Study of Kanji Script on Chinese Porcelain Pottery Recovered from Archeological Excavations at Alamut Castle of Qazvin

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MA in Archaeology, Member of Alamut Cultural Base, Qazvin

2 Assistant Professor of Archaeology, University of Neyshabur, Neyshabur, Khorasan Razavi,

3 Manager of Alamut Cultural Base, Qazvin

10.22070/negareh.2021.5540.2514

Abstract

All the Esmailid castles in Alborz highlands are divided into two main groups, i.e. the castles whose footstone had been founded by Esmailids themselves and the ones that have been conquered by Fada'iyan and some other parts had been added to them. Alamut Castle is placed in the second group of castles, especially since the name of this castle can be observed alternately in historical sources up to the collapse of the Safavid dynasty. Alamut Castle was seized by the Mongol army in the middle of the seventh century AH. Consequently, the conquerors set off towards Baghdad and the losers who had given way to the Zaidiyyah Shiites of the Kiyaiyeh religion, continued their semi-independent life for two centuries. The areas under the control of Kia Family (780-1001 AH) also included Alamut and Taleghan except for Gilan. Indeed, Kia Family was founded by one of the students of Seyed Ghavam, namely Seyed Ali, under the influence of Mazandaran Marashian Movement (760-986 AH). The aforesaid government has been under the control of the Ajam Iraq since the time of Uzun Hassan, the fourth ruler of Aq Qoyunlu and was then overthrown by the Ghezelbash invasion (1001 AH) of the Safavid state. From that time onwards, the Safavids were the political decision-makers of Iran until the threshold of the industrial revolution. Thus, the conquest of Alamut Castle during the Mongol period did not mean the end of the castle's life. After that, it was used for a long time by the Esmailid survivors (New Government), Kiai Seyeds. Finally, it came under the control of the Safavid government and was used by this government as a place to keep the outcast (forgotten home). Alamut, as one of the homes of the northern coasts' trade route to the cities of Qazvin and Shahr-e-Rey and then toward Isfahan, has long played an important role in the transfer of Gilan silk to the central part of Iran. The Venetian merchants were the ones who first brought Chinese pottery made by the Ming to Iran from the east. Such type of pottery had a luxurious aspect at that time and later became very popular in the Safavid era. This claim is proven by the mass discovery of cultural artifacts from that period. For example, one can refer to a few blue and white pieces of porcelain made by the Ming empire with Chinese words (Kanji). In Japanese, Chinese script signs are referred to as Kanji. The current Kanji, as the conceptual logographic writing system, has been stabilized from the evolution of the first symbols and signs around 2000 to 2500 BC in the land of eastern China and then has entered the islands of Japan with the passage of time. In Iran, the blue-and-white pottery produced in the cities of Neyshabur during the Timurid empire and in Mashhad in the Safavid era has received the greatest influence from the contemporary motifs of the Ming dynasty in China. During this period, even the marks of the empire were sometimes imitated by Iranian potters. However, since these potters were not familiar with the Chinese script and writing system, the porcelains with Kanji, especially the ones obtained from various parts of Iran, including three pieces found during ancient archeological excavations at Alamut Castle should be considered as the imported ones. The purposes of this study are to re-read the Kanji text on porcelain potsherds and to date them, then, to determine their periods to analyze and understand the archaeological status of Alamut Castle after Mongols invasion. The research method in this study is descriptive-analytical. The material of this research comes from archaeological excavations and then translated into Persian by library method. The main question of the research is: these potsherds belong to which historical period and how must they be interpreted in archaeological and historical context? Some pieces of porcelain were discovered in Alamut Castle. These pieces in Chinese script (Kanji), representative of three emperors, namely " Chenghua (成化)", "Jiajing (嘉靖)", and "Wanli (萬曆帝)", are contemporary with Uzun Hassan (the ruler of Aq Qoyunlu), and two Safavid kings, i.e. Shah Tahmasp I, and Abbas the Great, respectively. The name of "Chenghua" can be observed in one of the pieces, while each of the other two pieces have four common auspicious words in the blue and white dishes of the "Jiajing" era and his grandchild, "Wanli". In addition, the crab relief is seen in the inner surface of one of the pieces as a common relief, favored by the artists of this period. Therefore, this finding, along with other cultural data obtained from Alamut Castle, indicates the continued resumption of political and social life in the region following the Mongol invasion, especially its trade relations during the reign of Aq Qoyunlu Turkmens and of the Safavids.

