Does Sultān Abād Pottery Really Produced in Sultān Abād?

15 Pages·2017·2.59 MB·English

Intl. J. Humanities (2012) Vol. 19 (3): (95-109)

Does Sultān Abād Pottery Really Produced
in Sultān Abād?

Javad Neyestani1, Mohammad Jafar Hatamian2,
Hossein Sedighian3

4 ] Received: 2011/10/25 Accepted: 2011/12/26
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23- Abstract
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n Undoubtedly, pottery is among the most important information types that can help
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c.ir understand societies and cultures better. Despite introducing pottery known as Sultān
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s. Abād and its classification over the last few decades, very limited information has
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od been published so far on the origin of its type and about archeological sites containing
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h. them. The main reason for this seems to be that containers could not be found in
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m archeological excavations, and most of these potteries were obtained through illegal
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d fr excavations hence; are part of private collections and museums. Consequently, our
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a understanding on their origin, extent and distribution is very limited. In the current
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w study, we attempt to present a brief introduction about the technical and decorative
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[ features of this pottery type, its construction origin, historical background and the
likely place or places of its production. Then, based on information from recent
archaeological excavations and surveys, this pottery type is described and explained.

0 ] Keywords: Sultān Abād Pottery, Ilkhanid, Islamic Period, Archeology.
6.
9.3.
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2. 1. Assistant Professor, Department of Archaeology, Tarbiat Modares University. [email protected].
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0.2 2. PhD Student in Archeology, Islamic Period, Tarbiat Modares University. [email protected].
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6 3. PhD student in Archeology, Islamic Period, University of Tehran, [email protected].
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Does Sultān Abād Pottery Really Produced in ... Intl. J. Humanities (2012) Vol. 19 (3)
Introduction typical 1313AD pottery show white frit alkaline
One of the relatively unidentified Iranian- silica texture with a color range of white and
Islamic period pottery types is known as the buff including buff, whitish buff and reddish
Sultān Abād pottery. Although many studies buff (Morgan,1995:19). Their adhesive material
have been conducted in connection with this is fine and coarse sand gravels clearly visible in
pottery type, the contents of most researchers the clay body (Sherato and Grube, 2005: 25).
are simply repetition of previous studies. These particles and the fact that the pottery
Probably, one reason may be the limited surface is unpolished have caused the relatively
identification of this pottery type in coarse surface of the body in places without
archeological sites of Iran along with restricted glaze. This feature is especially visible in
publications. It should also be noted that most Group III Sulātn Abād pottery. These
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of the Sultān Abād containers in museums and containers show buff or reddish buff texture
private collections around the world were found with sand as adhesive material that is clearly
in illegal excavations, and wrongly but visible. As a result, an almost rough surface on
4 ] deliberately introduced as Sultān Abād (modern the body, even in the glazed parts, has been
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1- Arak Province) pottery by its traffickers. created. In these containers, even the glazed
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02 Given these circumstances, the data published surface is rough and uneven due to dilute glaze.
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o by archaeologists are also limited and are Usually, this pottery type has a good bake
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s.a generally repetition of past statements based on except some of the group III pottery has not
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d the technical and decorative classification of the been adequately baked (Fehervari, 2000: 223).
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h. containers. Unfortunately, during the excavations The most common form of this pottery is
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of the Islamic era sites in Iran, no evidence found bowls (in various large and small forms),
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ed fr in connection with the production of these simple round bowls, 10-sided and even 14-
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nl containers. However, various pottery pieces of sided polygons. In addition, there are less
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D different Sultān Abād types have been obtained frequent forms including deep dish with the
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during various archaeological excavations and back edge, Albarellow, pot (mainly in Syrian
surveys. The paper tries to introduce and explain samples), crock, cylindrical and polygonal
these findings. Albarellows (Ibid, 1973: 122; Fig. 1). Besides
0 ] these cases, we notice tiles decorated in Sultān
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3.
9. Technical and Decorative Features of Sultān Abād style.
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2.
