A Comparative Study of Brick Kufic Inscription Construction in Five Seljuk Buildings of Isfahan

Kufic inscription is one of the prevailing inscriptions in most of the mosques and minarets of the early Islamic centuries. The style of Kufic inscriptions was appropriate to be implemented by the technique of pre-cut brickwork. Therefore with the brickwork prosperity as the material of structure and ornaments of the facades in Razi style and especially the Seljuk era, the brick Kufic inscriptions were the specific ornament of different buildings. The purpose of this article is to recognize how these inscriptions were constructed in some monuments with different functions in Seljuk Isfahan. The main question here is regarding the technical and formal items which were considered in implementation of brick Kufic inscriptions. Therefore similarities and differences of these inscriptions were evaluated through comparing five buildings belonging to Seljuk era in Isfahan, such as the Minaret of Paminar Mosque in Zavareh, mihrab of Barsian Jame Mosque, northeastern Entrance of Isfahan Jame Mosque, Gar Minaret and the sidewalls of Zavareh Jame Mosque.
The method of this research is descriptive- analytical research and the data have been collected through observations and documentary studies, and with the help of some experts of the two fields of architecture and calligraphy. After drawing the inscriptions and setting them on the tables, the job of matching and comparing them has been done by considering the common theoretical foundations between calligraphy and inscriptions. Research findings indicate the emergence of commonalities in the content, time and location. The overall composition of inscriptions in linage and proportions of letters have some predetermined principles and rules, and most of the cases have been written with simple Kufic and this confirms the persistence of these writing modes in accordance with the executive principles. The height of inscriptions and the amount of vertical extensions were different depending on the position and extension of the inscriptions.