کتیبه

The plastered miḩrāb of the Mashreqi vault is a rare example of plaster miḩrāb with nested arches in Fars, considered a special work in terms of geometric proportions and aesthetics of motifs. However, insufficient studies have been conducted to identify it, and due to the disappearance of the construction inscription, its dating has not been accurately determined. The eastern Miḩrāb of Tekyeh Mashreqi is one of the only two surviving plaster Miḩrābs in the historical buildings of Shīrāz, with remnants that are still visible and open to study. The other example of this kind is a Miḩrāb in the Khodai Khan Mosque, lacking precise dating but estimated to date from the early 12th to the 14th AD century. Unlike its stone counterpart, the plaster Miḩrāb in the Jami Atiq Mosque in Shīrāz, likely dating back to the 14th century AD, has not preserved many of its floral chain decorations beneath the inner arch of the miḩrāb. Furthermore, the eastern miḩrāb is a treasury of various floral and geometric motifs along with inscriptions in Kufic script, showcasing a unique collection of art from the possibly 13th to 15th AD in Shīrāz, spanning the Al-e Injoo, Al-e Mozaffar, and Timurid periods. However, its precise dating remains challenging, and efforts have not been made towards this end. Thus, the current research aims to document and study the existing floral and geometric motifs in this miḩrāb, as well as investigate the governing proportional system of its geometric structure to provide a basis for its reconstruction and a deeper understanding of its arrays, some of which are only faintly visible. The second objective is to propose a more precise timeline for the miḩrāb's construction, which requires an understanding of the aesthetics governing the details of its arrays and finding similar examples, especially within the Shīrāz and Samarqand manuscript traditions. Hypotheses in this regard have been formulated, and supported by the necessary evidence and documentation.Research questionsThis study explores important inquiries: What is the general form and geometric-aesthetic design of the eastern arch miḩrāb? How can identifying similarities among artistic traditions and miḩrāb embellishments, in conjunction with historical records, enhance the precision of dating the structure?Research MethodologyThe current research utilized the historical method along with a descriptive and analytical approach. The field data, which documented the miḩrāb, and the review of historical sources contributed to the findings. This process was carried out in three steps. Firstly, the arch and miḩrāb were documented using short-range photogrammetry. A series of overlapping photographs, tailored to the miḩrāb's dimensions and geometry, were taken with a Canon M10 camera. The data was then processed in Agisoft Metashape Professional software, version 1.7, resulting in a 3D model and orthophoto outputs for detailed drawings. The accuracy of this model and subsequent drawings was assessed based on measurements of various control points to ensure reliability. Secondly, historical sources were consulted to gain insight into the history of the Eastern Tekyeh and its miḩrāb. This historical context helped in understanding the structure's dimensions and provided a framework for interpreting the decorations and their potential age. Finally, all field and library data were analyzed, involving a comprehensive description and analysis of the gathered information.FindingsThe Eastern Arch and its surrounding area contain a wealth of architectural and artistic works dating back to the Buyid era and extending to the Qajar period. One of the most significant and least researched pieces is the plaster miḩrāb of the Eastern Arch, situated near the tombstone of 'Imad al-Din Mahmud (the minister of Shaykh Abu Ishaq Inju). This miḩrāb (approximately 3 x 1.7 meters) is one of only two surviving examples of miḩrābs with nested arches in Fars, which have been documented and studied in this research. It is also one of the few remaining plaster miḩrābs in Fars. An examination of the miḩrāb's proportions in its various sections reveals precise geometric calculations in its design. The sole remaining part of the miḩrāb, the inner arch, is a combination of a "three-part steep arch" filled with interlace patterns featuring inscriptions and floral motifs, positioned above a Kufic inscription. The inner arch showcases divine attributes, while the inscription includes the Surah Ikhlas. What sets this miḩrāb apart from similar examples is its floral ornamentation and the aesthetics that govern it. In the local tradition of Fars, a miḩrāb with such a high level of realism and naturalism in its floral motifs has not been discovered thus far. Due to the disappearance of the inscription marking the construction of the structure, and the absence of a Thuluth inscription (part of verse 31 of Surah A'raf) indicating its place of worship, there is no other documentation for its precise dating.Based on the date of Imad al-Din Mahmud's tombstone, the research proposes two hypotheses regarding the construction date of the miḩrāb: one in the Muzaffarids (Ilkhanid) era and the other linked to Ibrahim Sultan (Timurid). The resemblance between the arch motifs and a design from Madrasah al-Ghaibiq in Samarkand, along with the style of leaf rendering in the spandrels and other floral motifs, indicates that the miḩrāb was likely built by Samarkand craftsmen or artists from Ibrahim Sultan's atelier. This suggests that the Eastern Arch miḩrāb is a 15th-century AD work and part of the Timurid legacy in Shīrāz, holding significant historical and artistic value in the local architectural history. Furthermore, it signifies cultural connections between Shīrāz and Samarkand, or a unique link between painters and plasterers from Ibrahim Sultan's workshop in Shīrāz.To clarify the matter, understanding the artistic movements of the Shīrāz School of Painting during the Injuid, Muzaffarids, and Timurid periods can provide the necessary background and context for a better understanding of the motifs of the Eastern miḩrāb, as well as its potential dating. While Shīrāz painting during the Injuid period utilized freehand strokes, exaggerating plant stems and flowers, the plants in the compositions are very simple, uncomplimentary, and plain. “The movement is still dry and the architecture and landscapes are very concise and summary.” In contrast, the illustrations from the Muzaffarids period, perhaps due to the migration of some Jalairid artists from Tabriz to Shīrāz, underwent a transformation in compositions and the use of geometric and plant motifs, especially in carvings, compared to the previous period. There is no longer any trace of the raw landscape depictions of the Injuid period; they are filled with natural scenery, lush meadows, flower gardens, and bird-filled orchards.The findings indicate that this miḩrāb has been influenced by a well-known proportional system, often referred to as "Iranian golden proportions". The inner archway follows the "three-part arch" style with intricate knots and is adorned with inscriptions of divine names and naturalistic plant motifs such as flowers and leaves. Additionally, there is an inscription in Kufic calligraphy displaying Surah Al-Ikhlāş. The resemblance of the plant motifs in this miḩrāb to those found in the Ulugbek school in Samarkand and the designs from the Shīrāz school of painting during the Timurid era strongly suggests that the miḩrāb is a creation from the time of Ibrahim Sultan and was constructed around the same time as the tombstone of Imad al-Din Mahmud. This work was likely carried out by experts from Samarkand or artists from Ibrahim Sultan's workshop, as it differs from local traditions and other examples before and after it.