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0 Abād Pottery Bowls are usually flat with rounded edges,
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64 These pottery types which are among the are divergent and T-form. There are also bowls
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with inverted rim (Grube, 1976). Bowl bottom prominent, and their decoration is radial with
is usually circular (large and small in size), and scattered edge-like parts, each forming a motif
yet some of them have flat floor. repeated in other parts (Sherato & Grube, 2005:
This kind of pottery (except for Group III ) 26). In the pottery of this group, grey color is
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is covered by a thin purple, gray or brown mud absent but blue, turquoise and green colors have
cover, and the designs are covered by a thin been frequently used (Fig. 2).
white glaze. The alkaline glaze used is lead and Group II: Pottery in this group has a texture
tin free. The glaze is often used like a mask on buff to reddish buff with low-quality glaze and
the decorations and becomes shell like inappropriate baking of some containers (Ibid,
(Morgan, 1995: 19). Low-quality glaze is 2000: 219-220 & 223). The container bodies
clearly visible in all groups of this style (Lane, have a gray coating and their design have a
1942: 46). Group III pottery has a thin white white coating protruding from the original
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mud cover with a very thin coating of pottery level. These designs have black scheme
transparent glaze. This slip is usually deleted hachured with deep blue color (Ibid, 1973:
4 ] from the surface of pottery, and only the 121). The pottery in this group have decorations
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1- decorative motifs can be seen. The most similar to plant motifs directly decorated and
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02 important classification in conjunction with drawn on bowls in various colors ranging from
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o Sultān Abād pottery is related to Lane, so that black to gray. Making designs with fine points,
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s.a all the studies performed are based on his work. on garments and on the body of animals are
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d This pottery is classified in three groups: among their features (Sherato & Grubeh, 2005:
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h. Group I: The pottery in this group is 26; Fig. 3).
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comparable to Kashan style earthenware Group III: Lane has classified this group of
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ed fr containers with rough whitish buff, and their pottery into two although both identical and
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nl glaze is usually cracked. Detailed plans and believed that they were produced at one center.
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D designs have been decorated with blue cobalt The first group which is attributed to Kāshān
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and turquoise color (Fehervari, 1973: 121). The style is more delicate and has a white
containers of this group are divided into three background with semi-bold designs, around
categories: large bowls with a t-shape edge, which black pen design can be seen. In these
0 ] smaller bowls with divergent edge, and crock or containers, clear cobalt blue and turquoise blue
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9. cylinder-shaped or polygonal Albarellows. The color is used for decoration (Fehervari, 1973:
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0 azure or pale blue color is used to emphasize 122). This pottery has the common design of
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64 certain sections. The designs are somewhat radial strips. They have white texture and are
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adequately baked. Shape and decoration of this two individuals sitting with Mongolian dress
pottery is closely related to drawn glazed pottery and persons with turbans are depicted as well
of Kāshān (Ibid, 2000: 219 & 221). Their (Fig. 6). Around the animal motifs, usually the
background is colored for processing hachure. In lotus flower leaves are used as filler elements
addition, a kind of protruded pseudo-calligraphy (Morgan, 1995:20). Clothing and animal bodies
has completed the decoration (Sherato & have been decorated with small dots (Lane,
Grubeh, 2005: 26; Fig. 4). 1971: 11). The technical advantage of this
The second group of pottery has reddish buff pottery over the pottery of other centers is the
texture with sand as adhesive material with use of a few colors and scrupulous design of
usually uneven surface and rugged glazed parts. animal figures and color distribution, so that it
This pottery has a thin dilute mud cover on is difficult to distinguish the background color
which geometric irregular striped decorations of from the color of figures, and probably the
black, turquoise and azure colors can be seen attention paid to draw animal figures is a result
(Lane, 1971; Fig. 5). of far eastern effect on these techniques and
4 ] Pottery designs used in the first and second industries, so that they are not different from
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1- groups consist of plants including Chinese natural figures (Zaki, 1987: 218).
