Ganjali khan caravansary is the most invaluable structure in Safavid era. This complex can be considered as an art museum of Safavid era in Kerman. Facade of Ganjali khan caravansary shines as a pearl in this invaluable complex because of the tiling applied in the façade, including different decorations such as geometric, vegetative, human and symbolic Motifs which has brought about a beautiful coordination visually and semantically. Due to analytic-descriptive results obtained from this study, it is followed that artists of façade structure could create a new and attractive composition by putting together different beautiful pictorial shapes and inscriptions all of which suggests a certain meaning. In addition to aesthetics, they attract soul and thought of the spectator and they lead spectator’s mind beyond apparent meaning. This meaning shows movement i.e. moving from material world to eternal one. The present article has been adjusted analytically and descriptively with focus on field studies and it has done inferentially.

Ganjali khan caravansary is the most invaluable structure in Safavid era. This complex can be considered as an art museum of Safavid era in Kerman. Facade of Ganjali khan caravansary shines as a pearl in this invaluable complex because of the tiling applied in the façade, including different decorations such as geometric, vegetative, human and symbolic Motifs which has brought about a beautiful coordination visually and semantically. Due to analytic-descriptive results obtained from this study, it is followed that artists of façade structure could create a new and attractive composition by putting together different beautiful pictorial shapes and inscriptions all of which suggests a certain meaning. In addition to aesthetics, they attract soul and thought of the spectator and they lead spectator’s mind beyond apparent meaning. This meaning shows movement i.e. moving from material world to eternal one. The present article has been adjusted analytically and descriptively with focus on field studies and it has done inferentially.

Urban spaces in the past were formed in an integrated and unrecorded manner of unity between architects and other related artificers. In those works, patterns of ornaments and decorations were used as quality-making and identifying elements, in addition to their climatical and structural functions. This shows special attention to the elements that affect the quality of urban spaces. Nowadays it seems that attention to quality and design features of urban spaces and architecture of urban facades have decreased. Also, the works of urban architecture and their decorations in the historical contexts have quick process of destruction. For these reasons, architecture of urban spaces has been exposed to serious threats. Recognition of concepts, qualities, Motifs and cases of urban architectural decorations through theoretical discussion and analysis of field samples and finally, pathology and explanation of the necessities for the conservation of these works, are the basic objectives and main results of this paper.

Historical cemeteries are a reflection of the culture and religion of the community in which they were formed. With the expansion of cities, most of these cemeteries have been abandoned in remote areas, outside the city or in unsuitable protected areas, and no trace of dynamics and currents of urban space can be seen in them. As these cemeteries are a valuable part of tangible and intangible heritage of each society, it is essential to consider their recognition, registration, and conservation measures. Dezful is one of the cities with a unique living historical context and also historical cemeteries. Locating these cemeteries in the urban context has led to be effected by brick and patterns used in the structure of the city, and due to the fact that these cemeteries have been neglected over the years, they have been subject to risks such as complete destruction. This research seeks to investigate the brick designs of graves in Dezful cemeteries named Roudband, Baba Yusef, and Kashefiyeh. The main purpose of this article is studying the brick designs of gravestones located in the historical cemeteries of this city, classifying and identifying these cemeteries as treasures of the ancient architecture of Dezful City. In this regard, the research method used is descriptive and the required data gathered through field and library studies. The results of the research show that the brickwork decorations of the cemeteries in Dezful are divided into three groups: historical graves with glazed brickworks, historical graves with simple brickworks, and historical graves with combined brickworks (the combination of simple and glazed bricks). According to results, brick decorations with glazed bricks had a bigger share in this category, after which brick decorations with simple bricks, and finally the combination decorations. On the other hand, in addition to geometric and plant Motifs in the heart of the Motifs that are the result of using bricks and its proportions, religious, social, and plant Motifs have been used on some graves.

Iran was always vulnerable to foreign attacks due to the strategic and geometrical features of the country. Therefore, having a powerful army was vital for rulers since their stability or decline relied heavily on the power of the forces and the way they utilized their military tools. During the Islamic era, the weapons industry thrived thank to the stability and peace brought by the Safavid government. Time period studied in this research is the Qajar period; Qajar kings ruled over Iran after the Zand dynasty from 1925 to 1794 A. D. In Qajar period, despite the increasing use of fire arms and the more appropriate use of them, past combat weapons were still produced in limited quantity. During this period, various kinds of cold weapons were used in battlefields, such as bladed weapons, knockers and pounders, throwing weapons, and some tools for capturing castles. The subject matter of the research is examining and classification of swords in this period. Sword is one of the most important and most effective arm of cold weapons during the historical and Islamic era, which was used in various forms and decorations with different Motifs and techniques in wars and official celebrations. The purpose of this article is introduction and classification of Qajar’ s swords; studying their Motifs, themes and their Decorative techniques; studying distinction aspects of war and ceremonial swords; and use of paintings and photos of this period in comparative studies. In this regard, these questions were considered that are included: How is the typology of the Qajar’ s swords in term of form? What Decorative Motifs, themes and techniques were used for beautification of Qajar’ s swords? What kinds of the functions were for swords and what differences are between the war and the ceremonial swords of this period? How the remained paintings and photos help us in recognizing the swords? This research was conducted by a historical-descriptive and comparative approach; and by combining the method of studying library resources and field studies on 50 distinctive samples of the swords, which are mainly held in interior museums and some museums and collections abroad. Based on the findings of the research, blade of the swords in term of curvature contains curved, semi-curved, straight and almost straight with low curvature. Circular and conical shapes were common forms of quillon; and almond shape were common form of scabbard fittings. The swords are decorated with vegetal-geometrical, human-animal and inscriptive Motifs with various themes, and often decorated by gilded working, engraving and etching techniques. The expensive Decorative techniques (for examples: inlaying and enameling) of some swords show their use at official ceremonies as ceremonial weapons that in this context, paintings and photos can help us to increase information.

