Ecology of Flora and Fauna in Kerman Ceramics from the 11th to the 13th Centuries AH

Kerman was one of the most important pottery production bases in Iran in the Safavid era during the 11 to the 13 centuries AH (16 to 18 AD) and the products of its workshops have been exported to European markets in addition to domestic consumption. Iran was in the center of political tensions during the Safavid period and after that, and in general, the 10th, the 11th and the 12th centuries AH (16th, 17th and 18th AD) were the arena of East-West conflict. Iranian pottery enjoyed the direct influence of Ottoman, European and Chinese pottery and elements of Mongolian and Buddhist pictorial culture as well as European pictorial tradition. In general, the pottery artifacts of this period are influenced by the popular imported Chinese Ming and Yuan porcelains, and repeat many of their patterns and motifs. In the meantime, Kerman products are reminders of new aspects and innovative approaches and the Iranian spirit. It has never been enough to simply imitate imported species; rather, the products depict past traditions and national and indigenous beliefs, and sometimes manifestations of the region's biological geography. In the blue and white pottery and the species known as multi-colored Kerman, the human reaction to the events and ecology of the region can be traced. The vastness of this land, its elongation in latitude, and many topographic differences have caused a unique climatic and ecological diversity; with vast and scorching deserts, lush plains and pastures, glaciers and rich forests. Such biodiversity has led to different plant and animal species. The study of flora and fauna of Kerman region in comparison with the designs and motifs of artifacts and textiles shows the influence of artists from the ecology of the region in a direct and sometimes implicit way. Of course, the limitations of resources and climatic deficiencies and the hostile forces of nature have caused the image of the environment in the paintings of these people to be sometimes manifested in the form of dreams and ideals; in the sense that the people of this land, in the form of images and motifs, have dominated the problems of living on the edge of the desert and have reduced its adverse effects. In this way, they portray their desire to achieve stability and peace in life, which in some cases is the opposite of everyday reality. The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the impact of climate and environmental geography as cultural components in the formation of Safavid pottery in Kerman. Therefore, the main question of this research is as follows: What effect did the environmental components and biological geography of southeastern Iran have on the range of Safavid pottery motifs in Kerman? This research, which is developmental and done by descriptive-analytical method, is in the field of human ecology and in the field of anthropological studies, and its importance and necessity is in the category of culture and the behaviors that result from it. The method of collecting information is documentary (library research method) and field observations. The statistical population of this study is pottery and tiles of Kerman in the beginning of the 11th to the 13th centuries AH (16th to 18th centuries AD) and the sampling method in this study is nonprobability sampling. It is also possible to study under-glazed paintings based on observations of works at museums and auction houses. Also, the tiles and paintings of Ganj Ali Khan collection have been photographed in the field. The method of analyzing information is qualitative. In this regard, initially the climate, atmosphere and land form of Kerman is reviewed, following which the plant and animal ecology of the study area and then, samples of pottery from Kerman in comparison with it have been studied and analyzed. The result of this research reveals the artists' influence from the region's ecosystem in a direct and sometimes implicit way; among them are the motifs of wild carnation flowers, vine leaves, cypress and willow trees and migratory birds, and the repetitive motif of deer is influenced by the flora and fauna of the region as well. The abundance of carnation flowers and vine leaves is a visual indicator in recognizing the Safavid pottery of Kerman.