Exploring The Mihrabs of The Masjid -I Kirmani of Turbat-I Jam and its Dating

Masjid-I Kirmani, in the complex of the Shaikh Jam’s tomb has a very important status due to the existence of two exquisite stucco mihrabs. Due to extensive damages and restoration, the inscriptions of the history date for the two mihrabs are flawed and not recognizable. Numerous and various points of views are expressed about the probable date of mihrabs none of which is definite. This study sought to answer the following questions; What are the Visual characteristics of the Stuccoed mihrabs of Masjid of Kirmani Turbat- I Jam? What are the reasons attributed to or the mihrabs to the second half of the eighth century AD/First quarter Ninth Century AD? This study indeed intends to introduce and recognize this masjid mihrabs, while offering a more acceptable date for the mihrabs through a comparative study and via examining some details of Motifs. Method of data collection has been made based on field studies and citation to the written references. The collected data were then analyzed through a historicalanalytical method and with a comparative approach. Having analyzed the structure, motifs, and inscriptions of the mihrabs against the ones with specific as well as unspecified dates holding kirmani’s signature, a developmental path can be observed in most motifs and inscriptions of the two mihrabs. Furthermore, by considering other reasons such as, the similarity of grave tiles attributed to architect Kirmani to two tiles in the "Yazd jomeh Masjid" and the elegance of the motifs and inscriptions of the Thuluth belt of the kirmani Masjid, these mihrabs can be attributed tothe second half of the eighth century AD/ the First quarter Ninth Century AD.