The villages of Mazandaran are the heritance of domestic and local arts which are unfortunately on the merge of extinction. Village-made textual item are among the applied arts that are created as a compilation of local beliefs and the personal taste of the weaver. In order to preserve the beauty of this art and its domestic traits, research on the Decorative Motifs of this artwork seems necessary.Currently, the old village of Alasht from the province of Savad Kooh is considered as an important center for local weavings especially sock-weaving. This research endeavors to introduce the Decorative Motifs applied on the hand-woven socks of the Alasht area. The initial data for this research was collected at the area; correspondingly written documents and library research were used in compiling the paper. The Decorative Motifs applied on the hand-woven socks reflect the beliefs and theories of the weaver in which complex patterns and designs are abridged into simple and humble designs that reflect the creative and intelligent mind of the weaver. Human Motifs are rarely applied on the hand-woven socks; however, animal, bird, and herbal Motifs are used abundantly. Accordingly, the hand-woven socks of the Allasht area are a simple but valuable piece of creation.Research aims:1- Reconginzing the Decorative Motifs of the hand-woven socks of the Alasht area.2- Identifying the visual elements and hidden artistic phenomena on the Decorative Motifs of the hand-woven socks of the Alasht area.Research questions:1- How are the visual and conceptual Motifs of the hand-woven socks diverse?2- What is the most significant Decorative motif applied on the socks of the Alasht area?

Khorasan, a valuable land with immense vastness has witnessed the rise and fall of numerous monarchies; hence, it has had a definitive role in the historical and cultural happenings in Persia, particularly, in the field of art. The major cities of this region such as Mashhad, Neishabur, Herat, and Samarqand were the key centers for the production of artworks and each city has its own valuable history in the creation of such artworks. Historical monuments, rug weaving, pottery and tile-works were among the many arts that were created and pioneered in the region. It is also worth mentioning that one of the most glorious ages of this region was inherently during the reign of Timur and his sons in Mashhad and Herat. During his reign, arts flourished and the use of Decorative herbaceous-floral and geometrical Motifs embedded with calligraphy developed extensively. Such celebrated designs were used not only on pages of Quranic manuscripts but also adorned the colorful tiles on historical monuments. In this paper, by considering the role and place of Khorasan in Persia; the illustrations and illuminations of Quranic manuscripts of Herat preserved in museums and collections worldwide including the National museum of Iran, Detorit museum, The Turkish and Islamic Museum of Istanbul, Metropolitan museum, Astan-e Gods museum, Khalili collection and Chester Beatty museum- and the tile-works of the Goharshad mosque of Mashhad will be analyzed according to art techniques such as arabesque patterns, khatai designs, and geometric forms. The results indicate that the designs and patterns are supple on both tiles and manuscripts; furthermore, the harmony between the patterns on the illuminations of Herat and the designs of the colorful tiles of Goharshad mosque indicate that the designers, illuminators, and tile-workers of both areas worked in coordination. Objectives: 1- Classifying and comparing the Decorative Motifs used in the Timurid illuminated Qur'ans and in the tiles of Mashhad Goharshad Mosque. 2- Collation and comparing the Decorative Motifs applied on the illuminations and the tile- works based on visual and Decorative features. Questions: 1- What forms of visual Decorative features are observed in Timurid Qur'ans and in Decorative ornamentation of Goharshad Mosque? 2- What are the similarities and dissimilarities between the Decorative designs of Herat’s illuminations and those of the tile-works on the Goharshad Mosque of Mashhad?

The Sassanid era is one of the most important periods in Iranian history, with remarkable works of art from this period. The Decorative elements in the artworks of this period indicate the connection of beliefs and beliefs in human thought. The book “ Investigation of Sassanid Steel Utensils from a Symbolic Viewpoint” was published by Neda Akhavan Aghdam in 1396 in the Academy of Art Publications. Besides the lack of a coherent order for the analysis of Motifs, this book has also some form and content shortcomings. The present study, based on the library method, has critically criticized the book and evaluated its form and scientific content. In this regard, the deficiencies and critical comments of each of the topics are expressed below. Referring to the shortcomings aims to understand the concepts and to explain the symbolic aspects of Motifs in Sasanian metal containers which are the results of this paper.

