The Tradition of Iranian Tilework

Written and researched by Emma Falcon

The celebrated artistic tradition of Iranian tilework is so enduring that it survived several dynastic shifts and the rule of foreign invaders Generations of artisan families closely guarded the secret production techniques, and as a result, not much documentation survives regarding the techniques and methods used to create the glazed ceramics that became a regional architectural element and recognizable work of art. Not only are ceramic tiles an artform that developed a rich visual tradition of its own, but can function as an identifier of a space’s purpose with the presence of figural imagery denoting a secular from religious site. In religious spaces, tiles can be expertly painted with kufic script to inspire spiritual contemplation as well as geometric and arabesque designs to represent the infinite perfection of god. Ceramic tiles, which were generally inexpensive and easily procured, could be elevated to a high form of art through different methods of painting and glazing that developed through the centuries and covered numerous buildings throughout Iran. Through their application and usage as the preferred decorative art across the secular and religious spheres of Iran, ceramic tiles both enhanced and defined Iran’s visual culture.

Tile from the interior walls of the palace at Takht-e-Sulayman (Royal Summer Palace)

Measures 21 x 28 centimeters

Ilkhanid Dynasty (1265-1282)

Takht-e-Sulayman (near Takab in modern northwestern Iran)

This tile is a great example of figural imagery on Iranian tiles found in secular settings, emphasising the division between traditional Persian scenes on tiles, such as this one from the Shahnameh of Bahram Gur, and the non-figural imagery used for tiles on religious sites.

Tilework from the interior of the Blue Mosque
(Masjed Kabood)

Construction began 1465

Commissioned by Jahan Shah, ruler of the Kara Koyunlu Dynasty

Tabriz, Iran

Close to the city’s historic bazaar, the Blue Mosque was one of the most celebrated buildings of its time, located within the capital of the Kara Koyunlu Dynasty, Tabriz. The magnificent cobalt blue tiles that give this mosque its name were designed by a famed calligrapher, Nebatollah Ibn Mohammad Elbavvab, who was responsible for the Kufic, Thuluth, geometric and arabesque patterns on the tiles decorating the walls.

Important Dates and Names

1058: Earliest evidence of tile placement as an architectural element.
(Minaret of the Friday Mosque in Damghan)

1115: Earliest evidence of interior tile placement as decoration.
(Dome Chamber of Friday Mosque in Qazvin)

Kashan: City in central Iran which served as the center of tile production and technique development for many centuries, the name of the city becoming synonymous with the Persian word for “tile”. This city even monopolized the tile industry during the Ilkhanid dynasty in which tile production reached its “Golden Age”.

1243-1255: Period of time in which no tile has survived, as this was during the Mongol invasions of West Asia that resulted in Ilkhanid rule in the later 13th century.

1256-1335: Considered the “Golden Age” of Iranian tile production, as the Ilkhanid rulers generated new places for these tiles to decorate with the commission of several new secular and religious buildings.

1270: Date of the construction of the Palace of Abaqa in Takht-e-Sulayman, which is considered by scholars to be the most important example of a secular building with elaborate tilework decoration.

Sources

Carboni, Stefano and Masuya, Tomoko. “Persian Tiles” Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 1993. https://books.google.com/books?id=y94AdeXhdDEC&printsec=frontcover&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false

This book was published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the exhibition: “Persian Tiles” which took place in 1993. This publication and the exhibition aims to feature Persian tiles, which are usually kept in storage due to a lack of architectural context for them, and reveal their importance in Iranian visual culture. This book delves into these tiles in their ceramic context, and how they were used in both religious settings (Mosques) and within the decoration of secular buildings, and the importance of tiles across Iranian society because of their flexible nature. This is key to the research of Iranian tile work tradition because it covers the wide range and production of Iranian tiles, as well as their artistic and cultural significance.

Fallahi, Pontia. “The Story Behind the Famous Blue Mosque in Iran” Culture Trip.<https://theculturetrip.com/middle-east/iran/articles/the-story-behind-the-famous-blue-mosque-in-iran/>. Published 17 November 2017. Accessed 29 November 2020.

