The Uniqueness of the Medieval Persian Art

Abstract

I examine the symmetry used in the ornamentation of various medieval civilizations and interpret it as a characteristic feature of each cultural group. I first classify the symmetries according to the 17 wallpaper groups of crystallography, then determine their frequency and apply statistical methods to obtain quantitative and comparative information for each of these groups. The calculations show that the civilizations can be divided into two groups according to their habits: the Islamic group of Seljuks and Arabs and the Greco-Roman group, which includes Armenians, the Eastern Roman Empire and the Kingdom of Andalusia. Remarkably, Persia stands out from this division with its own art movement until the 16th century.