Typology of the Form and the Role of the Frames Covered in the Stucco Decorations Made during 8th Century in Iran

The stucco decorations of the 8th century AH are considered as the most significant decorations of this era’s architecture which has made the Ilkhanid period known as the Stucco Age. These stuccos were implemented in most parts of buildings with different uses including exterior parts, gable, archs of Mihrab, surfaces of the walls and margins, as a simple reinforced type in design and construction technique. Scrutinizing reveals that these stuccos have several visual features that could have the stylistic features of stucco decorations in the mentioned period of time. The goal of this research is to introduce and study various types of frames or strip shapes in the field of plant decoration and inscriptions of the stucco decorations made during this period through studying the overall structure and the decorations existing in this frame-like form. Thus, the most important question of this research is as follows: What are different types of frames in the stucco decorations of the buildings and what are the features of these frames in terms of form variation, shape and decoration? The data was collected through wide field studies and using written resources with a descriptive-historical method and comparative approach. The results, obtained from studying 11 buildings dating back to 8th century AH of 5 provinces of Iran, show that a multifoil frame-like strip-shaped form is hidden in enticing and detailed plant decorations which continuous and diverse presence has made it possible to consider it as one of the stylistic features of the stuccoed decoration in the 8th century AH. This form designed in the forms of mihrab, intervening and scallop with folds and rounded or sharp angles, has not only contributed to the case classification (border, arcade, etc.) within which it is placed, but also has sometimes been decorated simply using recurring Kufic inscriptions, including the expression “Almolk Allah” (الملک لله) that has created a unique visual effect.