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Feasibility Study of Existence of a Dome over the Cruciform Palace of Bishapur in Sasanian Times
Feasibility Study of Existence of a Dome over the Cruciform Palace of Bishapur in Sasanian Times
Feasibility Study of Existence of a Dome over the Cruciform Palace of Bishapur in Sasanian Times
Feasibility Study of Existence of a Dome over the Cruciform Palace of Bishapur in Sasanian Times
Feasibility Study of Existence of a Dome over the Cruciform Palace of Bishapur in Sasanian Times
Alireza shahmohammadpourRelated Papers
2019 •
The sacredness of plants and plant elements in all nations has led to the implicit and explicit implications of these elements in the arts and architecture of various nations. In ancient Iran, the impacts of these plant elements and plant motifs can be seen in the architectural ornamentation, which is also prevalent in other nations. Problem statement and research aim: The current study seeks to find the implicit concepts of plant motifs used in the pre-Islamic Iranian architecture and to understand the impacts of pre-Islamic architecture on the architecture of Umayyad and Abbasid periods. In this regard, the symbolic and mythological concepts of plants such as lotus flowers, acanthus, and various trees such as palm and vine, which are commonly used in pre-Islamic Iranian architecture and Islamic architecture, have been deeply scrutinized. Research Method : This research aims at interpreting the perpetual influence of these plants on the common beliefs and the architecture of the two aforementioned periods and it tries to seek the reasons for conveyance of these motifs from pre-Islamic architecture to Islamic era. Therefore, using the interdisciplinary study methodology, this study aims at comparing the motifs of prominent pre-Islamic buildings of the Achaemenid period (Persepolis) and the Sassanid period (Ctesiphon palace, Taq-e Bostan and Bishapur Palace) with those of Umayyad period (such as Qobbat Al-Sakherah mosque, Al-Hayr palace, Al-Mshatta palace, and Kherbat Al-Mafjar palace), and Abbasid period (including the Belkoura palace and Seymareh Mosque). H After interpreting the buildings historically by referring to various texts, the common implications of plant motifs were revealed and their manifestations in the architecture of both historical periods are deeply analyzed and discussed. The sacredness of plants among nations has led to the apparent and latent implications of these elements in the arts and architecture of various nations. In ancient Persia, the impacts of plant motifs can be seen in the architectural ornamentation, which is also prevalent in other nations. Problem statement and research aim: The current study pursues to find the inherent concepts of plant motifs used in the pre-Islamic Iran architecture and to understand the impacts of pre-Islamic architecture on the architecture of Umayyad and Abbasid periods. In this regard, the symbolic and mythological concepts of plants such as lotus flowers, acanthus, and various trees such as palm and vine, which are commonly used in pre-Islamic Iranian architecture and Islamic architecture, have been deeply scrutinized. Research Method: This research aims at interpreting the perpetual influence of these plants on the common beliefs and the architecture of the two aforementioned periods and it tries to seek the reasons for conveyance of these motifs from pre-Islamic architecture to Islamic era. Therefore, using the interdisciplinary study methodology, this study aims at comparing the motifs of prominent pre-Islamic buildings of the Achaemenid period (Persepolis) and the Sassanid period (Ctesiphon palace, Taq-e Bostan and Bishapur Palace) with those of Umayyad period (such as Qobbat Al-Sakherah mosque, Al-Hayr palace, Al-Mshatta palace, and Kherbat Al-Mafjar palace), and Abbasid period (including the Belkoura palace, Seymareh mosque and Noh Gonbad mosque). After interpreting the buildings historically by referring to various texts, the common implications of plant motifs were revealed and their manifestations in the architecture of both historical periods are deeply analyzed and discussed. Conclusion: The results show that the existence of noble concepts such as purity, clarity and sacred force of life, knowledge and wisdom observed at plant motifs is the main reason for their use in architecture, which convey the same implications in the architecture of both periods. Moreover, it is deduced that the use of different motifs such as palmette (palm leaves), lotus leaves in Al-Hayr palace and Kherbat al-mafjar palace, the vine leaves and grape clusters in Qobbat Al-Sakhreh, as well as the triangular and circular forms in Al-Mshatta palace indicate the presence of Iranian art and architecture in the architecture of Umayyad and Abbasid periods. In addition, the geographical adjacency, believing in the same ideals, language, art and partnership in the creation and instructions of scientific schools are other reasons for the conveyance of motifs from Iranian architecture and culture to the Islamic architecture, especially Umayyad and Abbasid periods.
