Introduction: : In the science of history and archaeology, inscriptions have always been considered as accurate and documented data. In the Islamic era, most buildings and works of art were decorated with inscriptions in different scripts, the themes of which are often rooted in verses of the Holy Quran and religious traditions. In addition to decorations, these inscriptions also contain important political, social, religious and artistic information. In the meantime, religious tomb complexes and holy sites are considered to be significant buildings in terms of art and architecture in all parts of the Islamic world. The center or central core of these buildings is generally the burial place of important religious and sometimes political figures, and over time, other buildings and annexes, including schools, porches, courtyards, mosques and pilgrimage centers, have been added to them. In the structure of these buildings, there are inscriptions from different periods, by studying which one can understand the developments of religions, especially Shiism, the support of governments and rulers for religious movements, the expansion of the culture of endowment and pilgrimage, etc. The wooden works belonging to these tombs in various forms, including doors, windows, tomb chests, pulpits and inscriptions, have become a platform for performing wooden arts such as carving and mosaic work during the Islamic era of Iran. One of the tomb complexes that has been of interest since the third century AH is the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Azim Hassani (AS) in Rey, which houses important historical monuments, especially wooden works from different periods.
Purposes & Questions: This research is to examine the inscriptions and decorations of a wooden door dating back to 944 AH (1585 AD), which is kept in the museum of the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Azim (AS).This large door, which is a historical monument dating back to the reign of Shah Tahmasp Safavi, is important from four aspects: 1- The historical aspect of the inscriptions 2- The artistic aspect and decorations 3- The technical aspect and construction technique 4- The aspect of the secrets and symbols used in the inscriptions and decorations.The Research questions Include:1. What is the text and content of the inscriptions on this door? 2. What are the composition, visual characteristics, and writing characteristics of the inscription? 3 What decorative motifs were used in the construction of this door? Methods: This research uses a descriptive-analytical method to examine the inscriptions and decorations on the wooden door of the shrine of Hazrat Abdul Azim (AS) dated 944 AH. The data was collected through field studies, direct photography of the work, and library studies. The examination of the inscriptions and motifs was initially carried out by drawing them using efficient computer software, and then examining the type of script, visual features, and composition and accurate reading of the inscriptions. Subsequently, the hadiths in the text of the inscription were separately matched with historical sources, hadiths, and important and first-hand books of Shia and Sunnis in terms of their authenticity and differences in narration. For a more detailed analysis, historical works in this tomb complex at the same time as the construction of this work, such as endowment letters, decrees, scrolls, and architectural inscriptions of the Safavid period, were also studied.. The data analysis method in this research is qualitative.
The Findings & Results: The results of this research showed that the inscriptions on this door include eight hadiths in praise of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and the importance of the pilgrimage to Hazrat Abdul Azim (AS), and the inscription dates the completion of the work to 944 AH (1586 AD). The name of the founder and the artist who created it is not mentioned in the inscription.This inscription is written in Arabic using the intaglio technique of the Thuluth script. The characteristics of this inscription are the presence of multiple kursi lines and writing in three lines. Vertical, cross, and diagonal compositions have also been created using the characteristics of the letters in the third line. The presence of raised letters next to each other, the connection of some letters and words, filling empty and negative spaces with the combination and intertwining of letters, and the presence of elongated letters such as the inverted letter "y" have contributed to the quality of the composition. The door decorations include wooden decorations with carving and mosaic techniques and with plant and geometric motifs, and metal decorations including nailing and Zomodgari (metal knocker) along with plant and animal motifs. The construction of the door was probably simultaneous with the construction of the porch on the orders of Shah Tahmasp I of Safavid, which connected the porch to the Women's Mosque.