Comparative Analysis of Pre-Islamic and Post-Islamic Filigree Art in Iran

Diversity in design, size and role of filigree works in museums and written historical sources raises questions one of which is what artistic and historical periods have the most effect on the change of form and design of filigree works? And from what period has the present filigree making become prevalent? Answering such questions, the researchers have chosen two time spans of pre-Islamic and post-Islamic filigree making due to specific cultural, religious and political characteristics of such periods.Then, focusing on performative and decorative techniques, form and design of existent works in the two periods were investigated and compared separately and diachronically via descriptive-analytic method.In addition to documenting the formation stages of motifs from the third millennium (BC) until the end of Qajar time and stating the construction technique of filigree works, the findings of this study after comparing show that twisted and untwisted laces used in ornaments of ancient Persia have entered the arena of art-industry as an independent art called filigree after passing fundamental transformations. After that, such art passed different stages of its evolution in Safavid, Afshari, Zandieh and Qajar eras.