Study of Animal Motifs of Ancient Potteries of Gurgan City (Jurjan) During Islamic Period

Motifs of Iranian art have always been a symbol of considered concepts and themes of people from different eras, and continuity in their design, reveals figurative changes of each period. Animal drawing, visualized in different types of art, was one of the most important motifs in Iranian art which has always drawn attention to itself and its utilization has not been stopped even after religious revolutions. Present study deals with animal drawings of ancient Gurgan’s potteries and represents the variations of their designs during 1st A. H to 7th A. H. Results show that the quality of drawing and designing of Gurgan’s animal motifs was initially the continuation of some of the artistic cultures of ancient Iran which has been bound to Islamic contents. This is more evident through the type of addressing the details. But as time passes and get closer to medial centuries, these cultural drawings, experienced considerable changes from designing and decorating techniques points of views.