Although gelim-weaving is not one of the outstanding crafts in comparison to other handicrafts of Gilan, gelims woven in this region have an astonishing colour and pattern.Reviewing and examining the features of Gilan's gelims may lead to understanding and decoding many undiscovered facts about the origins of the people of this region.Basically, the Motifs of gelims woven in each region of Iran show its social and cultural relations in addition to the beliefs and wishes of the people of that region, and are specifically important in anthropological research. Motifs of gelims are obvious expressions of the interests, beliefs, tastes and wishes, as well as the pain and sufferings of the weaving masters, and express the local, regional and climatic condition, s of their living places. Many similarities may be found between the Motifs of the gelims of Gilan and those of other regions in Iran. These Motifs hold many secrets, from public aesthetics to narrative expressions of love, like a hidden treasure, and they may be considered as important records of public art and culture. This paper considers the diversity of Motifs of Gilan's gelims and demonstrates the public aesthetic view of the region. Furthermore, it indicates the creative taste of the local artists. Moreover, the Motifs of gelims woven in Gilan are classified into three categories i.e. abstract Motifs, Decorative Motifs, and figurative Motifs. Undoubtedly, understanding these Motifs stimulates the creativity and innovation of those looking for pure art, and it is also an effort to give identity to this spiritual and cultural heritage of our dear country, Iran.

One of the most popular arts in Zanjan is filigree which is a branch of the art of metalworking and is mainly made of high-grade silver metal. In filigree, silver bullions are made with a rolling machine in the shape of quadrilateral narrow wires with which small designs are made by putting them together and soldering them. The purpose of this essay is to introduce filigree and to identify the common designs and Motifs in the filigree of Zanjan as well as the effectiveness level of the filigree patterns from pre-Islamic and Islamic eras, and the similarity of filigree patterns with Islamic-art Motifs based on the geometric theory of fractals. The present article seeks to answer these questions: 1) What are the origins of some Zigzag filigree designs? 2) What types of Motifs are common and used in Zanjan filigree and Islamic Decorative art? 3) Are filigree designs compatible with Islamic art designs based on Fractal theory? The research method of this study is analytical-descriptive and the method of data collection is library research. The results indicate that the origins of some filigree patterns are from ancient Iranian patterns, some patterns are taken from the invaders to the eastern borders of Iran as well as the geometric vegetative and simplified (stylized) patterns of the Islamic period. These patterns with other filigree elements form a complete semantic system. The findings also showed that there is a balance in natural fractal patterns. Patterns of Islamic art and filigree, despite repetitions, irregularities, endlessness, incompatibility, etc., follow a particular order in general and they are balanced (unity despite plurality). Filigree designs have used the elements of Islamic Decorative art and fractals from nature. In other words, all three are of natural origin. Zanjan filigree works are part of the fine Iranian metalwork art which production has undergone changes in recent years. The existing works in the art of filigree are largely different from the old filigrees. Despite their apparent differences, the researchers categorize these works into a single collection. Although metalwork art has been referred to in many Iranian art history books, less attention has been paid to filigree. On the other hand, many of them have been lost due to the possibility to melt the filigree works, and few are available in some museums or owned by collectors, which are not easy to access. One of the most important ways to realize the history of filigree works is to recognize the forms and Motifs common to the filigree and find the origin of the Motifs and their transformation over time. Iran has long hosted many civilizations from the past. The filigree works have been obtained from two periods of before and after Islam. These artifacts range from very basically decorated works to sophisticated ones. They have common features in the style of decoration and building method; features like the use of tap and dies of wires and delicate soldering as well as the use of abstract forms that are in fact the foundations of today’ s filigree art. What was considered the goldsmithing work in the pre-Islamic era, slowly moved towards independence after the advent of Islam and during the reign of early Muslim rulers until it became of great importance in the Samanid era, that is a pinnacle of developments, and in the Seljuk era, that is the determinant of the policy of this art; then, during the Safavid era an art was finally formed, called filigree. Moreover, today’ s filigree art had been invented in the Afsharid and Zand periods when some of the Motifs invented in the late Safavid era came into being and later emerged in various forms in the Qajar period as well. Zanjan was established as the center and the largest production location of filigrees in the Qajar era. Now, the objectives of this study are: 1-Introducing filigree, recognizing Motifs and common themes in Zanjan filigree 2-The rate of impact of Islamic Decorative art Motifs on filigree Motifs. 3-The degree of similarity of filigree Motifs to the Islamic art themes based on fractal geometric theory. The questions answered in this study are: 1-What are the origins of some of Zanjan filigree Motifs? 2-What kinds of themes are common in Zanjan filigree and Islamic Decorative art? 3-Are the filigree Motifs comparable with Islamic art Motifs based on fractal theory?