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Related Pictures: See Its position in the map |
Kharraqan. Tomb Towers These two Seljuk brick tomb towers, located near Hisa-e-Armani in the Kharraqan region of western Iran, were discovered in 1963, by William Miller. They were first described by David Stronach. On the right, or eastern side we see the earlier building, dated A.H. 460 (A.D. 1067-68); the later mausoleum, on the left, is dated A.H. 486 (A.D. 1093). Both dates are inscribed. In all probability the tombs were the work of one architect, a Persian of local origin called Muhammad b. Makki al Zanjani on one tomb and Abu'l Ali b. Makki al Zanjani on the other. The octagonal towers stand slightly more than 40 feet (13 m.) above ground and have a diameter of 34 feet (10.4 m.). As at Damavand, the brick core of the structures is adorned with a decorative brick revetment. For additional embellishment, the engaged arches of the later Kharraqan tower are divided into two major panels with a row of three small arches separating them. Together the two tombs display some seventy different brick designs. The towers have double domes-the earliest examples as yet found in Iran- and enclosed spiral staircases. Around the upper part of the arch in this detail from the later Kharraqan tomb tower is a simple border composed of single bricks alternating with two half-bricks. The cut bricks which face the slender shafts on the lower part of the panel have rounded contours and are set far apart in the mortar. Sometimes the embellishment of the structural wall was simultaneous with its erection, but more often the adornment was applied later, by specialist imported for that specific task. The scaffold holes were left unplugged during construction, in anticipation of this revetment. The details opposite are from the earlier Kharraqan tomb tower. This picture shows a frieze on the southwest elevation. The segments which connect the three wheels in this design are the hubs of other wheel which are cut off by the border of the frieze. Wheels and spokes, punctuated by the brick dot which is the axle, seem to revolve together endlessly. |
[ Tombs and Gunbads -Tombs]