The Urartian inscriptions, in the village of Seqindel in the central part of Varzghan city in East Azarbaijan province, belonging to the era of Sardori II, the king of Urartu, was inscribed on a stone in Zaghi mountain. This inscription is one of the unique works remaining from the expansion of the Urartian Kingdom in the east of Lake Urmia, which shows the history of their rule in the region, due to the lack of maintenance, most of it has been damaged and destroyed. According to the investigations carried out on the surfaces of the inscriptions, a cover of some kinds of lichens has affected almost all the rocks of the mountains in this region, and the bedrock of the inscriptions has not been spared from this damage. In addition, damage from vandalism and unauthorized digging can be seen in the body and foot of the inscription, which has endangered the health of the work. Because until now scientific and laboratory studies regarding the investigation of the method of making the work, the pathology of Seqindel Urartian inscription, and the identification of layers and possible destruction mechanisms on them, as well as the protection solution for it, have not been provided. To achieve this goal, laboratory studies were conducted on the structure and characteristics of the stone, as well as the types of damage caused to the body in different ways. The important questions of the research include: 1.What are the most serious damages in the body of the Urartian Seqindel inscription? 2.How have existing structural, climatic, and inherent phenomena and biological accumulations caused damage? In this regard, field studies show a type of synergistic destruction caused by a set of intrinsic, climatic, biological, and human factors, which manifests itself in the form of fracture damage, surface sedimentation, and biological accumulation with lichen as an indicator species on the body.

The magnificent architectural complex of the Imam Reza’s Shrine is not only a final destination for the hearts, but also a healer for the eyes and a manifestation of culture, art, science, and literature. Among the cultural manifestations of the Holy Shrine that recall the Iranians' ancient beliefs are scenes depicting mythological narratives in various locations. Beyond the architectural structure and spatial design of the Shrine, which are likely shaped by their mythological origins, the Shrine's miniaturists, with their understanding and mastery of certain motifs' mythological functions, have utilized them. While taking advantage of their decorative aspects, they seem to have intended to visualize the myths and legendary narratives that have formed the backbone of Iranian culture and history for millennia by embodying their core elements on the Shrine complex buildings. Mythical creatures such as dragons and real animals like lions and cows, and vital elements such as the sun, birds, and plants plays a defining role in the cycle of life and the governance of the universe, are among the motifs that have shaped the mythological scenes of the Shrine's tile work and miniature painting. This article will explore the philosophical significance and function of each element.

