MARBLE THRONES IN BUKHARA AND SAMARKAND FROM THE TIMURID ERA TO THE LATE MANGHIT ERA (AN ARTISTIC ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY)

Abstract

Central Asia is one of the most important regions of the Muslimworld historically, culturally, and architecturally. It houses manyarchitectural monuments throughout Islamic history, such as thepalaces whose reception halls contain thrones of the coronationof princes. The present study aims to highlight the remaining marblethrones in Bukhara and Samarkand from the Timurid Era to theLate Manghit Era. It examines the development of their shapesand decorative elements based on two models, i.e. the Throne ofKok Tash in Samarkand citadel and the Throne of Bukhara in Ark.To document and register these thrones, the study adopted theanalytical descriptive approach. It identified their raw materials,manufacturing, decoration, decorative elements, location in thepalaces, models, and shapes based on the remaining models. Thestudy compared these models to counterparts in the paintings ofthe Central Asian manuscripts. It concluded with a set of important results in the field of Islamic archaeology in Central Asia.