Publications
An Examination of the Visual and Geometric Features of Kufic Banna’i Script in the Inscriptions of the Abbasi Jameh Mosque of Isfahan During the Safavid Era
Kufic Banna’i script in the inscriptions of Isfahan’s Abbasi Jameh Mosque during the Safavid era served as both a decorative and functional element, breaking traditional script rules to enhance artistic expression. This study reveals its dual role in conveying religious and non-religious texts while contributing significantly to the monument's aesthetic value. Researchers analyzed visual and geometric features through descriptive-analytical methods, including library studies and field investigations, focusing on Safavid-era inscriptions. The findings highlight the script’s evolution, tracing its origins to pre-Islamic times and its enduring influence across Islamic art. This research underscores the Safavid period’s artistic prominence by examining how deviations from conventional Banna’i structures enriched the mosque’s inscriptions.
The existential hologram: toward a neurophenomenological and symbolic theory of sacred presence in architecture
Researchers propose the 'Existential Hologram' as a novel framework to analyze sacred presence in architecture, demonstrating how it emerges through dynamic interactions between embodied experience, memory, symbolism, and resonant atmospheres. The model introduces LUX—a cross-field operator organizing light, shadow, and visibility—to explain structured modes of orientation, attention, and affect in ritual spaces. Applied to the Jameh Mosque of Isfahan and Chartres Cathedral, it reveals distinct configurations of sacred presence (e.g., containment vs. solicitation) without reducing their historical or theological specificity. This neurophenomenological approach offers a transparent, transferable protocol for comparative analysis, advancing interdisciplinary research on how architecture facilitates spiritual experience.
The Sacred Abyss: absence as operative structure in sacred architecture
Architectural voids and absence are not mere negatives but active spatial operators that structure sacred experience. The concept of the 'Sacred Abyss' reframes emptiness, concealment, and openness as generative conditions that organize orientation, mediate access, and sustain interpretive openness in sacred architecture. Through a comparative analysis of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, and Great Synagogue of Budapest, the study identifies three regimes of architectural withdrawal—vertical transcendent absence, diffuse cosmological absence, and withheld interior absence—that modulate perception and meaning without reducing absence to mere lack or affective tone. This framework advances phenomenological and atmospheric approaches by theorizing absence as a multilayered condition across spatial, perceptual, and symbolic dimensions.
Analysis of The Architecture and Decoration of Isfahan Masjid-E Jameh in Syntactic Dimension
A groundbreaking analysis reveals the syntactic dimensions of architectural and decorative elements in Isfahan's Masjid-e Jameh, a 11th-century masterpiece from the Great Seljuk period. This study deciphers how semantic expressivity is encoded in its design, offering insights applicable to religious architecture and beyond. Employing on-site visual observation, photography, and basic design principles, researchers uncovered ornamental motifs and structural features that have stood the test of centuries. The findings bridge historical architecture with modern design principles, suggesting potential applications in clothing, furniture, and decorative arts.
Biodeteriogenic Potential of Bacteria and Fungi Isolated from Deteriorated Areas of Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan, UNESCO Cultural Heritage
A first-of-its-kind study on the Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan reveals that ubiquitous bacteria and fungi—particularly Penicillium spp. and Bacillus spp.—pose a significant biodeterioration risk to this historic mosque. These microorganisms, isolated from localized deterioration areas, exhibit combined biodeteriogenic activities, including calcium carbonate dissolution, pH alteration, pigment production, and mineral precipitation. The research highlights the potential for organic acid release by fungi, which could accelerate material degradation. This study provides critical insights into the biodeteriogenic mechanisms of colonizing microorganisms, offering a foundation for preventive conservation strategies to protect this culturally significant monument, which had not been previously assessed for biodeterioration risk.
Investigating the Structure of Traditional, Contemporary and Post-Islamic Revolution Mosques via the Method of Space Syntax (Case Study: Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, University of Tehran Mosque, Al-Ghadir Mosque, Shahrak-e Gharb Mosque)
A comparative analysis of mosque spatial structures reveals distinct patterns in traditional, contemporary, and post-Islamic Revolution mosques. The study found that the Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan exhibits a high degree of spatial integration and accessibility, contrasting with more segmented designs observed in modern and post-revolutionary mosques. This was achieved through Space Syntax analysis, which quantifies how spaces are interconnected within courtyard layouts. The research highlights the evolution of mosque architecture, emphasizing how historical and political shifts influence spatial organization. These findings underscore the importance of spatial design in religious and social contexts.
The Quintessential Features of Iranian Art in Saljuq Period
The Saljuq period (11th–12th centuries) marked a transformative era for Iranian art, blending Islamic and Persian influences to shape enduring artistic traditions. Research highlights that Saljuq architecture, exemplified by the Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan, adopted innovations like nave-dome structures and four-porch courtyards, derived from Khorasan designs. This period also saw advancements in pottery, including under-glaze painting and redware with white slip, as well as intricate metalwork featuring embossed animal motifs, plant designs, and Kufic script. Textiles, such as the Ordaki silk, showcased blue Kufic calligraphy, reflecting both craftsmanship and cultural symbolism. The study employs a descriptive-analytical approach to identify these quintessential features, demonstrating their foundational role in subsequent Iranian artistic development.
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