The Quintessential Features of Iranian Art in Saljuq Period

Abstract

The reign of Saljuqian in Iran is considered as a flourishing era of Islamic-Iranian culture. In the Saljuq period, Iran art has experienced and underwent some changes as long as the presence of these evolutions as keystone in Iranian traditional arts have played a significant role in arts such as architecture, painting, pottery and etc. Since the effect of the Saljuq art has been so impressive, even it is not considered as a renaissance period, it can be accounted as one of the significant period in Iranian art. The purpose of this study is to point out some features of the Saljuq art through using descriptive-analytical approach, and to examine some aspects of arts including architecture, pottery, and textile in this period. What is more, the outcomes of the present paper reveal that with regard to the Saljuq architecture, mosques have been formed by nave, dome, and four-porch courtyard derived from Khorasan architecture art. The eminent buildings of this period are Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, Jam Minareh, Sanjar monument in Marv city. Successes have been also achieved in pottery art such as making pottery dishes with over glaze, and under glaze painting and red dishes with white cover. In the field of discovered metal works, there is a variety of bowls, vases and golden, silver and bronze cups which have been carved, embossed and inlayed by picture of animals and plants as well as Kufic script. Moreover, the silk textile known as Ordaki has been one of the brilliant samples of textiles art in this period, decorated with blue Kufic script. In overall, Saljuq arts have paved the way for more development of arts in the subsequent years.