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02 Lotus with trifoliate flowers and small-scale Decorations in these groups are comparable
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o plant patterns; animal motifs including deer and to chinaware of the Chinese Yuan period (Lane,
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s.a gazelle (single or pair) on the move or sleeping, 1971: 12), in particular, regional containers of
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d stag, wild boar, fox, elephant, camel, rabbit, Henan region bearing Lotus and Phoenix
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h. lion, leopard or tiger and rotating fish; designs designs. According to Yuan Shi, some 25056
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of bird, including falcons, pheasants, flying families from Henan moved to Holāku Khān
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ed fr ducks and walking geese; mythical designs Territory in 1257, of which 2519 families
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nl such as Chinese Phoenix completely natural remained until Abu Sa'id Bahadur time. Perhaps,
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D and flying with open wings, Phoenix with a there have been some potters among them who
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long or short tail, man with wings, winged worked in Iran, as some architects of Mosul and
elephant with human head, human designs Shiraz moved to the capital of China and were
including man dressed in Mongolian garment employed there ( Morgan, 1995 :35-36 ).
0 ] and Mongolian faces. Animal bodies and to This type of pottery had much impact in other
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9. some extent human garments are usually filled Islamic countries, even those who had political
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0 with spotted decoration (Grobe, 1976: 261, problems with Mongols. Hence, their style is not
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64 Lane, 1971: 12). Human designs such as one or only observed in pottery style of the Golden
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Horde in Saray Berke (on the side of the Volga Production Origin
and southern Russia and capital of the Golden Sulātn Abād has been presumed as the main
Horde), but also in the Syrian and Egyptian center of pottery in Iran after 13th century AD.
potteies (Ethinghausen, et al: 168). For example, This is while the Sultān Abād containers are
pottery bowl sets of New Saray with black pen heterogeneous, and there is no consensus on the
designs and thick white cover on a gray identity of the products of that city (Rogers,
background with blue dots on white background 1995: 265). These containers, like many other
can be compared with the second style of Sultān- species of glazed porcelain, have been
Abād in terms of decoration and history (Lane, discovered for the first time by smugglers of
1971:14). A bowl with colorful duck design has ancient monuments, and were introduced to
been found in Seray Berke reflecting the specific museums and collections around the world as
fine Sultān Abād type coupled with fine Sultān Abād pottery. Therefore, from the early
Chinese-like designs. This type of pottery has twentieth century onwards, many examples of
been identified in most of the sites explored in these containers found their way into private
4 ] the sphere of Golden Horde including "Belgurd" collections and museums around the world.
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1- on the banks of Dnieper River and from This is while the Sultān Abād city (modern
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02 Khwarizmi to the Oxus that formed the eastern Arāk) was founded in 1844 by the Qajar
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o border of the Golden Horde territories (Rogers, monarch Fath-Ali Shah in the southwest corner
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s.a 1995:265). Black and blue containers of Syria of Farahan Plain near the Qaresu River
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d have a whiter and harder texture than Sultān (Bosworth, 1997: 859).
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h. Abād samples. This pottery type has thick deep Lane was one of the first researchers to point
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greenish glass glazed pottery with a dark blue out these containers and their production
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ed fr color. These containers are usually colored facility. According to him, for the first time the
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a
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nl turquoise, and details of some parts have been so-called Sultān Abād containers were
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D shown with reddish brown color. Decorative leaf produced in Sultān Abād city (Lane, 1971:10).
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and medallion shapes have been designed with However, after visiting and exploring this city
blue color. Some Syrian container decorations in 1940s, Pope stated that there is no site older
are comparable with the second style of Sultān than Qajar period in Sultān Abād, and there is
0 ] Abād including a goose, the peacock, running no pottery oven or facility related to 7th or 8th
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9. animals and trefoil leaves. However, there are no centuries in its suburbs (Pope, 1942: 1631). He
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0 human designs on Syria and Egypt samples in believed that this pottery type had been
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64 the 14th century AD examples (Lane, 1971: 18). produced in towns and villages around Sultān
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Does Sultān Abād Pottery Really Produced in ... Intl. J. Humanities (2012) Vol. 19 (3)
Abād. He also named some of the villages in Arāk and its periphery, it became clear that
about 30 to 40 miles away from Arak such as within 20-25 km from Arāk, no site older than
Shah Abad, Zolf Abād, Majd Abād, Astāneh, Qajar period was known or identified,
Borz Abād, Sesuk and Fayoum (Pope, 1942: especially sites related to seventh and eight
1631). centuries. Based on the available information,
Some of these villages or ancient sites that the closest Islamic site to the city of Arāk is
are located in modern Farāhān region have no Ibrahim Abād located at 25km south of the city,
ambiguity in conjunction with settlement in related to the Islamic Middle Ages. In addition,
Ilkhanid period like Majd Abād and Zolf Abād during archeological excavations conducted
villages that are located within the confines of under the Old Arāk Bazār, no finds older than
the city of Tafresh. Farāhān region also became this period were encountered (Fazeli, 2007).