Lusterware ceramics is one of the most important types of Islamic ceramics, which was produced most during the Seljuk and Ilkhanid eras. Different motifs were used to decorate this type of pottery in various periods from the beginning to the peak. Often, the motifs of these ceramics are accompanied by inscriptions, which give rise to the assumption that these inscriptions are probably a description of the image. In this research, we will examine the correlation between these images and texts in Ilkhanid lusterware ceramics. This correlation can be noteworthy because so far, this issue has not been examined with a focus on the content of the work and its correlation with the image. This research tries to examine the correlation between text and image in ceramics that have both text and image, to find similarities and differences that will probably make the research results significant. The information and data of this research have been collected based on written sources. The information collection about the desired ceramics is selectively from the lusterware works of the National Museum of Iran. This research is fundamental in terms of its objective, and in terms of its nature and method is historical-descriptive. The method of analyzing information is qualitative and descriptive-analytical, in order to answer these questions: 1- What role do the two elements of text and image play in Ilkhanid lusterware ceramics? 2- To what extent are each of the decorative elements of the inscription and the motifs engraved on the lusterware of this period related and synchronized? As a result, most of the texts and inscriptions on the studied ceramics are related to each other and concern lyrical and mythological subjects, and only a few of them are unrelated to each other.

Among the various branches of Islamic art, Islamic architecture, especially its related decorations, has a prominent place. The tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din Ardabili is a clear example of these masterpieces of Islamic architecture. This complex has several parts, the most important of which is the tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din (Dome Allah Allah). The tomb of Sheikh Safi al-Din, which has two gates called Qibla Qapoosi on its south and north sides, that has 16 enclosed inscriptions in a hexagonal frame that 8 of them are around the north side gate and the other 8 are in the south gate. The main purpose of this study is to obtain the hidden geometry in the structure of inscriptions and also to interpret and analyze them in order to express the direct relationship between geometry in the the inscription and the hidden concepts in their texts. Also, another purpose of the present study is to classify the calligraphy used in the inscriptions in terms of form and also to read Read a number of texts of the mentioned inscriptions that have not been read yet. The method of data collection is based on field research (photography, drawing, images) and citing written sources. Which has been done in a historical-comparative method based on geometric patterns and analysis the letters of texts in order to read them. The results show that most of these inscriptions have coherent geometric structures and great variety in design. Also another important finding of this research is the achievement of concepts that prove the deep connection between the text and the geometry used in the center of the work. In general, in these inscriptions, we achieve a kind of deconstruction and uniqueness in terms of how two different elements of line and geometry are integrated in a regular hexagonal frame.

Color has been one of the most influential elements in expressing artistic features, ornaments and various elements since ancient times; although, less attention has been paid to the issue of why the choice of blue color is placed as the top color in ornaments of Iranian architecture during the Islamic period. Was its widespread use the only reason, or have other colors and reasons also been important? In order to solve the problem, an attempt was made to choose a medium with the best answer. Therefore, based on the remaining data, wall paintings were chosen as the medium for the research between the 9th and the 15th centuries. The aim of this research is to determine the preferred color in the inscription and the reasons for its use with the help of the remaining number of buildings in Iran painted in wall painting style. In this regard, questions are also raised; is there a meaningful significant relationship between content and color in these wall paintings' inscriptions? If a color is preferred, what could be the possible reasons for that? Separation as well as classification of data in this research is a factor that has enabled us to use acceptable reasons that rely on evidence instead of descriptive words. The necessity of this research also requires achieving a logical process towards traditionalist thoughts about a type of continuity of color which is referred to as blue in this research. The research method of the current research is correlational and it was tried to distinguish whether the inscriptions are religious or non-religious in terms of subject matter and language. Finally, the reasons for using blue color in Islamic, mystical, literary and pre-Islamic sources were investigated. The results of the research show that the content of most of the inscriptions was religious. Also in all cases; except limited cases that have acceptable reasons, the artist has used blue color in the painting or background to express the spiritual, celestial and divine values of religious inscription. Evidence shows that out of a total of 205 inscriptions on walls, only 5 were done with non-blue colors. Based on this, when examining the color causes of heterogeneous inscriptions, we encountered several important cases; one of these cases is the red inscription of Gonbad-e Soltaniyeh and the other two are Persian inscriptions of Qal'eh Afraasiyab and Togh-e Bolandiyeh House. The use of red color in the inscription of the dome of Soltaniyeh was intended to draw the viewer's attention to the subject of Oljaytu's death. The artist's attention to the issue of language type is also evident in the simultaneous use of different colors in the Afraasiyab Castle (Figure 4), where blue is used in Arabic inscriptions and a different color is used for Persian inscriptions. Arabic was, in fact, the language that God chose to reveal his will in the Quran. This can also be seen in the foundation and burial inscriptions, where only Arabic was used, indicating their suitability for choosing blue as a color. In the following, it is clear that the artist used a variety of colors, including green, yellow, black, and red, in painting of the inscriptions, but only used blue color for painting or the background of the inscription with the content and theme which have been chosen from Quranic and religious texts. The results in response to the second question indicate that the Quran does not have much agreement with this color, and even with reference to the verse 102 of Surah Taha which mentions blue, an opposing interpretation may be possible to be considered. From an Islamic mysticism perspective and based on the opinions of Sheikh Alaa al-Dawla Semnani, Kabiri, and Najm al-Razi, blue was among the prominent colors, but not at the highest level that could be used as a representation of spiritual elements. Finally, by examining the history of lapis lazuli usage as a valuable material, it becomes clear that it was used in the past as a supplement to gold and was likely used to enhance artistic effects. Models of this combination can be seen in ancient art of Mesopotamia, Christianity, and Manichaeism. It seems that the closest culture that has been able to have a comprehensive influence on Islamic art in this regard is Manichaeism, especially since the Manichaeans used lapis lazuli in the background of all their works. All in all, if this issue is fundamentally related to the Manicheans, it is not far-fetched, because most of the works left by followers of Mani were also in the field of painting. The final word is that everything that was obtained from the examination of the characteristics of blue color and the inscriptions painted on the wall is a representation of the master artist's effort to keep the color values alive, which became traditional and continued with the motivation of the embodiment of religious art.