Keywords


Abro, H. 2016. Zobdatol Tavarikh, edited by Seyed Kamal Haj Seyed Javadi, Vol.1, Tehran: Asatir Publication.

Abdoli, A. 1990. Tats and Taleshs. Tehran: Qoqnous publication.

Amiri, Z. 2011. Relations between Venice and Iran in the era of Ozun Hassan Aq Qoyunlu, Journal of Historiography, Vol.13 (48):1-20.

Bailey‚ A. G. 1996. The Stimulus: Chinese Porcelain Production and Trade with Iran‚ In Tamerlane Table Ware: A new approach to Chinosere ceramics of the fifteenth and sixteenth century Iran‚ Ontario: Mazda Publishers‚ pp 7-15.

Bakran, M. N. 1963. Jahannameh, edited by Mohammad Amin Riahi, Tehran: Ibn Sina Publication.

Barbaro, J; Vencento,  D; Contarini, A; Zeno, K and Lello, L. 2002. Venetian Travelogues in Iran, translated by Manouchehr Amiri, Tehran: Kharazmi Publication.

Bayhaqi, M. H. 1940. History of Bayhaqi, edited by Saeed Nafisi, vol. 1, Tehran: Sanaei Publication.

Beamish, H. H. 1954. The Marks on Chinese Porcelain, Museums Department Federation of Malaya, No.6: 1-10.

Carsewell, J, 2000, Blue & white ceramics, Chinese Parcelain Aroun the World. London.

Canby, Sh. 2006. Safavid art and architecture. Translated by Mazda Movahed. Tehran: Farhangestan-e Honar.

Chardin, J. 1996. The Travels of Sir John Chardin. Translated by Eghbal Yaghma’I, Tehran: Toos publication.

Chubak, H. 2006. Report of the sixth chapter of archaeological excavations of Alamut Castle, Tehran: Cultural Heritage and Tourism Research Institute (unpublished).

Daneshpurparvar, F. 1997. Findings of porcelain on the island of Hormuz and the role of this island in the trade of Iran and China, Shoush, Archaeological Conference, Tehran: Cultural Heritage.

Faghih­ Mohammadi Jalali, M. M. 2004. Intodudtion to Kouchan. Vol 1. Qom: Bakhshayesh.

Frank, A& David Brownstone. 1997. The Silk Road, Translated by Mohsen Thalasi, Tehran: Soroush Publication.

Ferrier, R. W. 1995. Iranian Arts, Translated by Parviz Marzban, Tehran: Farzanrooz.

Finlay, R. 1998. The Pilgrim Art: The Culture of Porcelain in World History, Journal of World History, Vol. 9 (2): 141-187.

Garner, H. 1956. The use of imported and native cobalt in Chinese blue and white, Oriental art, Vol. 2 (2): 147-149.

gerald, F. 1988. China: a short cultural history. Translated by Esmail Dolatshahi. Tehran: Elmi Farhangi publication.

Golombek, L & Mason, R. B. 2014. Persian Pottery in the First Global Age (The Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries), Brill Leiden. Boston.

Golombek, L. & Mason, R. B. 2001. Safavid potters marks and the question of provenance, Iran, Vol 39: pp 207-236.

Hodgson, W. 1957. How To Identify Old Chinese, The Cornell University Library. Chicago A. C. Mcclurg & Co. London: Methuen & Co.

Hosseini, H. 2011. Reflection and analysis of the image of the dragon in the pottery and tiles of the Islamic period of Iran, Negareh, vol. 19: 61-48.

