Identifying and Introducing the Motifs of Stucco and Brickwork Decorations in the Mihrab of Bersian Jame Mosque

Bersian Jame’ mosque which has a brick dome chamber and single minaret is a building belonging to Seljuqi period. The main decorations of this mosque are a mixture of brickwork and stucco of Seljuqi era to which a number of decorations and attachments have been added in Safavid time. It is located in Bersian village which is in the environs of Isfahan province. Its mihrab is an outstanding instance of Seljuqi’s mihrabs. The decorations of its mihrab are a mixture of brickwork and stucco which is rare in its type. There are different ideas about its construction date and mihrab in the sources. Since existent information about this building, especially its decorations, is limited this article aims to identify and introduce the visual features of various kinds of stucco and brickwork motifs used in the decorations of this mosque’s mihrab. Moreover, by answering the questions about this issue it takes a step in further knowledge about the decorations of this Seljuqi’s mosque. The method of this study is descriptive-analytic and case study. Using library and field studies, the mihrab is divided into different parts and by coding each part, the introducing of its decorations and reading of some parts of its unread inscriptions are done. The decorative themes in this mihrab include muqarnas, geometry, herbal elements, various kinds of calligraphy and abstract patterns. The stucco motifs include geometric, herbal, mehri motifs and different kinds of calligraphy and inscription, and the motifs of brickworks include geometric motifs, muqarnas, various kinds of calligraphy as well as inscription and abstract motifs.