Safavid Epigraphy in Bavanat County, Iran: Architectural and Funerary Inscriptions

Abstrakt

One of the most important achievements of humankind is the invention of writing systems that have enabled the recording of information and the transmission of knowledge. Inscriptions and other written materials are important sources for historical and archaeological studies. They provide information about beliefs, ideas, and historical events and are used in the dating of monuments and the study of calligraphic traditions. During the archaeological survey conducted in 2015 in Bavanat County, a collection of inscriptions from the Safavid period was identified. The aim of this paper is to document these inscriptions and analyze their content in order to understand religious beliefs, cultural characteristics of the region, and assist in dating monuments and cemeteries. These inscriptions are classified into two main groups: architectural inscriptions and gravestone inscriptions, and are written in three scripts: Thuluth, Naskh, and Nasta’liq. The Imamzadeh Seyyed Shah Mirhamzeh inscriptions contain information about the construction date, the name of the architect, and Qur’anic verses. In addition to the Qur’anic verses, the gravestones also contain the names of the deceased and the date of death, which can be used in dating cemeteries and studying the historical developments of the region. The results of this study show that the Safavid inscriptions of Bavanat, in addition to their artistic and calligraphic value, are an important source for understanding the religious, social, and historical dimensions of this region during the Safavid period.