Hooper, W.H & Phillips, W. C. 1984. Pottery and Porcelain. Macmillan and Co. and New York.

Hucker, Ch. 1978, The Ming Dynasty its Origins And Evolving Institutions, Center for Chinese Studies The University of Michigan.

Irene, F. Brownstone, D. 1997. The silk road: a history. Translated by Mohsen Soalsi. Tehran. Soroush publication.

Jahani, V. 2011. Archeology of Someasara, Rasht: Bloor Publication.

Johari Neyshaburi, M. 2004. Javaher­Nameh Nezami, in collaboration with Mohammad Rasoul Daryaaghesht, Tehran: Mirase Maktoob.

Kashani, A.1966. The jewels and the precious jewels (Arais al-Jawahir wa Nafais al- Atayyib) Tehran: Mirase Maktoob publication.

Kambakhsh Fard, S. 2001, Pottery in Iran from Neolithic to the Present, Tehran: Qoqnoos.

Kessler, A. T. 2012. Song Blue and White Porcelain on the Silk Road, Edited by Jan Fontein, Brill Leiden Boston.

Lane, A.1971. Later Islamic Pottery: Persia, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, publisher: Faber and Faber Ltd.

Li, H.1996. Chineses Ceramics, London:Thames & Hudson.

Lahiji. A. 1973. Khani History. Corrected by Manouchehr Sotoudeh, Tehran: Bonyad-e Farhang-e Iran publication.

Liang, Y. 1987. Friendly exchanges between China and Iran in ancient times. Nashrieh Siasat Khareji. Vol. 4: 840-860.

Liang, Zh, X. 2006. The materials for a history of sino - foreign relations. Translated by John Hon Nin. Tehran: Pazhoheskadeh Zaban o Gouyesh.

Manuel Loureiro, R. 2015. The Portuguese in Hormuz and the trade in Chinies Porcelain. Translated by Darioush Taleghani. Kandooj, Vol. 12: 54-43.

Mar’ashi, Z. 1985. History of Gilan and Delamestan. Corrected by Manouchehr Sotoudeh, Tehran: Entesharat Etela’at.

Matin, M. 2008. Chini in Encyclopaedia of the World of Islam, Vol.12. Tehran: Bonyade dayerat-ol Ma’aref Eslami.

Mostofi, H. 2002. Nozhat ol Gholob. Corrected by Mohammad Dabir Siaghi. Qazvin: Entesharate Hadise Emroz.

Nozad, F. 1994. Letters of Khan Ahmad Gilani. Tehran: Bonyad Moqofate Dr. Mahmoud Afshar.

Rabino, H. L. 1985. Rulers of Gilan: A Collection of Four Discourses on the History and Geography of Gilan, translated by Joktaji and Madani, Rasht: Nashr Gilkan.

Rajabzadeh, H. 2002. Ibn al-Nadim and Rashid al-Din Fazlullah's definition of the Chinese-Japanese script and its advantages, Nameh Anjoman, Vol. 5: 99-123.

Rouhfar, Z. 2002. Analysis of White and Blue Glazes by PIXE Method, Journal of Archaeology and History, No.32: 48-50.

Samarghandi, A. T. 1988. Samaria, by Iraj Afshar, Tehran: Farhang Iran Zamin Publication.

Savori, R. 1993. Safavid Iran, translated by Kambiz Azizi, Tehran: Markaz Publication.

Sotoudeh, H. Gh.1969. History of Qazvin, Journal of Historical Studies, No. 22:165-210.

Sotoudeh, M. 1998. From Astara to Astarabad, Vol 2, Tehran: Association of Cultural Works and Honors.

Stodart, R. 1960. Stodart Travelogue, translation of Ahmad Tavakoli  and Sardnis Ross, Journal of Farhang Iran Zamin, Issue 8: 161-220.

Suleski, R. 2019, Daily Life for the Common People of China, 1850 to 1950, Brill Leiden Boston.

