An Analytical Study of a Group of Gypsum Boards from the City of Samarra Preserved in the Iraqi Museum (Selected Samples)

Abstract

The study of the stucco (gypsum board) decorative elements of the city of Samarra revealed that it included three artistic styles that were classified and named by archaeologists and specialists as follows: (the first style, the second style, and the third style). Each of these styles has its own decoration’s elements that marked their appearance. Others continued to appear in two styles or the three styles although these decorations were influenced by local and foreign arts and took many decorative elements from them; but they were characterized by their own Islamic character and the elements were quickly taken from their natural form.The reliance on the classification and division of the three models of the city of Samarra was based on technical foundations followed by specialists, accompanied by the temporal aspect which was the accurate criterion in their arrangement despite the fact that convergence and overlap between them to some extent in time.