User:Medihahussain/sandbox

History and Patronage

The Mongol invasion of the Islamic world began with the conquest of eastern Iran in 1221, and ultimately ended the Abbasid rule (750-1258). They established rule over the majority of West Asia, and this branch of the Mongol dynasty known as the Ilkhanids (1256-1353) “centered its power in northwest Iran.” While this conquest initially came as devastation, the Ilkhanid period saw major developments in the decorative arts. The Ilkhanids proved to be successful builders by the architectural masterpiece that is the Dome of Soltaniyeh, also known as the Tomb of Oljeitu.

The Mongol presence in Iran led to its shift from a traditional city to one with an emphasis on its pasture. An example of this new type of Mongol city was the city of Sultaniyya in northwestern Iran. Arghun, the Ilkhanid ruler of Iran at the time, established the Iranian city of Sultaniyya as a summer capital. His son, Muhammad Oljeitu Khudabanda, furthered the city’s development and transformed it into the capital of the empire. After Oljeitu’s death, the city was on a steady decline, and the once flourishing city only maintains two buildings as testament to its former wealth and success; an octagonal tomb with an adjacent khanaqah. A khanaqah is a building designed specifically for Sufi gatherings as a spiritual retreat. The strong quality of the preserved tomb attests to the richness of its patronage.

The large and domed tomb chamber of Oljeitu was meant to rival the colossal tomb built by the Seljuq sultan Sanjar at Merv. The tomb of Oljeitu has an octagonal plan, like the Tomb of Ahmed Sanjar (1157), and there is a possibility that the idea of the octagonal plan came from the Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, and thus was used “as a symbolical representation of the building having a religious significance.” The tomb complexes were sponsored by the Ilkhanid court and were the “largest and finest of their time.”

Architecture and Interior Design

The Tomb of Oljeitu was one of the largest religious endowments of the 14th century. The complex was utilized for multiple functions such as Quran reading, praying, teaching, housing, and medical purposes. It was approximately 125 feet across and the complex was crowned by a dome averaging a diameter of 80 feet. The tomb was very easily detectable due to its unique incorporation of eight minarets enclosing the dome above the gallery. More specifically, Oljeitu’s complex consisted of four iwans connected by arcades with muqarnas surrounding the perimeter of the courtyard; this was considered the classic Iranian style. The tomb itself sat behind the southern iwan. Furthermore, the iwans were all plastered and painted, and the courtyard was paved with white marble.

As for the interior of the tomb, it was decorated in tile and plaster. The insides of the iwans’ walls possessed white inscriptions that stood out against the blue background. The underside of the iwans were stuccoed with bands of ornament that were later painted. A significant inscription--spotted with ogival forms sculpted over cloth--circled the entire dome. The galleries had low, wooden or marble railings. The windows were fitted with a bronze screen, along with bronze knobs and balls set with gold and silver. The elements from these window grilles were sometimes inscribed with their patron’s name or with detailed scenes, like of a horseman or of falconry.

Following Islamic convention, Oljeitu’s tomb was placed in a garden, known as a “rawda” in the Quran. This word was also added to the railing of Prophet Muhammad’s tomb in Medina. Because of this, “rawda” became the label for funerary structures in Iran. Thus, Oljeitu’s tomb was referred to as a rawda. Additionally, Oljeitu ensured that water could be successfully stored and utilized in the complex through the use of qanats and wells. A qanat is a downward sloping channel intended to transport water. Due to this, all forms of nature surrounding the tomb were able to survive for a long time; specifically, “the gardens around the tomb complex were still being maintained in the seventeenth century.”

According to a later drawing of the tomb by Flandin and Coste, one can see possible evidence of a cap wall projecting from the northeast corner. The presence of a cap wall guarantees that there were arcades attached to the tomb. Additionally, once the site was excavated, potential proof of a limestone court encompassing the east, north, and west of the tomb was found. Lastly, another illustration done by Matraqi reveals that the face of the complex was split into two stories and was “flanked by minarets and surmounted by five domes.”

Influence on other Monuments

Because Oljeitu’s tomb was one of the most significant works of its time, it became an inspiration for many other complexes, both within and outside of Ilkhanid culture. Distinct features of the complex were later found on many other monuments, such as placing paired minarets above a portal. This trend began in the Seljuq period, then became a normal inclusion in Ilkhanid buildings.

The Tomb of Oljeitu, like other Ilkhanid tombs, was integrated into a great complex--which no longer remains. These complexes were the “precursors of the type of large, planned funerary complex(es), known as kulliye, that (were) built by the Ottomans at Bursa and elsewhere beginning in the second half of the fourteenth century.”

Another trend derived from Oljeitu’s tomb is the style of five domes placed above the portal. The Blue Mosque built by Saliha Khanum in Tabriz was inspired by this design; its portal and projecting sanctuary were very similar to Oljeitu’s complex. This famous tomb of Oljeitu remained an inspiration for several imperial Mongolian tombs, even the Taj Mahal.