Sheikhi, Sh. 2014. Research in Golzar Safa’s essay written by Sirafi in 950 AH. M. A. thesis, Art University of Isfahan.

Tavernier, J. B. 2003. Safarnameh, translated by Hamid Arbab Shirani, Tehran: Niloufar Publication.

Valenstein, S. 1989. A Handbook of Chinese Ceramics Revised and Enlarged Edition, The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Wen, R. Pollard A. M. 1971. Ceramics. London: Oxford University Press

Wolf, H. E. 1993. Ancient Iranian Handicrafts, Tehran: Islamic Revolution.

Williamson, A. 1987. Regional distribution of mediaeval Persian pottery in the light of recent investigations, In Syria and Iran: Three studies in medieval ceramics, James Allan (ed), Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp 11-22.

Yolande, C. 2002. Persia and China safavid blue and white ceramics in the Victoria & Albert museum 1501-1738. London: La Borie.

Zaki, M.H. 2005. China and Islamic Arts, translated by Gholamreza Tahami, Tehran: Academi of Arts Publication.

 Zaki, M.H. 2009. History of Iranian Industries after Islam, Translated by Mohammad Ali Khalili, Tehran: eghbal.

https://www.icollector.com/268-Chinese-Ming- -Xuande-Potter-Bowl-With-Kanji- i13544356

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/387450374176517121.https://www.pinterest.com/pin/345721708876100928.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/546765211011658041.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485262928574615886.