important during the Ilkhanid period, and Besides naming Sultān Abād, some
according to historical texts, in addition to researchers now believe that some pottery
prevailing Shiite religion in the region, the attributed to this style produced in Kāshān
4 ] second Ilkhanid king, Abāqā khān was crowned (Watson, 2004: 373). Unfortunately, due to lack
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1- there, and Farāhān was a favorite hunting place of careful review and targeted explorations in
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02 during that period (see: Khafi, 1962: 333, the region, there is no accurate information in
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o Mostofi, 1983: 69 and Al-Husseini, vol 4: 522). this regard. In the past few decades, Bahrami
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s.a Zolf Abād will be described in detail later in carried out a targeted exploration in different
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d this article, but with respect to Majd Abād, an neighborhoods of Kāshān to identify pottery
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h. Islamic site related to the middle age, it should production workshops. He found part of the
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be said that the site is known as Gol-Hesar by bottom of a tun or large bowl with typical
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ed fr locals. According to the topographical map Sultān Abād decoration with the figure of a
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nl (Map 1), it has a surface area of nearly 3,300 sleeping rabbit in blue, violet and black in a
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D square meters and has a rectangular shape with white background. He believes that it has been
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evidences of a fort (Sedighian and Abolfazli, produced in Sultān Abād region (Bahrami,
2009). Apart, other information and evidence is 1992: 206).
unfortunately not available in connection with However, samples he found in explorations
0 ] other sites mentioned by Pope, because of the in this city (that was clear that they have been
6.
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9. lack of archaeological investigation. produced in situ) have a completely different
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0 In addition to the studies of Pope, during the style from Sultān Abād type. In addition, low-
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64 archaeological survey conducted by the author quality glaze, polishing and even texture also
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indicate that they have not been produced by Cultural Heritage Archive (Unpublished
potters producing golden shades pottery of Data).
Kāshān (Morgan, 1995: 35). Some researchers [6] Bivar’ A.D.H (2000). Excavations at
have also pointed to sites such as Ave, and have Ghubayra¸ Iran¸ London.
expressed that this city has been a pottery [7] Bosworth’ C.E (1997). "Sultanabad", The
production center in Sultān Abād, but no encyclopedia of Islam, Vol IX (SAN-
sample of this type has been found in SZE)’ P859’ New edition.
excavations of this site (Khatib Shahidi, 2006 & [8] Cunningham, R. et al (2010). The Islamic
2007). With these conditions, in relation to Era Settlements of Tehran Plain (in press).
most Sultān Abād pottery types, we cannot [9] Dunnett, M (2007). Hasanlu hill and
definitively comment until further surveys and Ilkhanid Period, (Trans) Ali Sadrayi and
targeted excavations are carried out. Samad Aliyun, Tehran, Cultural Heritage,
Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.
References [10] Ethinghausen et al (2005). The Ilkhanid,
4 ] [1] Al-Husseini, Ghias Uddin Bin Hammam al- (Trans) by Yaghoob Azhand, Tehran:
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1- Din (known as Khundmir) (1985). Habib al Moula Press.
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02 seyar, Tehran: Khayyam Library Press. [11] Fazli, Qasim (2007). Arak Historic Market
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o [2] Ali Yari, A (2006). “A Comprehensive Speculation Report, Markazi Province
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s.a Archaeological Map of Tehran Province”, Cultural Heritage Archive (unpublished).
e
ar
d Tehran University Archaeological [12] Fehervari, Geza (1973). Islamic Pottery: A
o
m
h. Institute website. Comprehensive Study Based on the Barlow
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[3] Bahrami, M (1992). "Cooperation in Collection, London: Faber and Faber.