 The mausoleum of twelve imams of Yazd is a thousand-year-old building with a valuable inscription in decorative Kufic script under the dome, which is very important in terms of visual richness and worthy of study. Gestalt is one of the theories of the visual perception process in psychology, and the principles of this theory can be useful in the recognition of works of art. The most important principles of Gestalt are the principle of similarity, symmetry, proximity, layering, integration, continuity, relationships between form and context, superimposition and common destiny. The inscription should be placed. In this way, the amount of use of these principles in its design will be determined and the quality of the resulting performance will be revealed.This research seeks to answer the question that to what extent and how the principles of similarity, contiguity, symmetry, completion and overlap were used in the design of the inscription of the tomb of the twelve Imams of Yazd, and what is the degree of significance resulting from the use of each of these principles?This research was carried out in a descriptive-analytical way and the data were collected through library studies and field surveys.The results showed that the principles of similarity and overlap are used to a large extent, the principle of proximity and completion to a large extent, and the principle of symmetry to a moderate extent are used in this inscription. The result of the application of these principles is the realization of propaganda to a large extent, and as a result, the better organization of the components, the easier reception of the work and the active communication of the audience with the inscription.Key words: Tomb of twelve Imams of Yazd, inscription, visual perception, Gestalt theory, pregnancy.

The foundation of any government and sovereignty lies in its legitimacy. Legitimacy, on one hand, establishes the right to rule for the governing power and, on the other, leads to the recognition and acceptance of this right by the general public. In Islamic-era Iran, rulers derived their legitimacy from Arab caliphs and, in some cases, through domination or by appealing to ancient historical precedents—until the Mongol invasion transformed the sources of legitimacy. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study aims to compare the process of legitimization between the Mongol Ilkhanids and the Timurids, based on their utilization of the cultural potential and appeal of Shia Islam.The findings indicate that although both ruling dynasties exploited the potential of Shia Islam for political purposes and cultural assimilation within the majority society, Shia jurists cooperated and assisted the Ilkhanids more than they did the Timurids. This contributed significantly to the growth of Shia Islam, both in terms of the freedom of action for Shias and the union of Shia Islam and Sufism during the Ilkhanid era. On the other hand, both the Ilkhanids and Timurids made extensive efforts to legitimize their rule through the construction of religious buildings and the reflection of religious themes in the architecture of the period.Research Objectives: To examine the process of legitimization of the Mongol Ilkhanids and Timurids based on their use of the cultural potential and appeal of Shia Islam.To investigate how the Ilkhanids and Timurids sought legitimization through the inscriptions on buildings from their respective periods.Research Questions:How did the process of legitimization of the Mongol Ilkhanids and Timurids unfold based on their utilization of the cultural potential and appeal of Shia Islam?How was the legitimization of the Ilkhanids and Timurids reflected in the inscriptions on buildings from their respective periods?

Learning from the values of traditional Iranian architecture and architectural ornamentation is a way to improve the quality of our today's architecture. The first step of this way is to understand the appropriate method of reading architecture and architectural ornamentation. In recent decades there are various studies on Iranian architectural decorations with different methodologies and approaches. This study aims to seek a way of reading ornamentation in Iranian architecture through content analysis of existing studies. So, the main question is: How can we achieve a model for reading, learning, and creating ornamentation in Iranian architecture? In this qualitative research, we have followed an interpretive approach and used a content analysis method to analyze data obtained from a literature review. The results indicate that there are three sources for reading ornamentation: 1. through the examination of the works themselves, 2. the personality of the traditional craftsmen, and 3. reading non-architectural documents such as cultural sources or literature. There are also eight perspectives to consider ornamentation: 1. historical evolution, 2. ornamentation in a particular type of architecture (mosque, house, bazaar), 3. technical and restoration, 4. semantic-philosophical, 5. materials, 6. colors, 7. patterns, and 8. inscriptions. So, the model of reading and creating Iranian architectural ornamentation includes four layers; 1. material, 2. color, 3. pattern, and 4. inscription. All the layers together as a system create quality, beauty, and meaning for a place. Literature review shows that few studies have addressed all four of these components in an integrated manner. However, the spatial quality of Iranian architecture is the result of the synergy of all four components. This research suggests a comprehensive method of recognizing and using the four ornamentations by addressing both formal and semantic aspects.