استودارت، هربرت (1339). سفرنامه استودارت، ترجمه: احمد توکلی و سردنیس راس، مجله فرهنگ ایران‌زمین، شماره 8، صص 220-161.
امیری، زهرا (1390). روابط ونیز و ایران در عهد اوزون حسن آق قویونلو، مجله تاریخ پژوهی، سال 13، شماره 48، صص 1-20.
آبرو، حافظ (1395). زبده التواریخ، تصحیح سیدکمال­حاج سید جوادی، ج1، تهران: انتشارات اساطیر.
بکران، محمدبن­نجیب (1342). جهان نامه، تصحیح محمدامین ریاحی، تهران: انتشارات ابن‌سینا.
باربارو، جوزفا؛ ونچنتو دالساندی؛ آمبروجو کنتارینی؛ کاترینو زنو و آنجو للو (1381). سفرنامه‌های ونیزیان در ایران، ترجمه منوچهر امیری، تهران: انتشارات خوارزمی.
بیهقی، ابوالفضل محمد بن حسین (1319). تاریخ بیهقی، تصحیح سعید نفیسی، ج1، تهران: انتشارات سنایی.
تاورنیه، ژان باتیست (1382). سفرنامه، ترجمه حمید ارباب شیرانی، تهران: انتشارات نیلوفر.
جهانی، ولی (1390). باستان‌شناسی صومعه‌سرا، رشت: انتشارات بلور.
جوهری نیشابوری، محمد بن ابی البرکات (1383). جواهر نامه نظامی، با همکاری محمد رسول دریاگشت، تهران: میراث مکتوب.
چوبک، حمیده (1385). گزارش فصل ششم کاوش‌های باستان‌شناختی قلعه الموت، تهران: پژوهشکده میراث فرهنگی و گردشگری منتشرنشده.
حسینی، سید هاشم (1390). بازتاب و تحلیل نگاره اژدها در سفالینه­ها و کاشی­های دوران اسلامی ایران، نگره، ش 19، صص 61-48.
دانشپورپرور، فخری (1376). یافته­های ظروف چینی جزیره هرمز و نقش این جزیره در بازرگانی ایران و چین، شوش، یادنامه گردهمائی باستان‌شناسی، تهران: میراث فرهنگی.
رابینو، ه، ل (1364). فرمانروایان گیلان: مجموعه چهار گفتار پیرامون تاریخ و جغرافیای گیلان، ترجمه جکتاجی و مدنی، رشت: نشر گیلکان.
رجب‌زاده، هاشم (1381). تعریف ابن الندیم و رشیدالدین فضل‌الله از خط چینی- ژاپنی و مزایای آن، نامه انجمن، ش 5، صص 99-123.
روح­فر، زهره (1381). تجزیه لعاب سفید و آبی بر اساس آزمایش پیکسی، باستان‌شناسی و تاریخ، شماره 32، صص48-50.
زکی، محمدحسن (1384). چین و هنرهای اسلامی، ترجمه غلامرضا تهامی، تهران: انتشارات فرهنگستان هنر.
زکی، محمدحسن (1388). تاریخ صنایع ایران بعد از اسلام، ترجمه محمدعلی خلیلی، تهران: اقبال.
ستوده، حسین قلی (1348). تاریخچه قزوین، مجله بررسی­های تاریخی، شماره22، صص 165-210.
ستوده، منوچهر (1377). از آستارا تا استرآباد، ج2، تهران: انجمن آثار و مفاخر فرهنگی.
سمرقندی، ابوطاهر بن ابوسعید (1367). سمریه، به کوشش ایرج افشار، تهران: انتشارات فرهنگ ایران‌زمین.
سیوری، راجر (1372). ایران عصر صفوی، ترجمه کامبیز عزیزی، تهران: انتشارات مرکز.
شیخی، شهرزاد (1393). پژوهشی در رساله گلزار صفا نوشته صیرفی سال 950ه.ق، پایان‌نامه کارشناسی ارشد، اصفهان: دانشگاه هنر.
عبدلی، علی (1369). تاتها و تالشان، تهران: انتشارات ققنوس.
فرانک، آیرین و دیوید براونستون (1376). جاده ابریشم، ترجمه محسن ثلاثی، تهران: انتشارات سروش.
فقیه محمدی جلالی، محمدمهدی (1383). سیمای کوچان، ج1، قم: انتشارات بخشایش.
فریه، ر. دبلیو (1374). هنرهای ایران، ترجمه پرویز مرزبان، تهران: فرزان روز.
جرالد، فیتز (1367). تاریخ فرهنگ چین، ترجمه اسماعیل دولتشاهی، تهران: انتشارات علمی و فرهنگی.
کاشانی، ابوالقاسم عبدالله بن علی (1345). عرایس الجواهر و نفایس الاطایب، تهران: میراث مکتوب.
کامبخش فرد، سیف‌الله (1380). سفال و سفالگری در ایران از ابتدای نوسنگی تا دوران معاصر، تهران: انتشارات ققنوس.
لاهیجی، علی بن شمس‌الدین (1352). تاریخ خانی، تصحیح منوچهر ستوده، تهران: انتشارات بنیاد فرهنگ ایران.
لیانگ، جانگ شینگ (1385). تاریخ روابط ایران و چین، ترجمه جان هون نین، تهران: پژوهشکده زبان گویش.
لیانگ، یه­ئی (1366). رفت‌وآمدهای دوستانه بین چین و ایران در زمان قدیم، تهران: نشریه سیاست خارجی، شماره 4، صص840-860.
مانوئل لوریرو، روئی (1394). تجارت ظروف چینی در زمان حضور پرتغالی­ها در جزیره هرمز، کندوج، ش 12، صص 54-43.
متین، مهران (1387). چینی، دانشنامه جهان اسلام، ج12، تهران: بنیاد دایره المعارف اسلامی.
مرعشی، سید ظهیرالدین (1364). تاریخ گیلان و دیلمستان، تصحیح منوچهر ستوده، تهران: انتشارات اطلاعات.
مستوفی، حمدالله (1381). نزهه القلوب، تصحیح محمد دبیر سیاقی، قزوین: انتشارات حدیث امروز.
نوزاد، فریدون (1373). نامه‌های خان احمد گیلانی، تهران: بنیاد موقوفات دکتر محمود افشار.
وولف، هانس ای (1372). صنایع‌دستی کهن ایران، تهران: انقلاب اسلامی.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/485262928574615886.