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ed fr Studying the Ceramics of Iran during the [13] Fehervari, Geza (2000). Ceramics of the
d
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nl Islamic Era", Andre Godard and others, Iran Islamic World in the Tareq Rajab
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D Monuments, vol. 1-2, translated Abolhassan Museum, New York, London: I.B.Tauris.
[
Sarvaghad Moghaddam, Mashhad: Astan [14] Grube, Ernest J (1976). Islamic Pottery of
Quds Razavi, pp. 189-209. Eight to Fifteenth Centuries in the Keir
[4] Bahrami, Mehdi (1948). Pottery Industries Collection, London: Faber and Faber
0 ] in Iran, Tehran: University of Tehran Press. [15] Khafi, Fasih, Ahmad-Ibn Jalal al-Din
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9. [5] Bahranipor, H (2009). Report, Review and Muhammad (1962). Mojmal Fasihi,
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0 Identification of Zarandieh County in Correction and Annotation by Mahmoud
2
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64 Markazi Province, Markazi Province Farrukh, Mashhad: Tous Press.
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[16] Khatib Shahidi, H (2006), Report on the [23] Mostofi, H (1983). Naz·hat Alqlub,
First Season of Exploration in the corrected by Guy Lystranj, Tehran:
Historical Site of Ave, Markazi Province Donyaye Ketab.
Cultural Heritage Organization [24] Nemati, MR (2009). First Season Report
(unpublished data). of Excavated Historical Sites of Zolf Abad
[17] Khatib Shahidi, H (2007). "The in Farahan, Archive of Cultural Heritage,
Archaeological Site of Ave", Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of
Archaeological Reports 6 (Special Islamic Markazi Province (unpublished data).
period), Tehran: Cultural Heritage and [25] Nemati, M.R and Sedighian, H (2010).
Tourism Organization, Institute of Archaeological Evaluation of Pottery of
Archaeology, pp. 9-20. Varamin Great Mosque (in press).
[18] Klays, W. and Kalmayer, P (2006). [26] Pope¸ A.U (1939). “The Ceramic Art in
Bistoon: 1963-1967, Exploration and Islamic Times" A Survey of Persian Art,
Research, translation of Najd Samii F., Vol IV¸ Oxford¸ PP. 1446- 1664.
4 ] Tehran Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and [27] Schmidt‚ Erich F (1936). Rayy
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1- Tourism organization. Excavation Season 1936.
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02 [19] Lane, Arthur (1942). Early Islamic [28] Sedighian, H. and Abolfazli A., (2009).
2
n
o Pottery: Mesopotamia’ Egypt & Iran, Majd Abad No Gol-Hesar Hill Record of
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s.a London: Faber and Faber. Finds, Archive of Cultural Heritage,
e
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d [20] Lane, Arthur (1971). Later Islamic Handicrafts and Tourism Organization of
o
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h. Pottery: Persia’ Syria’ Egypt & Turkey, Markazi Province (unpublished data).
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London: Faber and Faber. [29] Sheratu, U and Grube, E (2005). Ilkhanid
o
ed fr [21] Mirzaei, Z (2008). Report, Review and and Timurid Art, translated by Yaghoob
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nl Identification of Shirvan and Faruj Azhand, Tehran: Mola Press.
w
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D Counties, North Khorasan Cultural [30] Watson‚ Oliver (2004). Ceramics from
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Heritage organization Archive Islamic Lands‚ London: Thames and
(unpublished data). Hodson.
[22] Morgan, Peter (1995). “Some Far Eastern [31] Zaki, Mohammed Hassan (1987). Iran's
0 ] Elements in Colored – Ground Sultanabad Industrial History after Islam, Trans.
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9. Wares” Islamic Art in the Ashmolean Mohammad Ali Khalili, Tehran: Egbal
1
2.
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0 Museum, part two, Oxford University Press.
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64 Press, Berlin, pp 19-44.
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4 ]
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on Figure 1. Pottery Type of Sultān Abād with
c.ir Cylindrical Albarellow Shape.
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0.2 Figure 2. Style I Pottery of Sultān Abād.
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Figure 3. Style II Pottery of Sultān Abād.

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0 ]
6.
3. Figure 4. Style IIIA Pottery of Sultān Abād (also known as Kāshān Style).
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