The Timurid era is one of the most important and influential periods in the history of Iranian architecture. During this period, architecture and its related decorations evolved and set the pattern for later periods. Schools held an important position in this era, as it can be said that it was the golden age of Iranian schools. The Timurid schools in Khorasan include a limited number of schools, with two valuable schools of this era, Dodar and Parizad, located near the holy shrine of Imam Reza. Inscriptions have always been a decorative feature used in Islamic Iranian architecture, with valuable concepts hidden in their content. In addition to the content of the inscriptions, their relationship with their placement is also noteworthy. The aim of this research is to analyze the content used in the inscriptions of Timurid schools in Mashhad, as well as their placement. Field studies were conducted for documentation and reading of the inscriptions in the buildings, and a descriptive-analytical method was used for introducing, categorizing, and finding relationships among them. The results indicate that Dodar School has 33 inscriptions and Parizad School has 8 inscriptions in their decorations, with Quranic inscriptions having the largest share. Moreover, Thuluth script was the most used in calligraphy, and more use of mosaic tiles was observed. The placement of inscriptions is mainly in the entrances, iwans, and domes of the schools, with each placement showcasing a specific theme.

Sheikh Abdul Hussein Mosque and Seminary is a place that best exemplifies the architecture and art of the Qajar era. Amir Kabir and Sheikh Abdul Hussein Tehrani worked together to build this mosque and school in Tehran’s Grand Bazaar. It remains a center for student education and promotion of Islamic culture even though it has been constructed for more than 150 years. The mosque and seminary’s architecture and decorations are both stunning and noteworthy, with numerous inscriptions from the Qajar, Pahlavi, and Islamic revolution eras installed in them. Despite the scattered notes and few articles that have dealt with this matter, the inscriptions and architecture of the Sheikh Abdul Hussein Mosque and Seminary have not been fully investigated, and there are still some vague details that require libraries and especially field research. The mosque and seminary’s status, style, and architecture are explained and examined in this article, and its inscriptions are examined. Descriptive and analytical methods are used to collect library and field information and process it. In the text, reference and citations are handled using the APA in-text method, and seven documents (architectural images and inscriptions) are utilized.

By accepting the tendency of the world to evolve around the axis of the pure Imams (Peace be upon them) as examples of “perfect human”, it is important to know the architectural features of the perfecting architecture of their holy shrines. Ashura opens a gate of light to the inside of the Qibla and luminous city of love. The qibla is a sign not to be lost the path. And this is how the signs became important in the holy shrines. Islamic art and architecture is expression of God's word. And religious spiritual inscriptions are the most prominent symbol that is connected like a bridge from the sensible world to the universe of meaning by manifesting truths.
In this article, in response to the question that "Religious-spiritual inscriptions as enduring media with what conceptual-formal pattern, have expressed the original religious concepts in epic-religious architecture?" We have dealt with the dome of the holy shrine of Imam Hussein, which is the point of connection between earth and heaven and a symbol of justice. First, by reviewing the types of decorative and artistic calligraphy, in order to know the type of them and artistic form and understanding the content of the inscriptions of the dome, and then by the method of illustration and field interpretation and then by analytical-interpretive method, it is clear that the holy inscription of the holy shrine has been prepared as a symbolic medium in accordance with the uprising of Imam Hussein. Meanwhile, Surah “Fajr” in the scroll inscription of the dome, with a height of 5 meters, as a surah related to Imam Hussein (AS) in the circular geometry of the center of the dome is located; the height of the leg and itself to the top is 14 meters. The type of calligraphy shows the art of tholth calligraphy by Mohammad Hossein Shahid Mashhadi, a prominent Qajar calligrapher in 1373 AH, who also succeeded in writing inscriptions in the holy shrine of Imam Reza at that time. The concept of the four bergamot inscriptions on the base of the dome, includes thanking God for the success in decorating and gilding the dome, deals with the period and the founder of the construction.
Finally, and according to the plan to elevate the holy dome of Imam Hussein at the present time, the offer of this article is to add the mention of brotherhood and unity of the two nations of Iran and Iraq in the terracotta inscriptions of the dome and repeat Surah Fajr in the scroll inscription of base of the dome.