2013 •
"The chahārtāgh – meaning ‘four arches’ – was the most distinctive and emblematic religious architectural form produced in ancient Iran, particularly in the Sasanian period (ca. 224-650 CE). It is a true Iranian national architectural symbol (Godard 1371/1992: 78). The essential architectural plan of the chahārtāgh was a form much employed for religious buildings of Iran in the pre-Islamic period and after, either in standalone form or as an element of a larger complex (Neyestāni et. al, 1391/2012: 173). The chahārtāgh is a symmetrical architectural form on a square plan with four corner piers that form the pillars for the arches and support a domed roof. The Dehkhodā Persian Dictionary defines it as, “A cupola or dome that rests on four piers and pillars, which presents [a view of] a crescent (semi-circular) arch from all four sides, each of which sits on two of the piers and pillars. The ceiling, cupola and dome are then set atop these foundations and arches”. Dietrich Huff divides chahārtāghs into three categories: 1. chahārtāghs that are simple square forms having four entrances into the domed area on the building’s foundation platform; 2. chahārtāghs with piers at the corners that enclose the central room that is then ringed by an ambulatory passageway; 3. chahārtāghs similar to the second group, but that have auxiliary rooms and iwans (ayvans) instead of a simple ambulatory passageway (Huff, 1975: 245-246). "
Iran Heritage
Proposing a Function for Char-Ghapi, Qasr-e-Shirin, Iran: Historical and Archaeological Evaluation2019 •
Qasr-e Shirin owes its prominence primarily to the Sassanian period and the attention the region received from Khosrow Parviz. Khosrow took the first steps to make Qasr-e-Shirin habitable by constructing a complex consisting of a palace, a fortress, a religious building, a defensive wall and a water conveyance system. Later, Qasr-e-Shirin is mentioned in several texts and travel itineraries. The Char-Ghapi complex is generally attributed to the Sassanian king Khosrow II (590-628 A.D.), who allegedly constructed it for her Christian wife Shirin, thus the name Qasr-e-Shirin. Some historical sources make allusions to the buildings in Qasr-e-Shirin (Khosrow’s Mansion, Char-Ghapi). Char-Ghapi of Qasr-e-Shirin has a square ground plan with domed roof, known as chahar-taghi, which has attracted attention from many scholars, who have described it as a structure from the late Sassanian period. The majority of scholars have characterized its chahar-taq or square dome as a fire temple, while some have claimed that it formed part of a palace complex; a few writers have also expressed doubts as to its chronology, suggesting a date in the early Islamic period for it. Therefore, the most important questions about this structure concern its construction date and function. In view of its architectural style, its comparison to the plan of the historical temples, and the political history of the Sassanians, the Char-Ghapi complex might have had a religious function; then, by studying the Christianity in Iran in particular in the late Sassanian period, one may conjecture that Char-Ghapi was probably a church that was never completed. The Sassanian complex in Qasr-e-Shirin was probably partially destroyed during Heraclius’ Persian campaign of 628 A.D., which also might have brought a permanent halt to the construction operation there and Qasr-e-Shirin never gained its previous fame again though the name survived as a small village as late as the Qajar period. Several structures lying on the east of the square dome, not to mention its structural differences with the standard fire temple plan, are what cast the most doubt on the idea that Char-Ghapi was a fire temple. Since the meaning of a given building is determined by its similarity to other related structures, the present work aimed to determine the true nature of Char-Ghapi through drawing comparisons with other contemporary structures.
