Reading and content analysis of the inscription of the shrine of Cut Rock architecture Imamzadeh Ma’sum Varovi (Varjovi) Maragheh, East Azerbaijan

Cut-Rock architecture collection of Imamzadeh in Maragheh city, due to its Quranic inscription, architectural and decorative elements, is a suitable bed for the study of political, social and religious history of Maragheh. However, in previous research, there have been some shortcomings and weaknesses in reading the lithographic inscription of this shrine. In these studies, the political-religious concepts were generally ignored in the heart of this inscription. Inscriptions, on the other hand, are one of the most important documents in the field of chronology and analysis of the functional nature of an architectural space. In the present study, while re-reading the Quranic inscription created in the inner body of Cut-Rock architecture Imamzadeh shrine, the impact of overt and covert layers of Ilkhanid politics and beliefs and the religious structure of Maragheh based on the contents of this inscription is discussed. Therefore, the present study is conducted with a historical-comparative and interpretive-analytical approach and based on field and library studies and seeks to answer the following fundamental questions; 1- According to the chronicle of the stone inscription, to which period does the shrine of Imamzadeh belong? 2- What connection can be considered between the themes of the inscription and the religious-political developments of Maragheh society? The results show that this inscription was created during the religious reforms of GhazanKhan and its themes were to express the rituals of Islam and its superiority over other religions, especially Buddhism and Christianity living in the structure of the religious system of Maragheh.