Classification of Tile Shobāks of Timurid and Turkmanan Era Buildings in Yazd Province based on Framing and Motif

There are many definitions of Shobāks/ Moshabbak in dictionaries and general and specialized dictionaries as well as architectural specialized sources, the most important of which will be mentioned below. Moshabbak: window network (Maheronnaghsh, 1997: 192 - 193); Shobāk: A big hole, apparently means a window (Dehkhoda, 1998, Vol 9: 14113); Moshabbak: Every object that has a hole in it, everything is networked and interwoven like a window, Shabakedar, with network, Hole Hole, Mesh Mesh, window window (Dehkhoda, 1998, Vol 13: 20926); Moshabbak: Shabakedar, In the form of a network, House House (Sadri Afshar, 2003: 1177); Moshabbak: Has a network (like a window), Hole Hole (Moin, 2006, Vol 3: 4132); Moshabbak: House House (Zomorshidi, 2008: 180 Moshabbak: A type of Shabakedar wall that also plays the role of a light catcher (Shams, 2009:131); Shobāk: plural of network, Building light catcher networks (Fereshtnejad, 2010: 208); Moshabbak: Shabakedar, like a window, Hole Hole (Amid, 2010: 944 - 945); One of the types of plaster decoration with the title of hollow- Moshabbak: In addition to being empty or hollow, the decorations in question have also created holes in the empty space behind the decorations (Aslani, 2012: 280) and etc. According to the above definitions, it is generally possible to consider the Shobāk/ Moshabbak as a networked space with different frames such as square, rectangle, etc., in the space of these networks, light, and air can pass, and often in the space under the domes, above the Mihrabs and Dadoes are used above. In different periods, Shobāks are often decorated with Brickwork, Carving, Tilework, etc., and with many plant and Geometric Designs and Motifs. Yazd Province is one of the limited Regions of the Timurid and Turkmanan Era of Iran, where many Tile Shobāks have been obtained from its Buildings. Therefore, the Purpose of this Article is to introduce and Classify the Tile Shobāks used in Timurid and Turkmanan Era Buildings in Yazd Province based on general framing and Motif. However, Knowing the mentioned Shobāks and their types as one of the Unique and less known Decorations of these Periods is Raised as an important issue in the Current Research. Therefore, the main Question of this Research arises as follows: What are the most common and major general framing and Motif of Tile Shobāks in Timurid and Turkmanan Era Buildings in Yazd Province? The Current Research is based on the method of interpretative-historical research and the method of analyzing and interpreting the data is Qualitative. The purposeful non-random (non-probability) sampling method has been chosen in line with the purpose of the research. The method of collecting information and data in a documentary (library) and based on objective (field) observations includes visiting Buildings, taking pictures of Tile Shobāks, and drawing samples with different Software such as Corel Draw and Photoshop. The Photography of all Tile Shobāks studied in this article is the result of the authors' close observation of Historical Monuments. Therefore, the Statistical Population of this research consists of all the Tile Shobāks of the Timurid and Turkmanan Periods in Yazd Province, which includes thirteen Buildings. For this reason, by examining and identifying Samples in Thirteen Buildings related to and attributed to the Timurid and Turkmanan Periods in Yazd Province, the investigated statistical population includes; "Masjed-e Jame of Yazd", "Masjed-e Jame of  Amir Chakhmaq", "Masjed-e Shah Abdolqayyum", "Masjed-e-pir Hoseyn-e-Damqani", "Masjed-e Mosalla-ye- Atiq", "Masjed-e-baq-e-Gandom", "Imamzade Jafar" all in Yazd city, "Masjed-e Jame of Shah Vali" Taft, "Sheikh Ali Baniman Complex" in Bidakhavid Taft Village, " Masjed-e Jame of Bidakhavid" in Bidakhavid Taft Village, "Sultan Complex of Bundarabad" Ashkezar (Mosque, tomb, Husayniyya/ Khanqah), "Masjed-e Rig/ Sheikh Al-Kabir Majumerd (Rizvanshahr)" Ashkezar, "Masjed-e Jame of Firuzabad" Meybod and "Khadkhoda House" Bafruiyeh Meybod. In response to the question raised in this research, the results obtained indicate that the Tile Shobāks in the Buildings of Yazd Province were classified into two main groups based on the overall framing and motif. In the first type, in terms of general framing, there are five types of Shobāks: Rectangular, Square, Triangular arch, Polygon (pentagon), and Dalbori framings. Of these, Rectangular framing has the most examples among other framings and was found in 11 Buildings of the Statistical Population studied in this research. In terms of the variety of framing in "Sultan Complex of Bundarabad" Ashkezar, four types of Rectangular, triangular arch, polygon, and square are used, followed by "Masjed-e Jame of Shah Vali" of Taft with Rectangular, triangular arch, and Polygon framings. The Shobāks were classified in terms of motifs in two general categories of geometric and Plant motifs in the two topics of the center/ background and frieze of the Shobāk. From the point of view of the Center/ Background of the Shobāks, most of the examples are covered with Geometric Motifs, based on the existing examples of Tile Shobāks of the Timurid and Turkmanan era Buildings in Yazd Province, the knots are "Six and Triangle on the Piece", "Six and  Stretched Give", "Six and divided Triangles", "Six and Triangle", "Six and Jointed Triangle", "Six and roundel with Toranj", Also, simple Geometric patterns such as repeated forms of circle, ellipse, and Toranj/ Rhomboid are among the Motifs used in the center of the Shobāks. Among these, the most surface coverage is occupied by the knot "Six and Jointed Triangle" in the Center of the Shobāks. "Sultan Complex of Bundarabad" has the most diversity in terms of Geometric Patterns in the Center/ Background of the Shobāks, so the Five "Six and Triangle on the piece", "Six and divided Triangles", "Six and Jointed Triangle", Motifs in the form of a Circle and a Toranj/ Rhomboid-like shape can be seen in the center of the Shobāks of this Complex and Then, "Masjed-e Jame of Shah Vali" of Taft with knots of "Six and Jointed Triangle", "Six and divided Triangles", knots and an Oval shape is in the next order. It should be noted that the knots are all simple and drawn based on the number six. The Geometric motifs on the frieze of the Shobāks include: the repeating knot of simple Geometric motifs or the combination of one or two simple narrow bands without Patterns. The main Geometric motif that surrounds the Shobāks belongs to the "Six and Triangle" knot, which is implemented in most of the Buildings Studied in this research (12 buildings) and has almost become a common Pattern on the frieze of Tile Shobāks in this area. In general, the use of plant Motifs in the Center/Background as well as in the friezes of the Shobāks is very little, and in the Center/ Background they are mostly used in combination with geometric motifs. plant motifs are used in the Center/ Background and friezes of the Shobāks in a limited number and only in three Buildings: "Masjed-e Shah Abdolqayyum" in Yazd, "Masjed-e Jame of Shah Vali" in Taft, the interior space and also the back wall of the tomb of "Sultan Complex of Bundarabad"  in Ashkezar. Motifs include Khataei elements, such as simple multi-petaled flowers (three-petaled, six-petaled), Plantain leaf flowers, Buds, Bands/ Stems, as well as simple Arabesque and the Arabesque vault. Plant motifs on the friezes of the Shobāks are also limited and can only be found in three Buildings, "Masjed-e Jame of Shah Vali", "Sultan Complex of Bundarabad" and "Masjed-e Shah Abdolqayyum". These Motifs contain the Arabesque, the Arabesque vault, simple multi-petaled Flowers (three-petaled, four-petaled, five-petaled, six-petaled), stems and leaves. Through the Studies, it was found that the use of Tile Shobāks in the Timurid and Turkmanan era Buildings belongs to Yazd Province, and in other Parts of the country only in three Buildings "Tomb of Shaikh Abu Masoud Razi Isfahan", "Tomb of Darb Imam Isfahan" and "Masjed-e maydan Kashan" located in Isfahan province and "Masjed-e Shah/ Seventy-two Martyrs' (Haftado Dotan)" Mashhad and "Ghiyasiyya Madrasa" Khargerd Khaf in Razavi Khorasan Province. The use of Tile Shobāks can be seen in Yazd Region and in limited numbers in Isfahan and Razavi Khorasan Provinces, and similar examples of this category of functional-decorative Structures cannot be observed in other parts of Timurid and Turkmanan Rule in Iran. Therefore, according to the common decorative Features that exist among the Shobāks of Building Tiles in Yazd Province, it can be acknowledged that in this Region they have used an almost common unit pattern in the use of Shobāks. Therefore, these common decorative features can indicate a local style, the evidence of which can be found in this period, often in this area.