8-
Mosques of Iran and Central Asia (8-11 century):
Tarik Khana Mosque, Damghan, Iran: (between 750-89):
hypostyle, large axial nave, heavy cylindrical brick piers support elliptical,
pointed arches; roof, barrel vaults.
Nine-domed Mosque (Masjid-i-Ta’rikh), Balkh,
Afghanistan: (first half of the 9th century), open pavilion with only
a qibla wall, heavy brick piers and coupled-columns on the
side walls; carved stucco decoration similar to Samarra styles.
Masjid-i-Jami, Nayin, Iran: (10th century), hypostyle;
heavy cylindrical pillars; carved stucco decoration. Minaret is a transition
between western minarets and later Iranian ones.
Development
of Mausolea:
The Samanid Mausoleum in Bukhara, Uzbekistan:
(ca. 914), built by Nasr ibn Isma‘il, square canopy tomb; tapering walls;
engaged columns on the corner; very rich decorative program using brick motifs
and patterns. Dome support: ribbed, double-arched squinches.
The Tower Tomb of Gunbad-i-Qabus in Gurgan, Iran:
(1006-7), a ten-sided star plan, a high cylindrical tower (52 m) that
ends in a conical dome. Paradoxically
identified as a qasr in the
inscription.
Terms:
Hazar-baf: a textile term borrowed in Persian brick architecture
to designate the woven-like, checkerboard quality of brick decoration that
appeared in the ninth century.
Chahar taq: a term referring to the form of the pre-Islamic Zoroastrian
fire temples of Iran; a domed square with an opening on each side and no doors
Dihqans: the landed nobility of pre-Islamic Iran and Central Asia
Sasanians: dynasty which ruled Iran from 226-651;
capital was Ctesiphon.
Ziyarids: dynasty which ruled part of the Caspian
provinces of Iran from 932 to c. 1075; nominally Islamic but holding to pre-Islamic
Persian traditions and claiming descent from the Sasanians; responsible for
several tomb towers, including Gunbad-i Qabus and Pir-i Alamdar.
Samanids: dynasty which ruled part of former
Sogdian territory from 819-1005; capital was Bukhara; patrons of New Persian
literature, science and architecture.