Riza Abbasi’s signatures were unprecedented in Persian painting in both quality and quantity. Although the advent of signatures in Persian painting goes back to several centuries earlier and it became common practice for painters to insert their generally concealed signatures into their works toward the end of the sixteenth century, Riza, the noted painter of the Isfahan school of art, was the one who dared to trespass on the lofty realm of calligraphers and to use their signing and inscribing manners. In addition to signing his name, he puts conspicuous inscriptions on single-sheet works and also on manuscript illustrations which seldom carried inscriptions previously and thus enunciates autonomy for the art which was broadly considered a heteronomous one; the painter’s name and the painting’s completion date are manifestly provided alongside the calligrapher’s name and execution date. Riza even outstripped calligraphers in recording different aspects of his making conditions in the writings. In fact, he broadened the definition of signing, which formerly was just meant to establish the authenticity of the artwork and to record the name of the painter, and was followed by his epigones in this field, too. This article aims to discuss Riza Abbasi’s presence in his works through his autography and poses two questions: Firstly, what features do Riza’s signatures and inscriptions have and how do they develop through his career? And secondly, how do the autographs represent the painter’s artistic characteristics? Signature is generally categorized as a verbal self-reflective phenomenon, but when its visual features and form are also taken into consideration —such as the execution manner and position— it will change into something more than mere words; with the addition of this aspect, it can take a dual role in examinations. This study, using grounded theory as its methodology, has examined Riza’s writings from both viewpoints. It is comprised of two sections; one is descriptive and the other is analytic. In section one, a detailed description of the artist’s signatures and inscriptions has been provided. First, his signatures have been divided into two categories and their features and transition process have been discussed. This descriptive section shows that unlike the later ones, Riza’s earlier signatures were inconstant and are not to be found in all the works belonging to the first category; a fact which alludes to a transformation in Riza’s perception of his status in the middle of his career. Moreover, other scholars’ statements on the subject have been reviewed in this section, to wit, the contentious issue of the time at which the title of “Abbasi” was conferred upon Riza by Shah Abbas the Great, or conceivably was taken by him of his own volition. The present article, furnishing some convincing evidence (chiefly by denying the authenticity of the pre-1610 signatures which bear the title), has determined the year 1610 AD (1018 AH), which was a turning point in Riza’s career, as the date he earned the epithet; thereafter, he signed each and every one of his works —single-sheet works and illustrations— by using a visually and verbally constant phrase (“Work of the humble Riza-e ‘Abbasi”), calligraphically executed and aesthetically pleasing, which attracts the beholders’ attention at once. No changes were introduced to his signature for about thirty years. This consistency could affirm the genuineness of his works and is an eloquent reminder of the artist’s resolute character. Then, a thorough examination of the inscriptions is provided in which their content and writing manner have been dealt with in detail. The description exhibits the artist’s creativeness, talent, and pertinacity. Lastly, in the analytic section, the manner of signing and inscribing —including the painter’s penmanship, the positions and features of the signatures and inscriptions, and the information they contain— has been analyzed to trace the representation of the painter’s status, state, and viewpoints. The study has observed the manifestation of Riza’s artistic characteristics in his signing and has found his autography to be a true reflection of his presence in his works. Indeed, the artist who enjoys painterly self-consciousness, uses his inscriptions to chronicle his creating conditions. He provides the precise completion date, which is indicative of his worldly concerns. He names either the master whose work has been imitated, the portrayed figure, or the person for whom the work is created, which bears testimony to his preoccupation with individuality. He has noted the reasons and motivations for producing the works, too. By means of inscriptions, Riza has tried to communicate with the audience and by employing certain terms, he has accentuated the distance of representation (the distinction between presentation and representation) and reminded the observers that they are beholding a made-up picture. Riza Abbasi’s signatures and inscriptions are the declarations of the artist’s elevated social status and portray him as a gifted, creative, innovative, perceptive, persevering, adamant, consummate, extrovert, self-assured, and influential painter.