Abstract As a masonry structure, buttresses have the role of controlling the sliding force of the main wall. This architectural element has been used in residential and non-residential buildings in various methods and ways from distant years. In this regard, archaeological evidences are the only valid indices by referring to which we can tacitly learn about the record of buttresses. Where and how it has first been used is not known, and nowhere has it been explicitly referred to. Even archaeologists have tacitly and briefly referred to it in their excavation reports. However, based on accessible limited reports, expansive application of this structure can be dated to post-Neolithic era when architects became aware of structural performance of this element and gradually with their part experiences; they used it in a different way with better structural performance. In this research, studied about Buttress types in terms of position, form and shape, used material, execution technique, ornament and technical function. By studying buttresses built during pre-historic and historical period, it will be seen that there were no structural scientific frameworks based on findings related to the strength of materials and mechanical rules. Little by little and through time, architects began to understand structural performance and structural perception of buttresses, owing to the experience and deep attitude towards the nature and behavior of masonry buildings. They emphasized not only the balance in forces, but also their appearance and esthetics. Lack of comprehensive research in this regard necessitated this research, and this issue was dealt with through library studies and descriptive and analytical research method. Keywords Iranian architecture, Pre-historic era, Historical period, Typology of Buttress structure.
It is never easy to handle theoretical and methodological issues arising from a particular scientific topic in a kind of review of studies, which is, in its way, what is being presented here. Studies of the archaeology of the Sasanian period have been the subject of numerous acute and critical comments by distinguished scholars in the past, including Huff (1986, 302-308) and more recently as well (1998-2011). Those issues which have been handled, too, have clearly always somewhat suffered from a complex of inferiority to other periods of the history of ancient Iran which are considered by far, the most formative and important: the Achaemenid and the Islamic eras.
Changing the square into the circle in the structure of dome chambers was a main problem in Iranian architecture. The solution to this problem has led to the formation and creation of capable methods and techniques in the structure of a part of dome chambers that changes square chamber below into the round dome above it. This phenomenon has been considered as " the zone of transition " (transitional zone) in many studies on Iranian architectural history, but it has been less seriously studied in a strict sense as an important independent part. On the other hand, the way square chamber corners corbel has made different forms of structures that is called " squinch ". The four squinches together with the middle parts between them organize the mentioned zone (zone of transition). In some studies, the zone of transition has been described considering the load-bearing elements of corbelled form of squinches. Some experts have indicated different forms of squinches such as " stalactite squinch " , " conical squinch " , " trie-lobed squinch " , " squinch net " and some others have talked about it considering materials, ornaments and constructional styles. Although these considerations present some aspects of transitional zone such as historic, structure and form, it rarely has been explained as a complete evolution and clear classification. Geometry, as the essence and nature of this process (changing square into the circle), is certainly a decisive item. Therefore, this research is going to explain the zone of transition from the view point of geometry, considering the geometrical system between square and circle that leads to a regular polygon as the base of dome. According to this geometrical approach, the article first reviews two old methods used before Seljuk era and then, explains the elegant form of Seljuk zones of transition originated in Nezamolmolk dome of Isfahan, as the most fashionable pattern existing in Iran for more than three centuries. In the next phase, which is the context of this research, the transitional zone of Gonbad-e sorkh is explained as a novel form leading to a hex decagon. Although the dominant pattern also eventuates a hex decagon, the case of Gonbad-e sorkh, as an authentic Seljukian monument, does not follow it and presents a different solution. The difference between these two solutions is presented by a comparative analogy. First, the process of changing square into octagon and then hexadecagon in Seljukian fashionable pattern is described. Then, it is compared with the process of changing square into hexadecagon in Gonbad-e sorkh. By this comparison, the paper finally presents the zone of transition of Gonbad-e sorkh as a " shortcut pattern " of a novel geometrical arrangement of transitional elements.
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