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Muqarnas
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For the academic journal, see Muqarnas (journal).

Decorative muqarnas vaulting in the iwan entrance to the Shah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran

Muqarnas (Arabic: مقرنص‎; Persian: مقرنس‎) is a form of ornamented vaulting in Islamic architecture, the "geometric subdivision of a squinch, or cupola, or corbel, into a large number of miniature squinches, producing a sort of cellular structure", sometimes also called a "honeycomb" vault.[1] It is used for domes, and especially half-domes in entrances, iwans and apses, mostly in traditional Persian architecture. Where some elements project downwards, the style may be called mocárabe;[1][2] these are reminiscent of stalactites, and are sometimes called "stalactite vaults". Muqarnas are considered to be an architectural form that is distinct in its use in Islamic buildings.

'''The distinctive form of a Muqarna is the honeycomb structure that is often intricate and impossibly fractal-like in its complexity. However, there is much variation in form and medium from region to region. For instance, in the East, Muqarnas have a more uniform style, and are all built from a standard set of components, while in the West, Muqarnas do not follow any certain "guidelines" as far as components and construction goes. Muqarnas can range from seemingly simplistic to incredibly complex blends of architecture, mathematics and art.'''

The muqarnas developed from the squinch between the 10th and 11th centuries, in the region of Iran and Mesopotamia.[3][4] They were typically grouped together to form "stalactite pendentives", to make the transition from square base to dome.[4] The earliest examples come from fragments in Nishapur in Iran, and some of the earliest extant structures are: the Shrine of Imam al-Dawr in Iraq (1075-1090), the minaret of Badr al-Jamali's masshad in Cairo, dated by inscription to 1085, a cornice in Cairo's north wall (1085), the Great Mosque of Isfahan (1088), the Almoravid Qubba (1107-43) in Marrakech, the Great Mosque at Tlemcen in Algeria (1136), the Mosque of the Qarawiyyin in Morocco (rebuilt between 1135 and 1140), and the maristan of Nur al-Din in Damascus (1154).[3][4] The largest number of muqarnas domes are to be found in Iraq and the Jazira region of eastern Syria, with a diverse variety of applications in domes, vaults, mihrabs, and niches.[3]

'''In Syria, Egypt, and Turkey, Muqarnas are Made of stone. In North Africa, they are typically constructed from Plaster and wood, and in Iran and Iraq, Bricks covered in plaster or ceramic are used to create the muqarnas.  '''

Other prominent examples of their development can be found across Morocco and by extension, the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, the Abbasid palaces in Baghdad, Iraq, and the mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbay, Cairo, Egypt.[2] Large rectangular roofs in wood with muqarnas-style decoration adorn the 12th century Cappella Palatina in Palermo, Sicily, and other important buildings in Norman Sicily. Muqarnas is also found in Armenian architecture.

Structure
Muqarnas is typically applied to the undersides of domes, pendentives, cornices, squinches, arches and vaults.[2] Muqarnas cells are arranged in horizontal courses, as in a corbelled vault, with the horizontal joint surface having a different shape at each level.[5][6] The edges of these surfaces can all be traced on a single plan view; architects can thus plan out muqarnas geometrically, as the image illustrates.[7][8]See these diagrams for clarity. Muqarnas can be separated into distinguished zones, The base, the Zone of transition , and the dome, similar to the formatting of the squinch.

Some purposed purposes of the Muqarnas are decorative in spaces that may otherwise be bare, they distinguish between the main parts of a building, and serve as a transition from the walls of a room into a domed Ceiling.  