Death is a vital necessity and an undeniable phenomenon. Death is a concept in contrast with life and inevitable. Confrontation with death has a lifespan as old as humanity itself. Humanity's constant confrontation with death has made man make peace with its inevitability. Therefore, the desire to know more about the phenomenon of death has been one of human’s oldest pastimes. The way of dealing with this process has different patterns in different cultures and traditions. But since mankind have always been looking for a way to commend the deceased, monuments and tombs have been one of the most obvious ways of showing and symbolizing the deceased person, and tombstones are important in this process. The construction of tombs has long been important for honoring the status of the dead, so that in the ancient times of Iran we come across tombs and graves that show us the traditions of the past regarding the deceased. After Islam, according to the Islamic tradition, the deceased is buried in the soil during a ceremony. In line with historical eras, tombs were structurally influenced and conformed to the various cultural factors of each era and changes in rituals and beliefs.In Islamic Iran, tomb buildings became prevalent from the 4th century A.H. and the construction of tombs for important people became popular and gradually widespread, and as evidenced by history, since then the tombs of the elders and important figures always continued to be significant during following eras. Tombs are a place to display history, art, culture and even philosophy and life style of the people of a society. The common feature of tombs and mausoleums, either for important figures or ordinary people, is the existence of a tombstone that is designed with special specifications. By observing the graves and studying them and the concepts, themes and motifs of their carvings, beliefs, history of the people of a region, and even their art can be understood. Inscriptions, names, decorations and forms are the factors that give life to the stone, and become guides and take us somewhere in-between existence and non-existence; where there is no name, but only commemoration. Patterns that are a testament to the art history of Iranian civilization and their main source are mystical in nature.The history of using tombstones in Iran dates back to Islam. Although there is no sign and proof of the onset of placing the stone on the grave of the deceased, it can be said that the way of burial and marking the grave (stone) after forty days in Shia jurisprudence can be the beginning of this tradition. By the passage of time the tombstones, like other works of the Islamic period, were decorated by symbols that implied many characteristics, ranging from the introduction of the deceased to the historical period and identity signs. The application of a boxed tombstones on the grave of the deceased does not have a precise and specific date, but their first well known examples can be found in the Timurid period. Tombstones in various types and special styles, which are rooted in the religious foundations of the Islamic periods, are used in all cemeteries and are considered an important feature of the cemetery. Engraved motifs in the Islamic period can be seen in various parts of religious texts, one example of which is tombstones engraved with plant themes, ethnic beliefs, pure sculptural forms and inscriptions with various forms of calligraphy.Since far past, ever since the burial of the holy body of the 8th Imam of Shiites, Imam Reza’s (pbuh) holy shrine has been the focus of attention of various groups of people, and many people, in their wills, requested to be buried next to the shrine of this noble Imam. Also with the development of the Holy Shrine for the welfare of pilgrims and the growing trend of urbanization, a number of tombstones around the Holy Shrine were transferred to the Astan Quds Razavi Museum. Astan Quds Razavi has a great treasure of art works, many of which have not yet been introduced to researchers. The tombstones preserved in this large collection are among the works that are considered significant, due to the reading of their themes and the study of their motifs. This research intends to study the symbolic concepts of this type of tombstones with various decorations and examine their form and content. The tombstones of the Astan Quds Razavi Museum include the Timurid and Safavid periods. About 15 tombstones are on display in this museum. In this research, 7 samples of tombstones from the tombs of Mahfouz in Astan Quds Razavi Museum have been studied. Two of them have recently been found in the excavations of the Holy Shrine of Razavi and are introduced for the first time in this study. They belong to Khanka Bibi, the daughter of Amir Afzaluddin Mohammad Al Mousavi and Goharshad Khatun, the daughter of Sultan Farrokh Yasar.The purpose of this research is to study the structure, inscriptions and motifs carved on the tombstones. The question of this research is what concepts do the inscriptions and decorative motifs of the box tombstones of Astan Quds Razavi Museum refer to?The research method is based on analytical and descriptive method, and data collection is conducted via field studies and documents and library resources in parallel. The statistical population of the research includes 7 examples of tombstones in Astan Quds Razavi Museum, which have the maximum amount of information and the minimum percentage of degradation.The results of the research show that the decorations of the studied tombstones were decorated with inscriptions, geometric designs, Mihrabi and Moqransi motifs with carvings of plant foliage such as lotus flower and Eslimi designs. The texts engraved on the tombstones include verses of the Quran, prayers, names of God, poems, and also the details of the deceased, which can be seen on the body of the tombstone. What can be said concerning the selected tombstones is that two types of inscriptions and motifs can be detected on them. In addition to introducing the deceased with prayers, the verses of the Quran and the names of the Innocents, the inscriptions reflect the whole view of the religious beliefs of the people of that era, who fully understood the relationship between the form and the meaning of the motifs. Especially mentioning the name of Hazrat Ali due to the recognition of the Shia as the official religion of Iran during the Safavid era is one of the noteworthy cases. These inscriptions are engraved on the top most part, body and the margins of the tombstone. The type of writing style in the inscriptions is of significan importance in the work of artists on tombstones. In the selected examples, the Kufic script of Banai, Naskh, and Tholut have been used. In transforming the shape of tombstones from cradle to boxed, the altar-shaped design at the top of the box is quite clear a replacement for the upper prominent part of the cradle tombstone. The design of the altar contains decorations such as inscriptions and motifs. In connection with the motifs, the use of geometric, Eslimi and Moqrans motifs is prominent. Geometric motifs are used along with plant motifs and inscriptions, among which circle is one of the most widely used shapes. These motifs are formed by regular repetition and reproduction of a pattern in all directions of the shape to fill the entire surface and the empty space between the shapes. These geometric motifs can also be seen in the form of decorative flowers, the varieties of which are four-petal, eight-petal, and lotus flowers. Sometimes these flowers are centrally located in the upper frame, or they connect a series of surrounding inscriptions as a chain, or they are carved to fill empty spaces. The juxtaposition of these motifs and inscriptions shows symbolic meanings. Also, in the four corners of some tombstones,  column-shaped designs can be seen that have a decorative purpose and hold a Muqrans design at their upper part which creates a sense of balance. These carved capitals on the four sides of the stone create balance and symmetry between the elements and motifs used in the stone. Eslimi plant motifs and spiral movements and their continuous repetition evoke the multiplicity in unity and the immortality of the world with continuous birth.