This article entry by Pontia Fallahi for the website, Culture Trip, is dedicated to travel and global experiences. This article in particular features the Blue Mosque of Tabriz, Iran, which is a popular tourist destination and a “must-see” for the tourist visiting historic Tabriz. This resource is important for learning about Iranian tilework because its elaborate interior tile decoration speaks to the elite craftsmanship of Iranian tilework and the technique applied to it. I also decided to use an image of this specific Mosque for my webpage for this reason. The elaborate tiles themselves were designed by a famous calligrapher, so the ceramics not only indicate a religious building, but also a work of art itself.

“History of Iranian Tiles”. Iran: Visual Arts. <http://www.iranchamber.com/art/articles/tile_history1.php>. Accessed 26 November 2020.

The Iran Chamber Society published this article focusing on the art and culture of Iran. This webpage from “Iranian Visual Arts” details the long history and manufacture of Iranian tiles, also including style changes throughout the years based on different artistic and social influences. This reference is important for research on Iranian tilework because it provides extensive historical details on the timeline and evolution of tilework production that will be useful in understanding the development of this tradition.

"Persian Tile: A Form of Art and Religious Expression”. Tile Talk. <https://www.aventetiletalk.com/2012/12/persian-tile-form-of-art-and-religious.html>. Published 4 December, 2012. Accessed 29 November 2020.

This article is from a blog specializing in the history and development of tiles from around the world. This entry focuses on Persian tiles and how they are an art form used to identify religious spaces and to invoke a sense of religious inspiration with the usage of repeating geometric and organic forms. This article is important because it emphasizes the functionality of ceramic tiles as a vehicle for religious imagery and writing, while also being considered an art form to decorate and identify a Mosque.

“Persian Tiles: Extraordinary Decorative Tile Mosaics”. Welcome to Iran. <https://www.welcometoiran.com/persian-tiles/>. Published 7 April, 2020. Accessed 26 November 2020.

This article is from a website dedicated to promoting tourism in Iran. This entry, “Persian Tiles: Extraordinary Decorative Tile Mosaics” discusses the methods of tile application in the forms of mosaics and the different styles and designs created with Iranian tiles that have become a recognizable part of Iranian visual culture. This information is important for understanding the tradition of Iranian tilework because it connects the tiles themselves and their production with the recognizable architecture and designs that we associate with Iran and the Persian “aesthetic”.

“Takht-e-Soleyman Tile on Sotheby’s Auction”. CAIS Cultural and Archeological News. <https://www.cais-soas.com/News/2004/May2004/25-05-takht.htm>. Published 25 May 2004. Accessed 26 November 2020.

This article is featured on a website dedicated to CAIS, or, “The Circle of Ancient Iranian Studies” and discusses a tile found at the Ilkhanid Summer Palace in Iran being auctioned at Sotheby’s. It briefly discusses the cultural and historical importance of the selling of the tile, as well as its monetary value and the private collectors who have owned it for the past century. This resource is important to my webpage because it not only details the importance of the image of the tile I have chosen to include, but also because it supports the fact that the palace of this tile’s origin is important to the research of Iranian tilework to it being considered the most important example of secular tile decoration.

TRT World “Islamic geometric patterns, Showcase Special”. YouTube. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wqhb-6Xwrs>. Published 11 July 2016. Accessed 29 November 2020.

This youtube special from TRT World, a Turkish broadcasting channel, focuses on Islamic designs and the artistic tradition of geometric patterns in religious settings. While this segment wasn’t discussing Iranian tilework, it is an important resource to include due to Iranian tiles having these same geometric designs and repeating patterns in religious settings, and to learn more about the general artistic themes and traditions that are commonly used.

Zucker, Steven and Macaulay-Lewis, Elizabeth. “Mihrab from Isfahan (Iran)”. Smart History. <https://smarthistory.org/mihrab-from-isfahan-iran/>. Published 5 December 2015. Accessed 29 November 2020.

In this video, Dr. Steve Zucker and Dr. Elizabeth Macuaulay-Lewis from SmartHistory discuss the Mihrab from Isfahan currently on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. As this mihrab is completely made out of painted and glazed ceramic tiles, much of their conversation about this installation revolves around the artistic tradition and content of the tilework. They also discuss at length the preference for cobalt blues and colors in Iranian ceramics, which is incredibly important as it emphasizes certain themes important to the tradition of tilework in Iran.

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