Muqarnas can be entirely ornamental, or serve as load bearing structures.They had a structural role in the earliest forms of muqarnas domes in the Mesopotamian region, and decoration was not its primary purpose from its creation up until the building of the Alhambra.[3] Muqarnas need not be carved into the structural blocks of a corbelled vault; it can be hung from a structural roof as a purely decorative surface.[9][10] Muqarnas may be made of brick, stone, stucco, or wood, and clad with tiles or plaster.[2] The individual cells may be called alveoles.[1]

Muqarnas is generally a downward-facing shape; that is, a vertical line can be traced from the floor to any point on a muqarnas surface. However, some muqarnas elements have been designed with upwards-facing cells.[10]

Origin
'''Muqarnas evolved from the squinch; rounded structures in corners used as supports in the transition from squared walls to a domed roof. Their development can be traced back to min-tenth century in northeastern Iran and central North Africa as well as the Mesopotamian region near Iran.  '''

'''The exact origins of Muqarnas are unknown, but it is assumed to have originated in either of these regions and dispersed through trade and pilgrimages. Evidence from tenth century architectural fragments found near Nishapur and tripartite squinches located in the Ata mausoleum at Tim are some examples of early developmental forms of muqarnas.'''

Imam al-Dawr in Iraq, completed in 1090, is the first concrete example of a Muqarnas dome. The shrine was reported destroyed by ISIS in October, 2014.

'''Given the advanced technical mastery of constructing muqarnas, it is believed that the technique, and therefore architectural elements, were imported into Egypt from elsewhere in the empire. Scholars speculate the outside influence originated from Syria; however, there are few Syrian monuments still standing that can support this claim.'''

'''In Egypt, the Aswan Mausolea is a crucial example for the advancement in the development of the Stalactite pendentive. In the mid-eleventh century, prosperous pilgrimage routes along the Red Sea and flourishing trade routes began in Cairo and dispersed throughout the Islamic empire. This allowed for a great exchange of ideas as well as a lucrative economy, capable of funding various architectural projects.'''

The largest example of Muqarnas domes can be found in Iraq and the Jazira region of eastern Syria,with a diverse variety of applications in domes, vaults, mihrabs, and niches '''. These domes are dated around the mid-twelfth century, the time of the Mongol invasion–a period of great architectural activity.'''

Prominent examples of their development can be found in the minaret of Badr al-Jamali's mashhad in Cairo, dated by inscription to 1085, a cornice in Cairo's north wall (1085), the Great Mosque of Isfahan (1088), the Almoravid Qubba (1107-43) in Marrakech, the Great Mosque at Tlemcen in Algeria (1136), the Mosque of the Qarawiyyin in Morocco (rebuilt between 1135 and 1140), the maristan of Nur al-Din in Damascus (1154),[3][4]  the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, the Abbasid palaces in Baghdad, Iraq, and the mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbay, Cairo, Egypt.[2] Large rectangular roofs in wood with muqarnas-style decoration adorn the 12th century Cappella Palatina in Palermo, Sicily, and other important buildings in Norman Sicily. Muqarnas ornament is also found in Armenian architecture.

Significance
'''Muqarnas ornament is significant in Islamic Architecture because it represents an ornamental form that conveys the vastness and complexity of Islamic ideology. The distinct units of the dome represent the complex creation of the universe, and in turn the Creator, himself. The elaborate nature of the stacked domes also serve as a representation of heaven. Influenced by the theology of the Greek Atomist Theory, it was believed that every atom composing a muqarnas dome was connected with God. The astonishing ability for the extremely complex and seemingly unsupported muqarnas dome was proof of the mysterious existence of the universe'''

'''The muqarnas domes were often constructed above portals of entry for the purpose of establishing a  threshold between two worlds. The celestial connotation of the Muqarnas structure represented a passage from  “the functions of living or of awaiting eternal life that is expressed by geometric forms.” When featured in the interior of domes, the viewer would look upward (towards heaven) and contemplate its beauty. Conversely, the downward hanging structures of the muqarnas represented God’s presence over the physical world.'''

Etymology
The etymology of the word Muqarnas is somewhat vague, however, it is thought to have  originated from the Greek word Korōnis meaning “ornamental molding.” There is also speculation of  the origin of the word Muqarnas having roots from the word qarnasi meaning “intricate work”