samples through historical- comparative method based on geometric patterns. First, each altar and its motifs (especially the geometric ones) are described and then, they are classified and analyzed using the tables, diagrams and investigating some samples of the geometric motifs and the places they were used and also integrating them with other motifs and scrolls. The data was collected using documentary resources, field researches, observations made by the authors, images of the geometric motifs of the altars and drawing different types of nodes with Matrix 7.0.

Conclusion: The results obtained from 12 dated plaster altars of Ilkhanid period shows that the role of these Knots in these altars is very important most of them are based on the numbers 6 and 8. These Knots are mostly on the side walls, in front of arch and the edges of the plaster altars and in the most studied samples, the Knots are integrated with plant motifs (flowers, leaves, etc.) and simple geometric figures (circle, triangle, oval, etc.). Among the studied stuccoed altars, the only one in which nodes have been used widely, is the arcade of the altar in the central Mosque of Orumieh (Urmia) because this kind of node has not been used in any of the other plastered altars of Ilkhanid period. Oljeitu altar is the only example in which there is the unique node of reversed top that has been combined with Kufic inscriptions.

Generally, it is possible to classify the nodes in the stuccoed altars of Ilkhanid period in terms of patterns and designs into the following groups: the function of simple nodes alone in the narrow borders; the integration of simple and complex nodes with the plant designs (flower and leaf); using node on background of plants designs such a way that these two forms of design are not related meaningfully; the integration of node with the Kufic inscriptions. The spaces in the altars that are assigned to the nodes are the inner surface of arcades, front or side wall of the arcades, spandrels and half columns and because these sections are so important in the altars, the function of nodes in the stuccoed altars cannot be ignored or considered as subsidiary. But what is important here is that almost in all the samples that were studied (except some nodes that were used in the narrow borders and columns), the nodes have been integrated with the plant elements (arabesques and khataei) or exist beside them simultaneously and this is one of the significant features of geometric motifs in the stuccoed altars of Ilkhanid period.

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Introduction: Inscriptions are considered as one of the most significant form of decorations that have been used mostly in the mihrabs and involve Quranic verses, prophet’s sayings, religious expressions as well as the date and the name of their creators. The stuccoed mihrabs of the Seljuk and Ilkhanid periods were no exception in which the inscriptions have many visual features including using a letter/ word or a decorative form at 45° angles of the inscriptions all around the mihrabs. The aim of this research, therefore, is to identify different kinds of these letters/ words or decorative forms in the inscriptions carved around the mihrabs created during the 12th and 14th centuries and compare them with each other. Thus, the following question has been put to be answered: what are different kinds of decorative forms used in the inscriptions of the stuccoed mihrabs created during the Seljuk and Ilkhanid periods and what are their similarities and differences in terms of their functions?
Methodology: This research is carried out using a historical-comparative method. Regarding the innovative theme of the article, first the attempt has been made to identify how decorative form in the inscription of the mihrab is used. Then, the researcher has tried to find this decorative form in the stuccoed mihrabs of the 12th and 14th centuries. Then, the letters/ words or the decorative forms of these mihrabs are compared and their significant features are described.
  The data was collected mostly from the selected samples through field researches, i.e. photography and linear designs of the images and the provided pictures are drawn using Photoshop and Matrix. The library resources are also used to introduce the historical records and describe the stuccoed mihrabs.
Conclusion:The results, obtained from studying 22 stuccoed mihrabs assigned to Seljuk and Ilkhanid periods, show that, in each period, it was common to use a word similar to لا »  «or decorative forms at 45° angles of the inscriptions around the mihrabs and they can be seen in different forms: using a single letter of the inscription (separately) that are diagonal (symmetrical) at angles; using a form like the word لا that is sometimes simple and sometimes elaborate and with detailed decorations. According to studies and the samples obtained from the above decorative form, the لا-like decorative forms can be classified into different groups that involve various types in terms of: 1) vaiation in node-like forms of the letters ل and ا and 2) the relation between the decorative form and the margin box, decoration or inscription. The node-shaped variation is such that the letters ل and ا are tied together in the middle and this tied part can be classified as triangle, square or rectangle and circle. The complexity of knitting these two letters is different and in some samples, it is so elaborate. The way these letters/ words or the decorative form are used in angles can also be considered because sometimes it is related to the margins and walls of the frame and is located such a way that its relation with the upper or lower lines of the border frame is definite and sometimes it is independently located at 45° without having to be attached to the margin box. According to the distinction of this decoration form, which varies from the sixth century to the 12th century, we can point out that at the angles of the stuccoed mihrabs of Ilkhanid period, more elaborate and detailed لا-like decorative forms were used compared with the Seljuk period and also, during the Ilkhanid period, this form has been changed to a pine fruit/ tear with various decorations this decorative form has been widely used in the inscription of the stuccoed mihrab.