study on examples of women's earthenware statuettes in seljuk and il-khanid periods

clay and earthenware statuettes of women are amongst first human artworks of prehistoric era. after historic period the tradition of making women earthenware statuettes continued in islamic era with special changes. these earthenware statuettes including different method of making and decoration often have made in important persian pottery centers as rey and kashan cities. the seljuk and il-khanid periods are amongst important periods of making these earthenware statuettes that because of prohibition of making statuette and figurine in islamic era, reasons and principles of their making is a strange matter for these periods. the subject matter of this paper is analyzing many of attractive examples of seljuk and il-khanid earthenware women statuettes from all directions as making and decorating methods. the basic goal of the paper is recognition of factors that were important in making this kind of statuettes as well as studying their decorations, applications, forms, principles and others impressive factors. this study can help us arrive at a better understanding of position of iranian muslim women and their differences with pre-islamic iran.  in this way few attractive examples of women earthenware statuettes of seljuk and il-khanid period have chosen from different museums inside and outside of iran and then surveyed the factors involved in their making, decorating, using etc. due to findings of the paper making of women earthenware statuettes on islamic era especially in seljukid and il-khanid periods have been affected by several factors as importance of tribal system in these periods as well as efflorescence of iranian literature as bahram and azadeh story or astrological contexts with female symbols as the venus.