Problem Definition: 

The Davazdah Imam Mausoleum of Yazd is one of the oldest buildings with inscriptions in Iran. The Grivar inscription of this building is Ornamental Kufic, which, unlike the simple Kufic, does not follow specific rules, and many innovations and modifications are made in it. Despite the high visual richness, the mentioned inscription has been deprived of formal analysis, while any but structured changes of the letters, the acceptance of complex forms, and additional elements make it worthy of further analysis. The current research seeks to find the answer to the following question: "what are the structural, visual, and formal characteristics of the Davazdah Imam Mausoleum of Yazd, and what rules did the designer establish in its design?"

This research aimed at identifying the structural and visual features of the Grivar inscription, such as writing style, proportions, and principles used in its composition.

The present research was carried out using a descriptive-analytical method, and the data was collected through library studies and field surveys.

The results showed that distancing from the legibility of words, exaggerating the shape of letters and basic proportions, is a method to achieve beauty and induce concepts beyond the literal meaning. However, the application of formal changes does not only mean losing the order and rules of script, but the designer has established certain principles and policies under the changes, to where maintaining the independent identity of the letters has been one of the primary design criteria.

This research aims to identify and assess the authenticity of the Square Kufic (mo‘aqqeli) inscriptions on the portal of the Masjed-e Jame‘-e ʿAbbasi of Isfahan. There are several Square Kufic inscriptions on the portal of this mosque, yet the historical authenticity of none has ever been studied. This research was done in three steps: First, we completely photographed the portal of this building. Then we made a panoramic image out of the photos from the facade, identified 46 Square Kufic inscriptions, and marked their place on the mentioned panoramic image. Then, we produced a two-dimensional map of that image and showed the current location of all the Square Kufic inscriptions of the portal on this map. In the second step, we identified the historical photos of the portal of this mosque and organized them in chronological order. Then, we overlaid these historical photos on the produced map and identified which Kufic inscriptions were damaged or collapsed and later restored. By doing so, we showed which of these inscriptions were still in place before the restoration of 1937-1938, and so, are more likely to be authentic and which of them are definitely not. In the third step, we compared the condition of the inscriptions which remained intact on the portal’s facade until the restoration of 1937-38, as recorded in historical photos, with their present condition and showed which ones are definitely authentic and which ones are not. This research shows that out of 46 Square Kufic inscriptions on the portal of this mosque, 34 inscriptions are historically authentic, 11 inscriptions were definitely lost before the restoration works of 1937-38 and therefore are not authentic. Moreover, the historical authenticity of one inscription is only probable.

Bastam great mosque, a short distance from the Bayazid Bastami complex, is one of the oldest mosques in Iran. The history of the mosque goes back to the beginning of Islam. There are many inscriptions and various motifs and decorations around the Mihrab and the wall of Qible in the mosque, which are essential artistically, historically, politically, culturally, ritually, and socially. most of the current decorations and inscriptions belong to the Ilkhanid period. The purpose of this research is to determine the age of the inscriptions of this building and also to clarify the type of lines used as well as the themes in them and also to determine the artists, patrons, and those who were involved in the construction of this building. The results of this research, which is descriptive and analytical, and its data were collected in the form of library studies and field surveys, indicate that most of these inscriptions belong to the Ilkhanid era. Also, the substantial role of different cultural, religious, and mystical people, as well as political and artistic people in the construction of the artworks in this mosque, as well as the variety of decorations and lines, are other results of this research.field surveys, indicate that most of these inscriptions belong to the Ilkhanid era. Also, the substantial role of different cultural, religious, and mystical people, as well as political and artistic people in the construction of the artworks in this mosque, as well as the variety of decorations and lines, are other results of this research.field surveys, indicate that most of these inscriptions belong to the Ilkhanid era. Also, the substantial role of different cultural, religious, and mystical people, as well as political and artistic people in the construction of the artworks in this mosque, as well as the variety of decorations and lines, are other results of this research.